---
title: "Your motor insurance has an excess of £500. W… | Theory Test"
description: "Your motor insurance has an excess of £500. What does this mean? The correct answer is “The first £500 of the claim must be paid by you”. Read the instructor'"
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# Your motor insurance has an excess of £500. What does this mean?

DVSA-style practice question · Essential Documents

## The answer options

-   The first £500 of the claim must be paid by you**Correct** 
-   The first £500 of the claim will be paid by your insurance company 
-   You will be refunded £500 if you do not claim in a year 
-   Your vehicle is insured for up to £500 

## Why that is the answer

An insurance excess is the agreed amount you must pay towards any claim before the insurance company pays the remainder. If repairs cost £1,200, you pay the first £500 and the insurer covers the remaining £700. The excess is never paid by your insurer, nor is it a cash refund or the maximum value of your policy. DVSA guidance stresses knowing your policy details so you can manage costs if an accident happens.

## How this comes up in the real test

Questions from essential documents appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.

The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.

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## More essential documents questions

-   [A police officer requests to view your paperwork. They are not with you at this time. How many days do you have to produce them at a police station?](/theory/questions/a-police-officer-requests-to-view-your-paperwork-they-are-not-with-you-at-this-time-how-ma)
-   [Before you can legally use a motor vehicle on the road, what do you need?](/theory/questions/before-you-can-legally-use-a-motor-vehicle-on-the-road-what-do-you-need)
-   [Before you drive someone else's vehicle, what must you ensure?](/theory/questions/before-you-drive-someone-else-s-vehicle-what-must-you-ensure)
-   [For how long is a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) valid?](/theory/questions/for-how-long-is-a-statutory-off-road-notification-sorn-valid)
-   [For how long is an MOT certificate normally valid?](/theory/questions/for-how-long-is-an-mot-certificate-normally-valid)
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