You have to pay a deductible any time you make a claim under a coverage that carries a deductible, provided the damages exceed the deductible amount. Typically, your insurance provider subtracts the deductible amount from your claim’s approved payout, meaning you usually don’t have to make a payment to them. For example, suppose you have a claim that’s approved for $5,000 and you have a $1,000 deductible. In this instance, your insurance provider will send you a check for $4,000.