Yeah, I hear you on that. I've always leaned toward lower deductibles myself—mostly because, well, let's just say my driving record isn't exactly spotless, haha. Last year, though, I finally sat down and ran the numbers. Turns out bumping from $250 to $500 wasn't as scary as I thought. The savings were noticeable enough to make me reconsider, even with my track record. Still, everyone's comfort zone is different...especially when you've got kids in the backseat distracting you every five minutes.
"Turns out bumping from $250 to $500 wasn't as scary as I thought."
Totally get where you're coming from—it's funny how we build these things up in our heads, right? Honestly, a lot of folks find that sweet spot around $500. And hey, kids in the backseat...that's practically a hazard category all its own, haha.
“Honestly, a lot of folks find that sweet spot around $500.”
I’m still not convinced $500 is the magic number, but I get the logic. I bumped mine up last year and yeah, the premium drop was nice, but I keep wondering if I’ll regret it the next time a shopping cart dings my door. Kids in the backseat definitely add to the risk factor... mine have turned the car into a snack graveyard, which probably isn’t covered under any policy.
I hear you on the shopping cart paranoia—those little dings add up, especially when you’ve got kids and random parking lot chaos. I’ve always wondered if the premium savings really balance out the risk, too. Have you ever actually had to file a claim with the higher deductible? For me, I did once, and honestly, it stung more than I expected. Sometimes I think the “sweet spot” is more about peace of mind than math.
Sometimes I think the “sweet spot” is more about peace of mind than math.
That really hits home for me. I’ve crunched the numbers a bunch of times, but then I’ll be on a road trip, parked at some random diner, and suddenly all I care about is whether my car’s gonna get dinged or not. The math just kind of fades into the background when you’re actually out there living life.
Curious—when you had to file that claim with the higher deductible, did it change how you looked at your coverage after? Like, did you end up switching to a lower deductible for the peace of mind, or just stick it out? I always wonder if people actually make changes after going through it once.
Also, has anyone here ever tried those “ding repair” add-ons some insurers offer? Worth it, or just another gimmick?
