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500 vs 1000 Deductible: How to Choose

Compare a $500 vs $1,000 auto deductible with break-even thinking—premium savings vs cash you need after a claim. Built around PolicyPlain’s deductible tool.

Alex Rivera1 min read
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Educational only. PolicyPlain does not sell insurance and does not provide insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage rules and prices vary by state and insurer. Read our full disclaimer.

Choosing $500 vs $1,000 (or any deductible pair) is break-even math plus cash-buffer honesty—not a personality test.

Educational only—not a quote.

Direct answer

Get two quotes that differ only by deductible, divide the annual premium difference into the deductible gap ($500 here), and see how many claim-years the higher deductible needs to “win.” Then use the tool:

Interactive tool

Deductibles

Step 1 of 3· Options

33%

Full page: Advanced deductible analyzer

Tiny example

  • Premium savings for $1,000 vs $500 deductible: $120/year
  • Extra out-of-pocket if you claim: $500
  • Rough break-even: about 4+ years without a physical-damage claim for the higher deductible to come out ahead on premium alone

Your numbers will differ—especially with multi-car policies.

Disclaimer

Savings and rating vary. Confirm with written quotes.

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Frequently asked questions

Is a $1,000 deductible better than $500?+

It depends on the premium savings and whether you can comfortably pay $1,000 after a claim. If annual savings are small, the lower deductible may be worth it. Run both quotes with identical coverage otherwise.

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