When is an auto insurance deductible waived?
Your auto insurance deductible is waived when you're in a car accident where the other driver is determined to be at fault. That driver's insurance company will be responsible for your repairs and medical costs.
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UPDATED: Oct 27, 2023
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UPDATED: Oct 27, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
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When it comes to your car insurance policy, the deductible is the amount of money you must pay for auto repairs before your insurance company pays for your claim. If you get into an accident with $7,000 worth of damage and you have a $1000 deductible, for example, you will pay $1000 to your insurer and they will pay the remaining $6000. Although much less than the cost of the full repair, the collision insurance deductible is still oftentimes very expensive and not everyone can afford it. Fortunately, in some special situations, the deductible can be waived, which is why it is important to understand the deductible waived meaning.
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When can you get a waiver of deductible?
Oftentimes, there is only one way in which your insurer may apply a collision deductible waiver. And that is when you are involved in an accident with another vehicle and they are determined to be at fault. Their insurance provider will accept full responsibility and then will reimburse you for the full damage involved, deductible included.
One of the few situations in which you may get a deductible waiver is for windshield claims. Windshield repairs, which are covered by comprehensive coverage policies, are defined separately in most policies. If you have comprehensive insurance coverage, you may owe much less (or nothing at all) for a deductible if you are to get your windshield repaired. If it is a small nick or a small crack on your windshield, your insurer might go ahead and repair it for you at no cost whatsoever. Call your insurance provider to find out for sure if your insurance policy covers windshield damage with no deductible.
Read more: Does my auto insurance cover damage to my windshield?
In some states, like Michigan, there is a deductible waiver that you can buy or add on to your policy. In these states, if you have the deductible waiver, you will not be required to pay your deductible under certain circumstances, for example, you are hit by someone with the same insurance company, or your vehicle is deemed to be a “total loss”, or you are hit by an uninsured motorist. If you do not buy this waiver, however, you could be out of luck. Ask your insurance agent if there are any deductible waivers available to add to your policy, otherwise, you might end up paying for your deductible in full come repair time.
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Should you deal with repair shops that are willing to waive your deductible?
Sometimes an auto repair shop will offer to waive your deductible. They do this, behind the backs of the insurance companies they work with, to entice adult drivers, provisional drivers, and even teen drivers to patronize their shop for repairs. Usually, this is both illegal and unethical as it cuts into the insurer’s profits. The way it works is that the repair shop would over-inflate the estimate for the repair cost so that the insurer ends up paying the entire amount of the damaged vehicle’s repairs, including your deductible. This is unethical and fraudulent because it ignores the deductible amount that you agreed to in your policy.
Be wary of auto body shops that offer to lower or waive your deductible. Not only is this practice illegal, but it’s also risky to you, as a consumer. If they are willing to cut corners with the insurance company, they might cut corners repairing your vehicle or not give it the proper care it needs. In addition, the chances of a fraudulent repair shop staying in business for the long term is slim-to-none, so don’t even think about them honoring any warranty you might have.
How to Get Your Deductible Waived: The Bottom Line
In general, when it comes to car insurance, you should expect to pay some kind of deductible when you get repair work done. After all, paying a deductible is what you agreed to when you signed your policy. Talk to your insurance agent to get a better idea of what you will owe when it comes time to do repairs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is an auto insurance deductible waived?
Your auto insurance deductible is waived when you’re in a car accident where the other driver is determined to be at fault. That driver’s insurance company will be responsible for your repairs and medical costs.
Can my windshield repair be covered without a deductible?
If you have comprehensive insurance coverage, your insurer might cover the cost of repairing small nicks or cracks on your windshield without requiring you to pay a deductible. Contact your insurance provider to confirm if your policy includes this coverage.
Should I deal with repair shops that offer to waive my deductible?
No, you should be wary of repair shops that offer to waive your deductible. This practice is both illegal and unethical, as it can involve fraudulent activities that may compromise the quality of the repairs and your long-term warranty.
How can I get my deductible waived?
In some states, you may have the option to purchase a deductible waiver add-on to your policy. This waiver can exempt you from paying the deductible under certain circumstances, such as being hit by an uninsured motorist or experiencing a total loss. Check with your insurance agent to see if this option is available to you.
Do I always have to pay a deductible for car repairs?
In general, you should expect to pay a deductible for car repairs covered by your insurance policy. The deductible amount is agreed upon when you sign your policy. It’s important to discuss your deductible with your insurance agent to understand what you will owe when it comes time for repairs.
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Jeffrey Manola
Licensed Insurance Agent
Jeffrey Manola is an experienced insurance agent who founded TopQuoteLifeInsurance.com and NoMedicalExamQuotes.com. His mission when creating these sites was to provide online consumers searching for insurance with the most affordable rates available. Not only does he strive to provide consumers with the best prices for insurance coverage, but he also wants those on the market for insurance to ...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.