What rising vehicle repair costs mean for your auto deductible

The math has changed

Three years ago, the average comprehensive auto claim in Florida was about $3,400. In 2025 it crossed $4,700. The reasons aren't a mystery:

• Sensors and cameras embedded in bumpers, mirrors, and windshields turn a fender-bender into a $2,800 calibration job.
• EVs and hybrids carry battery-pack damage risk that didn't exist on a 2015 Civic.
• Body-shop labor rates in South Florida have jumped from $58/hr to $94/hr.

Your deductible choices from five years ago weren't designed for this.

Right-sizing your deductible

A deductible is essentially a self-funded layer. The right number is the one you could write a check for tomorrow without flinching.

Raising from $500 to $1,000 typically saves 8–14% on comp/collision premium. Raising to $2,500 saves another 6–10%. Over five claim-free years that's real money — and statistically you're far more likely to bank the savings than file.

Limits matter more than the deductible

Florida is a no-fault state for PIP, but bodily injury liability is where ruin actually happens. The legal minimum (10/20) is dangerously low. A single ICU stay can blow through $250,000 in a week.

Our standard recommendation for a household with assets to protect:

• BI: 250/500 (or 100/300 if budget is tight, then layer an umbrella)
• PD: 100,000
• UM/UIM: matched to BI — this is the coverage that pays you when the other driver is uninsured
• Med Pay: $5,000–$10,000

What to do this month

Pull up your auto declarations page and check three lines: BI, UM/UIM, and your deductible. If any of them haven't been touched since before 2022, they probably need a second look. We'll do a side-by-side quote across our 20+ carriers at no cost.