Do I get my voluntary excess back?
You get your voluntary excess back only if the accident is not your fault and your insurer recovers costs from the other driver.
✅ When You Get It Back
- Not-at-fault claims: Recovered from the at-fault driver's insurer.
- Successful recovery: Your insurer successfully reclaims all costs.
- Cleared liability: Blame is fully assigned to the other party.
⚠️ When You Do Not Get It Back
- At-fault accidents: You caused the incident.
- Uninsured third party: The other driver lacks insurance.
- Unidentified drivers: Hit-and-run incidents where fault cannot be proven.
- Shared liability: Blame is split between both drivers.
Do you get your voluntary excess back?
You generally only get your voluntary excess back if the accident was proven to be another driver's fault and your insurer recovers the full cost from them.
When You Get It Back
- Non-fault claims: If another identified driver is at fault, your insurer will try to claw back all costs. Once they recover the money from the other insurer, your paid excess—including both compulsory and voluntary amounts—is refunded.
- Excess protection policy: If you bought a separate excess insurance add-on, you can claim the money back through that policy after paying it upfront.
When You Do Not Get It Back
- At-fault claims: If you caused the accident or hit an object, you will not get your voluntary excess back because it counts as your agreed contribution toward the repair bill.
- Uninsured or untraceable drivers: If the other driver is uninsured or cannot be identified, recovering the money is harder, and you might not get your excess back unless your insurer has a specific "uninsured driver promise".
Is it worth paying voluntary excess?
Paying a voluntary excess is worth it if the money you save on your insurance premium is higher than the extra risk you take on, and you can comfortably afford to pay the total amount if you have an accident.
How Voluntary Excess Works
- Extra cost: Your voluntary excess is the amount you choose to pay on top of your insurer's fixed compulsory excess when you make a claim.
- Lower bills: Opting for a higher voluntary excess usually lowers your yearly or monthly insurance quote.
- Diminishing returns: Raising your voluntary excess past a certain point (like £250 or £500) often stops lowering your insurance price very much.
Pros of a Higher Voluntary Excess
- Cheaper upfront price: Your regular insurance payments cost less.
- Stops tiny claims: It discourages you from making small claims that could ruin your no-claims bonus.
Cons and Risks
- Higher claim costs: If you crash, your total bill (compulsory plus voluntary excess) might be huge.
- Wasted claims: If the damage repair costs less than your total excess, your insurance pays nothing at all.
- No savings: Sometimes, changing the voluntary amount barely changes the price of the policy.
Is it right for you?
- Yes, if: You are a safe driver with emergency savings to cover the total excess if the unexpected happens.
- No, if: A sudden repair bill would cause you major financial stress.
Does your excess get refunded?
✅ Your insurance excess gets refunded only if the accident is not your fault and your insurer successfully recovers the costs from the other party.
🔄 When You Get a Refund
- Not at fault: Another driver is entirely responsible for the crash.
- Details provided: You give the at-fault driver's name, address, and registration.
- Successful recovery: Your insurer recovers repair costs from the other driver's insurer.
❌ When You Do Not Get a Refund
- At fault: You caused the accident or share partial blame.
- Unidentified driver: The incident is a hit-and-run and the other driver remains unknown.
- Uninsured driver: The other party is uninsured and unable to pay.
What should I set my voluntary excess as?
Set your voluntary excess to an amount you can comfortably afford to pay out of pocket at any given moment.
How to Choose Your Voluntary Excess
- Assess your savings: Look at your emergency fund. Ensure you can pay both your compulsory excess (set by the insurer) and your voluntary excess combined without stress if you have an accident.
- Balance premium vs. risk: A higher voluntary excess lowers your monthly or annual insurance bill, but a lower voluntary excess means you pay less if you actually make a claim.
- Test different amounts: When getting quotes on comparison sites like Confused.com, tweak the voluntary excess figures (£0, £100, £250, £500) to see if the drop in the price of the policy is actually worth the higher risk.
- Optimize the math: As one user on Reddit suggests, a good strategy is to raise your voluntary excess only as long as the reduction in your premium is genuinely larger than the extra risk you take on.
- Remember small claims: If a repair costs less than your total excess (compulsory plus voluntary), your insurer pays nothing, meaning you cannot claim for minor scrapes.
How to get your excess back after a claim
9 related questions found
What is the average voluntary excess?
