Deductibles
What a deductible is, who collects it, when it's waived, and the scams to avoid.
Your deductible is the share of an insured repair you agreed to pay when you bought the policy. The insurer pays the repair cost minus the deductible; you typically pay your share to the shop at pickup.
When there's no deductible
If another driver was at fault and their insurer accepts the claim (a third-party claim), there is usually no deductible. If you claim through your own policy while fault is sorted out, you may pay your deductible now and have it reimbursed later if your insurer recovers from the other carrier.
A red flag worth knowing
A shop that offers to 'bury' or 'waive' your deductible by inflating the insurance bill is describing insurance fraud. It's illegal, and it tells you how that shop treats paperwork you can't see. We don't do it, and we'd encourage you not to repair a vehicle anywhere that offers.
Working through an insurance claim?
You choose the shop. We help manage the repair — documentation, supplements, and adjuster communication.