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what is a collision deductible

A collision deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket to repair or replace your car before your collision insurance coverage starts paying after an accident. It only comes into play when you file a collision claim for damage to your own vehicle, such as hitting another car, a pole, or a guardrail.

Quick Scoop

  • A collision deductible is a fixed dollar amount (often around 250–1,000 dollars or more) that you choose when you buy your auto policy.
  • If repair costs are lower than or close to your deductible, you usually pay everything yourself and might not even file a claim.
  • Choosing a higher deductible usually means a lower monthly premium, but more out-of-pocket cost if you have a crash.

Simple example

  • If you have a 500-dollar collision deductible and cause 3,000 dollars in damage by hitting a fence, your insurer might pay 2,500 dollars and you pay the first 500 dollars.
  • If damage is 400 dollars and your deductible is 500 dollars, the claim typically does not pay out because the repair cost is below your deductible.

When it usually applies

Collision deductibles generally apply when:

  • Your car is damaged in a crash with another vehicle and your own collision coverage is paying for repairs.
  • You hit a stationary object (tree, pole, fence, building) or roll your car in a single-vehicle accident.

If another insured driver is clearly at fault and their property damage liability pays for your car, you normally do not use your collision coverage or deductible.

Collision deductible vs. waivers

Some policies offer a collision deductible waiver , which means you might not have to pay the deductible if an uninsured driver causes the crash. This add‑on is limited in when it applies and often only works if the other driver is clearly at fault and uninsured (and, in some places, not a hit-and-run).

TL;DR: A collision deductible is the chunk of money you agree to pay first toward your car’s repair after a crash under your collision coverage; your insurer pays the rest of the covered amount above that figure.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.