Deductible
Deductibles are typically used to deter the large number of claims that a consumer can be reasonably expected to bear the cost of. By restricting its coverage to events that are significant enough to incur large costs, the insurance firm expects to pay out slightly smaller amounts much less frequently, incurring much higher savings. As a result, insurance premiums are typically cheaper when they involve higher deductibles. For example, health insurance companies offer plans with high premiums and low deductibles, or plans with low premiums and high deductibles. One plan may have a premium of $1,087 a month with a $6,000 deductible, while a competitive plan may have a premium of $877 a month with a $12,700 deductible. The consumer with the $6,000 deductible will have to pay $6,000 in health care costs before the insurance plan pays anything. The consumer with the $12,700 deductible will have to pay $12,700.
Expense account
To increase an expense account, it must be debited. To decrease an expense account, it must be credited. The normal expense account balance is a debit. In order to understand why expenses are debited, it is relevant to note the accounting equation, Assets = Liabilities + Equity. Expenses show up under the equity portion of the equation because equity is common stock plus retained earnings and retained earnings are revenues minus expenses minus dividends. Expenses are considered temporary accounts in this equation, because at the end of the period, expense accounts are closed. Because expense accounts decrease the credit balance of owner’s equity, expenses must be debited.