There are some situations where a higher or different type of excess might apply to car insurance.
The excess on a windscreen repair is usually separate from, and a lot less than, the standard excess on your car insurance policy. For example, with Admiral, if you have windscreen cover included in your policy, the excess would be £25 for a windscreen repair or £115 for a replacement windscreen. Some insurers don’t charge any excess at all for windscreens if you use their preferred windscreen repair company. Others will charge an excess for replacements but not repairs.
If your car needs repairing, you have a legal right to choose where this is done. But if you choose a garage not approved by your insurer, you might have to pay an additional excess.
You might also need to pay a high excess to find affordable car insurance if you’re a new or inexperienced driver. Drivers under the age of 21 usually have a higher compulsory excess than older drivers, as they’re statistically more likely to be involved in an accident.
If you have a history of motoring convictions or drink driving or a past driving ban, you may need to agree to a higher voluntary excess to find affordable car insurance. This is because insurers will view you as high risk.
The same goes if you drive an expensive or high-performance car. These vehicles are more desirable to thieves and often cost more to repair.