Making a motor insurance claim usually means paying an excess before your insurer covers the rest, and that figure can run into hundreds of pounds even when the accident wasn't your fault. Motor excess protection insurance reimburses that cost, so a claim doesn't leave you paying twice, once through the excess and again through a higher premium at renewal.
Chris Knott Insurance arranges motor excess insurance from £25, reimbursing up to £1,000 of your car insurance excess per claim, on vehicles up to 44 tonnes fully laden, so it covers everything from a car to a commercial vehicle, whatever caused the claim, from a collision to vandalism. It's designed to pay out even if you're waiting on a third-party insurer to settle, which can sometimes take six months or more.
Excellent service from start to finish. The team took time to understand exactly what I needed and found me a great policy at a competitive price. Couldn't be happier with the whole experience.
Been with Chris Knott for over 5 years now. Easy renewal process and the team are always a pleasure to speak with. Proper UK-based advice you can actually trust.
After being let down by my previous insurer, Chris Knott made the whole process painless. Honest, straightforward, and friendly from the very first call. Highly recommend them.
Andy was brilliant - talked me through all the options clearly, no pressure, and found me a much better deal than the comparison sites. This is how insurance should be done.
I needed specialist cover for my classic Jaguar and Chris Knott sorted it quickly and at a great price. Really impressed with the level of knowledge and personal service.
Switched my home insurance after a recommendation from a friend. Very competitive premium and the whole thing was done in under 20 minutes. Very pleased with everything.
First-class service. I dealt with Emma who was patient, helpful and knew exactly what I needed for my thatched cottage. Got proper specialist cover, not a standard policy.
Genuinely good old-fashioned customer service. A real person who actually listens and helps you find the right cover. Wouldn't go anywhere else for my insurance now.
Had a claim last year and Chris Knott supported me throughout. Made a stressful situation much easier. Fair, fast, and professional - exactly what you want from a broker.
Renewed my multi-car policy today. Still the best value I've found anywhere and the team remembered me from last year. That personal touch really makes a difference.
Very helpful team, especially when I needed to add a modified vehicle to my policy. Talked me through everything and made sure I was properly covered. Excellent all round.
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Outstanding from start to finish. I've recommended Chris Knott to everyone I know - my parents, my sister, and even my colleagues. They never let anyone down.
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The cover reimburses the excess you pay whenever you make a valid claim on your main motor policy, whatever caused it. That means it applies across the usual reasons a driver claims, including:
It pays out whether the claim was your fault, partly your fault, or not your fault at all, and it can reimburse your excess even while you're waiting to recover it from an at-fault third party, which can take six months or more. Cover runs for 12 months alongside your existing policy.
Motor excess protection is designed for the excess on a standard motor claim, so a few things sit outside it:
As with any policy, it's worth reading the wording for the full list before you rely on it. There's also a 14-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind after taking it out.
This type of excess is fixed in the policy and isn't negotiable; it's the minimum you'll pay towards a claim regardless of the circumstances. Voluntary excess is an amount you choose to add on top, usually in exchange for a lower premium, since you're agreeing to cover more of a smaller claim yourself. Excess protection insurance can reimburse either or both, which matters if you've chosen a higher voluntary excess specifically to reduce your premium, since that choice only pays off if you're also covered for the excess itself when a claim happens.
If you're involved in an incident and need to claim on your car insurance, you pay whatever excess is required as part of that claim, exactly as you normally would. You then claim that policy excess back separately, up to the limit of the policy, rather than the two processes being combined into one. This is different from car hire insurance excess, which typically works the same way but applies to a rental agreement rather than your own insurance policies. This is why it's a policy that runs alongside your main motor policy rather than replacing any part of it.
The main requirement is straightforward: you need an existing motor insurance policy for the cover to sit alongside, since it reimburses the excess on that policy rather than replacing any part of it. It's available on a wide range of vehicles, from a private car up to a commercial vehicle of 44 tonnes fully laden. If you're unsure whether your vehicle or your existing policy qualifies, our team can confirm before you take it out.
Because Chris Knott arranges this to work alongside whichever insurer holds your main car insurance policy, you don't need to change provider or policy to add it. It also complements the rest of your motor insurance, sitting comfortably alongside cover like RTI and GAP insurance, breakdown cover and motor legal insurance, so the costs a claim throws at you are covered from more than one angle. We're a UK-based broker that's been arranging cover since 1983, with a 4.9-star Trustpilot rating from over 2,200 reviews you can check yourself, and we're not on the comparison sites. We're authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 304452), and you can verify that on the Financial Services Register at register.fca.org.uk.
It depends on your excess and how likely you think you are to claim, but for many drivers the maths works in its favour. If your compulsory and voluntary excess combined could run to several hundred pounds, a policy costing from £25 a year that reimburses up to £1,000 is relatively inexpensive cover against that cost, particularly if choosing a higher voluntary excess is already saving you money on your main premium.
No. A windscreen or glass claim carries its own separate, usually lower, excess on a standard motor policy, and that windscreen excess sits outside this cover. Motor excess protection is aimed at the excess on a full accident, fire, theft or vandalism claim rather than a glass-only one.
You may still have to pay your excess upfront even when a claim isn't your fault, particularly if it takes time to establish liability or recover costs from the other driver's insurer. This is exactly the situation excess protection insurance is designed for, since it can reimburse your excess without you having to wait for the other party's insurer to settle, which can take six months or longer.
You can make a claim by contacting our team directly, and we'll talk you through what's needed. Having your motor insurance policy documents and proof of the excess you paid on the original claim ready speeds things up considerably.
From classic cars to daily drivers, breakdown cover to multi-car policies, we arrange specialist motor insurance for every type of driver.
One broker, many kinds of cover - all handled by our UK-based team.
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ExploreEvery page is written and fact-checked by our UK-based insurance specialists. Chris Knott Insurance has been arranging cover since 1983.
Call our UK-based team on 0800 917 2274 or email enquiries@chrisknott.co.uk to get a quote that protects you against your own excess. We're open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
*Chris Knott Insurance is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 304452). You can check this on the Financial Services Register at register.fca.org.uk.*
