The correct answer is b) before insurance payouts begin.
An insurance deductible is the amount of money that the insured must pay out-of-pocket before their insurance coverage kicks in to cover the remaining costs of a claim. This means that the deductible must be satisfied first, before the insurance company will begin to pay its portion of the costs. Understanding this is crucial, as it affects how much you will actually receive from your insurance policy in the event of a claim.