Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Claim-free years to break even
3.3
Annual premium savings
$300.00
Extra out of pocket per claim
$1,000
Expected 10-year net savings
$2,000.00
Expected annual net cost (negative = you win)
-$200.00
Premium reduction
17.9%
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How to use this
- 1Enter lower deductible ($).
- 2Enter premium at the lower deductible ($/yr).
- 3Enter higher deductible ($).
- 4Enter premium at the higher deductible ($/yr).
- 5Enter expected claims per decade.
- 6Read your claim-free years to break even on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Raising a deductible only pays if you go long enough without a claim to bank the premium difference. This finds the break-even in years.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Lower deductible: 500 $
- Premium at the lower deductible: 1680 $/yr
- Higher deductible: 1500 $
- Premium at the higher deductible: 1380 $/yr
- Expected claims per decade: 1
Results
- Claim-free years to break even: 3.3
- Annual premium savings: $300.00
- Extra out of pocket per claim: $1,000.00
- Expected 10-year net savings: $2,000.00
- Expected annual net cost (negative = you win): -$200.00
- Premium reduction: 17.9%
What each field means
Inputs
- Lower deductible ($)
- The lower deductible used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 500 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Premium at the lower deductible ($/yr)
- The premium at the lower deductible used in the calculation, measured in $/yr. Starts at 1680 $/yr so you have a working example on load.
- Higher deductible ($)
- The higher deductible used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 1500 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Premium at the higher deductible ($/yr)
- The premium at the higher deductible used in the calculation, measured in $/yr. Starts at 1380 $/yr so you have a working example on load.
- Expected claims per decade
- The expected claims per decade used in the calculation. Starts at 1 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–10.
Results
- Claim-free years to break even
- Returned as a decimal number and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Annual premium savings
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Extra out of pocket per claim
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Expected 10-year net savings
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Expected annual net cost (negative = you win)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Premium reduction
- Returned as a percentage. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How does the insurance deductible break-even calculator work?
Raising a deductible only pays if you go long enough without a claim to bank the premium difference. This finds the break-even in years. The underlying maths is: Break-even years = Extra deductible ÷ annual premium savings.
What do I need to enter?
5 values: lower deductible, premium at the lower deductible, higher deductible, premium at the higher deductible, and expected claims per decade. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move.
What does the claim-free years to break even result mean?
It is returned as a decimal number and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds.
Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?
Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser.
How accurate is the result?
It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
Who is this tool for?
It's built for anyone comparing money scenarios before committing — budgeting a payment, sanity-checking a quote, or seeing what a change in rate or term actually costs.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Insurance Deductible Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/car-insurance-deductible
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/car-insurance-deductible" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insurance Deductible Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Insurance Deductible Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/car-insurance-deductible) (2026).