Why do insurance companies charge a deductible?
It is a reduction, not a fee
When you file a $15,000 roof claim with a $2,000 deductible, no one sends the insurer $2,000. The insurer pays $13,000 toward the covered cost, and you pay the remaining $2,000 to the contractor. It feels like a charge because it comes out of your pocket, but the money goes into your own repair.
Why insurers build it in
- Pricing. Your premium is calculated assuming you carry the deductible on every loss. Lower deductibles cost more because the insurer pays more of each claim.
- Small claims. Without a deductible, every minor repair would become a claim with adjuster and handling costs that everyone pays for.
- Shared interest. When owners have something at stake, they maintain the house and report losses honestly.
Why roofers cannot "take care of it"
If a contractor absorbs your deductible, the insurer is paying for a share it was never supposed to pay, which usually means the claim was inflated to make up the difference. Georgia law makes deductible waivers and rebates by contractors illegal. See whether a roofer can pay your deductible.
Reading your own numbers
Your claim estimate should show the full replacement cost, depreciation, the deductible and the net payment. If those lines do not add up, ask the adjuster to explain. ACV vs RCV explains each line.