What is excess?
What is Insurance Excess? (UK Explained)
Compulsory + voluntary excess explained, plus the perils with their own excess (escape of water, subsidence). UK plain English.
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The short answer
UK excess has two parts: compulsory (set by the insurer based on the risk) and voluntary (you choose). You pay the total. Specific perils — escape of water, subsidence, flood — often have their own higher excess that replaces, not adds to, the standard one.
Frequently asked
- Do I pay excess if I'm not at fault?
- Usually yes upfront; insurer recovers it from the third party and refunds you.
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Stop guessing. Check your actual policy.
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