Excess Means Going Out Beyond
Excess is more than is needed. On an insurance policy it means something quite specific, and getting it wrong costs money.
Excess is an amount beyond what is necessary or permitted. British insurance uses the word in a way that catches people out: the *excess* is the amount you pay yourself before the insurer contributes anything. Americans call the same thing the *deductible*, which describes it more clearly.
- More than needed. *An excess of caution.*
- The amount over a limit. *Excess baggage.*
- An insurance deduction. *A £250 excess.*
- Excessive — too much. *Excessive noise.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | excess | A slight excess. |
| Plural | excesses | Past excesses. |
| Adjective | excessive | Excessive force. |
| Adverb | excessively | Excessively long. |
| American | deductible | A high deductible. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The policy carries a £500 excess.British insurance.
- In excess of a hundred.More than.
- Everything in excess is opposed to nature.Attributed to Hippocrates.
Insurance terms
- Excess — what the policyholder pays first, British term
- Deductible — the same thing, American term
- Premium — what you pay for the cover
- Voluntary excess — an extra amount chosen to reduce the premium
- Sum insured — the maximum the insurer will pay
From Latin *excessus*, a going out or departure, from *excedere*, to go beyond, from *ex* and *cedere*, to go.
Excess or deductible?
They mean the same. Excess is British insurance usage, deductible American.
Excess or exceed?
Excess is the noun or adjective, exceed the verb. Costs exceed the budget, producing an excess.