Personal Insurance Blog

The Waiver of Deductible is an endorsement that you can purchase along with Collision coverage for your vehicle.  There is a small charge of approximately $7.00 for this waiver.

When you purchase Collision coverage it allows you to be paid for your damages whether you are  “at fault” or not.  If you are at fault (meaning the accident happened because of something that you or your driver did that caused the accident), you must pay the deductible listed on your declaration page and then the insurance company pays the balance.

If you are not “at fault” you have the option of putting the claim in through your company or submitting a third party claim with the insurance company of the party that was at fault.  In most cases, it is easier and quicker to go through your own policy. 

The wording on the Waiver of Deductible endorsement reads:

The deductible amount shown on the coverage selection page for collision (part 7) does not apply to any auto to which this endorsement applies as shown on the coverage selection page if:

1. The auto was legally parked when struck by another auto owned in an identified person
2. The auto was struck in the rear by another auto moving in the same direction and owned by an identified person
3. The operator of the other auto was convicted of any of the follwing violations:      
   1. Operating under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or a narcotic drug
   2. Driving the wrong way on a one-way street
   3. Operating at an excessive rate of speed
   4. Any similar violation of any similar law of another state in which the accident occurs

However, we will not pay if the operator of the auto covered under this Part was also convicted on one of the above violations.                                                                                                                        

You are  entitled to recover in court against an identified person for some reason other than those listed above.

If your car is parked or rear-ended and you can identify the other party, your company will pay your  claim without deducting your deductible.

When it is not such a clear cut occurrence, you might have to wait until the claim has been settled between the two companies and they assign liability for the accident. 

If you have an accident and you are determined to be at fault, your deductible is subtracted from the payment for damages and you will get a surcharge. Should you appeal the surcharge and win the appeal (meaning the board did not find you more than 50% at fault), the surcharge will indeed be removed but you will not get your deductible returned.

To discuss your personal auto insurance call the Gordon Atlantic Insurance professionals toll free at 1-800-649-3252. Prefer to type versus talk? Use the form to the left of this blog. For a free, no obligation quote, click below!