What happens if I don't pay my excess?
Asked by: Neoma Walter | Last update: April 17, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (72 votes)
What happens if you can't pay excess?
If you do not have the money available to pay the excess your insurer may refuse your claim or it might deduct the amount from what it pays towards the repairs. For example, if you make a claim for damages worth £2,000 but cannot afford to pay the £250 excess, your insurer will only pay the remaining £1,750.
Is it better to pay excess or not?
Purely based on likelihood of risk, paying extra excess when you do end up claiming insurance will usually^ be cheaper cumulatively over all the years that you drive a car, than paying extra in premiums.
What happens if you refuse to pay car insurance?
An insurer would likely not immediately cancel a policy over a missed payment. It would typically provide a grace period of between 10 and 20 days before doing so. If the insurance company decides to revoke your policy, you'll receive a notice to inform you of the cancelation.
Do you have to pay excess straight away?
You pay car insurance excess when you make a claim for damage to your car on your own insurance. But you don't have to pay it in a lump sum. Most of the time, when you make a claim, your insurer will take the excess away from your payout. That means you usually can't pay for your excess in instalments.
Do I have to pay excess if not my fault?
Do I get my excess back if it's not my fault?
Paying excess for a car accident that isn't your fault
When you pay the excess for a car accident which isn't your fault, you may need to claim this back from the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident once the claim is settled, if you don't have legal expenses cover to pay this for you.
Does excess get refunded?
You usually have to pay every time you make a claim, but not always. For example, if you were in a car accident that wasn't your fault, you wouldn't be expected to pay – or your excess would be refunded.
What happens if I never pay my insurance?
Will I lose my insurance if I don't pay my premium? If you don't pay every missed premium within the 90 days, your insurer may terminate your coverage. This has a few major consequences: You will no longer be able to use your insurance plan for future services.
What if I forgot to pay my car insurance?
If you haven't made your payment by the end of the grace period, your policy could lapse, leaving you uninsured. Having a lapse in coverage can result in fees, penalties and other costly consequences that can haunt you for years. Here's how a car insurance grace period works.
What happens if I don't pay my insurance claim?
If you can't pay the bill, the insurance company may allow you to pay over time. This will depend on the company. They are not obliged to do this and may demand payment in full. If you don't pay the bill, they might hire a collection agency.
How to get out of paying excess?
You should explain that you are in financial difficulty and cannot currently afford to pay the excess but that your claim is otherwise covered by your policy.
Do I pay excess if I'm not at fault?
Once liability has been determined by the insurer and if you're found to be not at fault, your excess will be waived and your claim will continue as normal. It can be easy to assign blame and assume it's the other driver's responsibility to cover costs, especially if the events around the incident weren't clear-cut.
Is it better to have excess or no excess?
Increasing your excess usually lowers your monthly premiums. But it also means that, in the event of a claim, you will need to pay a larger amount upfront. It's therefore important to agree to a compulsory and voluntary excess total that you can afford.
Why do people pay excess?
A car insurance excess is designed mainly to eliminate small claims that have a high administrative cost relative to the value of the claim – which in turn helps keep your premiums down.
What happens if no one is at fault in an accident?
But what will happen if no one is at fault for your car accident? You can always file a no-fault car insurance claim. The insurance provider will compensate the policyholder and its passengers for the cost of minor injuries and loss of income regardless of who caused the accident.
What happens if I can't pay the premiums?
The effect depends on the type of policy and coverage you have and the policy terms and conditions. Term: If you stop paying premiums, your coverage lapses. Permanent: If you have this type of policy, you will have the following choices: Cash out the policy.
How long can car insurance go unpaid?
If you missed a payment, your insurance company may have a grace period to give you time to pay your bill and reinstate your policy before it lapses. This grace period can be between 10 and 20 days. If your insurer won't renew your policy, you'll get notified and you'll have time to shop around for quotes.
What happens if I let my insurance lapse?
That means if you cause an accident and injure someone else or damage their car, you'll have to pay completely out of pocket. Same goes for damage to your car. Also, if your insurance lapsed and the policy can't be reinstated, you won't be able to backdate coverage to cover an accident that happened in the past.
What happens if I just stop paying my car insurance?
If you stop paying your premiums but do not cancel your policy, your carrier will eventually cancel your policy for nonpayment. However, there may be charges for insurance coverage up until that point, along with possible late fees.
What happens if you don't pay insurance for 3 months?
If you don't pay all owed premiums, you may lose your coverage dating back to the first month you missed the premium payment. You may also have to wait to get health coverage. The 3-month premium payment grace period starts the first month you didn't pay, even if you make payments for the following months.
How long can you go without car insurance?
It is a crime to drive almost anywhere without car insurance coverage, even for a minute or just down the street. So, how long can you be without car insurance? If you're driving, you can't. Anytime you get behind the wheel as a licensed driver, you need insurance coverage or you'll risk incurring major consequences.
Is it bad to not pay car insurance?
Car insurance companies usually offer grace periods to make up your payment without penalty. However, say you don't pay your bill during the grace period, and your coverage ends. Driving during a car insurance lapse may result in legal and financial consequences.
Do I have to pay excess if not my fault?
You pay the excess in the event of any claim made on your insurance policy regardless of who is to blame. However, if it's proved the accident was the other person's fault and the full cost is recovered from their insurer, you may be able to recover this amount.
Do I have to pay excess if not my fault AAMI?
If you pay an excess upfront and it's later determined by us that you weren't at fault, we'll refund you accordingly if you can provide us the name and address of the at fault driver and registration of the at fault vehicle involved.
What is the minimum excess in insurance?
The compulsory excess is the minimum amount that you'll pay towards a claim. It's set by your insurer when you take out your policy and will be in your policy documents. The amount of compulsory excess you pay can vary depending on the cover you're making a claim on.