Car insurance deductible calculator

What does this calculator answer?

One question: is the premium discount from a voluntary deductible worth the extra money you'll pay if you claim? It shows the yearly saving including GST, how much more of each claim you'll pay, how many claim-free years it takes to break even, and a side-by-side comparison of every deductible option for your car.

If you add a repair bill to test, it also shows what the insurer would pay on that bill with each option.

What do I need to enter?

• Engine cc, from your RC. It decides the compulsory deductible: ₹1,000 up to 1,500 cc, ₹2,000 above.
• Own-damage premium before discounts. The basic OD figure on your quote, before NCB. If you don't have it, the premium calculator can estimate it.
• The voluntary deductible you're considering.
• A repair bill to test, which is optional but useful. Try a figure that matches the kind of damage you've had before.

How does the voluntary deductible discount work?

These are the standard slabs that many insurers still use:

The cap is what matters. For most cars, the percentage would be higher than the cap, so you get the capped amount. That's why the comparison table often shows the same saving for different own-damage premiums.

Some insurers now use their own discounts. If your quote barely changes when you pick a voluntary deductible, that insurer is giving you very little for the risk, and you're better off choosing none.

How do I read the break-even figure?

It's the number of claim-free years of discount you need to recover the extra cost of one claim. If it says 2.8 years, you need roughly three years without a claim before the deductible has paid for itself once. If you claim more often than that, the voluntary deductible is costing you money.

Is a voluntary deductible a good idea for me?

It suits drivers who:

• haven't claimed in several years
• already pay small repairs themselves to protect their NCB
• could pay a surprise ₹5,000 or ₹15,000 bill without stress

If you'd pay the first few thousand rupees of any damage anyway, the deductible just pays you for a habit you already have.

It's a poor choice if you're a new driver, park on busy streets, have expensive parts, or have claimed recently. In those cases, set it to "None".

What's the compulsory deductible, and can I remove it?

It's a fixed amount you pay on every own-damage claim: ₹1,000 for cars up to 1,500 cc, ₹2,000 above. You can't remove it, and no add-on waives it, not even zero depreciation. It doesn't apply to third-party claims, where you aren't being paid for your own car.

Is the deductible per claim or per year?

Per claim. Two claims in a year means paying both deductibles twice. A ₹5,000 voluntary deductible on a 1,197 cc car means ₹6,000 out of your pocket on each claim.

How do deductibles combine with depreciation?

On a real claim, depreciation on replaced parts is deducted first, then both deductibles. The "payout on your bill" column in this calculator shows the effect of deductibles only. For the full picture, including 50% depreciation on plastic parts, enter the bill part by part in the claim depreciation calculator, which applies both.

Does a deductible affect my NCB?

No. Choosing one doesn't change your NCB, and paying a deductible on a claim doesn't save your NCB. Any paid own-damage claim resets it.

A worked example

A 1,197 cc car has an own-damage premium of ₹20,000 before discounts, and you're considering a ₹5,000 voluntary deductible.

• Discount: 25% of ₹20,000 is ₹5,000, but it's capped at ₹1,500 (₹1,770 with GST).
• On any claim, you'd pay ₹6,000 (₹1,000 compulsory + ₹5,000 voluntary) instead of ₹1,000.
• Break-even: ₹5,000 ÷ ₹1,770 = about 2.8 claim-free years.
• On a ₹25,000 repair bill, the insurer would pay ₹19,000 instead of ₹24,000, before depreciation.

If you've claimed in the last three years, this isn't worth it. If you haven't claimed in five years and pay small scratches yourself, it's a reasonable trade.

Why does the highest deductible look so poor?

Because its discount is capped at ₹2,500, while you take on ₹15,000 of every claim. At about ₹2,950 a year with GST, it takes over five claim-free years to recover one claim. It only suits drivers who almost never claim and keep a healthy emergency fund.

How is the deductible collected in a cashless claim?

You pay it to the garage when you collect the car, together with the depreciation and anything the surveyor didn't approve. The insurer pays the garage the rest directly. Ask for a final bill that shows the insurer's share and your share on separate lines, so you can check nothing extra crept in.

Does the deductible apply to a windscreen or glass claim?

Yes, the compulsory deductible applies to every own-damage claim, glass included. Glass has no depreciation, so the payout is the full replacement price minus your deductibles. With a ₹15,000 voluntary deductible, a ₹14,000 windscreen claim would pay you nothing at all. It's a good example of how a high deductible quietly removes cover for medium-sized damage.

Does the deductible apply to theft or total loss?

The compulsory deductible is taken from the IDV payout on a total loss or theft claim. The voluntary deductible usually applies as well, unless your policy wording says otherwise. On a payout of several lakhs, it barely matters. Deductibles really bite on the small and medium claims most people actually make.

Do online insurers still offer voluntary deductibles?

Some do, some have dropped them, and some offer only one or two options. If you can't find the option on an insurer's website, that insurer simply doesn't use it. Don't worry about it. The discount is small, and plenty of careful drivers never take one.

I chose a high deductible last year. Was that a mistake?

Not if you didn't claim. You saved the discount and paid nothing extra. The question is whether to keep it. If your circumstances have changed, like a new driver in the family, a move to a busier area, or less cash in your emergency fund, reduce it at renewal.

Is it better to take a deductible or just avoid small claims?

For most people, avoiding small claims is the real saving, because it protects NCB, which is worth far more than any deductible discount. A voluntary deductible simply puts a price on a habit you already have. If you'd claim for a ₹4,000 scratch, don't take one. If you never would, it's a small bonus.

Can I change my deductible later?

Not during the policy year. You can change it at your next renewal, or when you switch insurers. If you're unsure, start with none or ₹2,500. You can always increase it after a few claim-free years.

Read compulsory vs voluntary deductible for more on how deductibles work at claim time.

Rates last checked: 8 November 2026. Content updated 8 November 2026.