Understanding your policy excess
When you make a claim on your Marshmallow car insurance, you’ll need to pay an excess. This is the amount you contribute towards the cost of repairs or replacement.
Your excess is made up of two parts:
Compulsory excess – This is set automatically by our system based on details such as your age, driving experience, and the type of car you drive. It usually ranges between £150 and £750.
Voluntary excess – This is an amount you chose to add when you bought your policy. Increasing your voluntary excess normally lowers your premium, while choosing a smaller voluntary excess means your premium is higher but you’ll pay less if you need to make a claim.
Together, these make up your total excess. For example:
If your compulsory excess is £250 and you selected a £100 voluntary excess, your total excess would be £350.
Can I change my excess after buying my policy?
No – once your policy has started, you can’t change either the compulsory or voluntary excess. This also applies at renewal.
Compulsory excess: Set by our system and cannot be changed at any stage.
Voluntary excess: Can only be chosen when you first take out your policy or switch plans. After your policy begins, it stays the same until the end of your term.
When can I choose my voluntary excess?
You can only select your voluntary excess during the quote stage – before you buy your policy.
If you bought your policy directly from Marshmallow, you were given the option to choose your voluntary excess at that point.
If you used a comparison site, like Compare the Market or GoCompare, you may also have had the option to add voluntary excess before completing your quote.
Key things to keep in mind
Affordability matters – Always make sure you choose a voluntary excess you could realistically pay in the event of a claim.
Premium impact – A higher voluntary excess usually means a cheaper monthly or annual premium, but a bigger out-of-pocket cost if you claim.
Plan differences – Some Marshmallow plans (for example, Essential or Original) may include lower or higher default excess levels. These can only be chosen when setting up or switching plans.
Where to find your excess details
You can check your compulsory and voluntary excess in your:
Marshmallow app – under your policy details.
Motor Insurance Schedule – which was emailed to you when you bought your policy.