The average voluntary excess for car insurance in the UK is typically around £300, with typical ranges spanning from £0 to £500+.
How Voluntary Excess Works
- Driver-Set Amount: This is an optional amount you choose to pay toward an insurance claim on top of any fixed compulsory excess set by your insurer.
- Premium Reduction: Choosing a higher voluntary excess usually lowers your regular monthly or annual insurance price.
- Diminishing Returns: Savings on your premium often stop decreasing significantly once your voluntary excess goes above £500.
- Total Cost: When you make a claim, you must pay both the compulsory excess and your chosen voluntary excess combined.
Learn more about managing your policy costs with MoneySupermarket or view provider options through Howden Insurance.
What not to tell your insurance company?
Never admit fault, apologize, or downplay your injuries when speaking to an insurance adjuster after an accident.
Statements to Avoid
- "I'm sorry" or "It was my fault": Insurers treat apologies as a legal admission of liability, which can reduce or eliminate your compensation.
- "I'm fine" or "I'm not hurt": Adrenaline can mask severe conditions like internal bleeding or traumatic brain injuries that appear days later. Early statements that you are fine are used to deny later claims.
- Guesses or speculation: Never estimate speeds, distances, or timing. Stick strictly to objective facts you know for certain.
- Recorded statements: You can decline requests for a recorded interview until you consult legal counsel, as adjusters use these recordings to trap you in inconsistencies.
Safe Communication Guidelines
- Provide only basic facts like the date, time, location, and your contact or policy details.
- Refer the adjuster to a qualified Car Accident Lawyer to manage further discussions and protect your rights.
Is it better to have low or high excess?
Whether a low or high excess is better depends on your budget, driving habits, and ability to pay out-of-pocket during an emergency. An excess is the amount of money you agree to pay toward an insurance claim before your provider covers the rest.
High Excess
- Lower payments: Your regular monthly or annual insurance premium costs less.
- Best for safe drivers: Ideal if you rarely make claims and want to save money on fixed costs.
- Higher risk: You must pay a large amount of cash immediately if you get into an accident.
Low Excess
- Higher payments: Your regular insurance premium costs more each month or year.
- Smaller claim costs: You pay very little out-of-pocket if your property gets damaged.
- Best for tight budgets: Ideal if you cannot afford a sudden, large cash bill in an emergency.
Can I refuse to pay excess?
You cannot legally refuse to pay an insurance excess, as it is a binding part of your policy contract agreed to when you purchased coverage.
Why You Must Pay
- Contractual agreement: Your insurance policy sets out the combined compulsory and voluntary excess amounts you owe per claim.
- Upfront requirement: Most insurers require you to pay this fee before repairs begin or deduct it directly from your final settlement payout.
- Refusal consequences: If you refuse to pay, your insurer can halt your claim, refuse to authorize vehicle repairs, or cancel your policy for breach of terms.
Exceptions and Refunds
- Non-fault accidents: If another driver is completely at fault, your insurer may try to recover the excess from the liable party's insurance.
- Reimbursement: Once the other insurer accepts liability and pays out, your provider should refund your paid excess. However, you usually still have to pay it initially.
- Uninsured driver promises: Some comprehensive policies waive or refund the excess if you provide the exact details of an uninsured driver who hit you.
Why is my excess so high?
Your insurance excess is high because insurers view you as a higher risk or because you selected a high voluntary amount to lower your monthly GoCompare payments.
An insurance excess is the money you agree to pay toward a claim before your insurer pays the rest. Your total excess combines a compulsory excess (set by the insurer) and a voluntary excess (chosen by you).
Why Your Compulsory Excess is High
- Young or New Driver: Drivers under 25 or with less experience face higher compulsory fees because they are statistically more likely to crash.
- Vehicle Type: Driving a high-performance car, an imported vehicle, or a car with expensive parts increases the repair risk for insurers.
- Location: Living in an area with high rates of theft, vandalism, or traffic accidents drives up your mandatory risk level.
- Driving History: Previous claims or driving convictions signal higher risk to insurance companies.
- Rising Market Costs: General inflation, expensive modern vehicle technology, and rising repair costs have caused overall industry excesses to increase.
Why Your Voluntary Excess is High
- Lowered Premiums: You or a previous policy holder may have chosen a high voluntary amount (such as £500 instead of £250) to make the annual or monthly insurance bill cheaper.