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Home / Car Insurance / Facts About Voluntary Deductible in Car Insurance
Car insurance in India is broadly classified into three types - third-party, own damage, and comprehensive insurance. While third-party insurance is legally mandatory, a comprehensive plan offers wider protection against theft, accidents, and damages. However, its higher premium can be a deterrent for many. To make premiums more affordable, the concept of a voluntary deductible was introduced.
In this blog, we will explore key facts about voluntary deductibles in car insurance and whether they can help you save on your premium costs.
A voluntary deductible in car insurance is a part of the claim money that a policyholder chooses to pay on his behalf, while the insurance company can reimburse the remaining amount. This helps to reduce the policyholder’s regular premium payments.
Now, there are compulsory deductibles in car insurance as per the insurance policy, however, voluntary ones totally depend on the policyholder’s choice. This decision can be economical for some people, while some might face losses depending on some factors and the driving environment. We will know about them in detail further in this blog.
Many factors and reasons influence a policyholder's decision to choose or not choose a voluntary deductible in their car insurance. However, here are a few facts about voluntary deductibles that you should know before making your decision.
You Have to Pay a Voluntary Deductible Only If You Make a Claim: By choosing a voluntary deductible, you agree to pay a part of the claim you make and this helps to bring down your periodic premium payments. However, you only have to pay this money if you ever have to make a claim. So, it can be an economical decision for you if you are a confident driver.
Voluntary Deductible is Not an Additional Expense: Some people think, why should they pay an extra amount of money from their pocket if they are duly paying their premiums? Well, A voluntary deductible is a decision you make depending on your driving environment and your driving skills to pay a part of the claim amount in return for lower premiums.
Your Compulsory Deductible remains the Same Whether or not You Opt For a Voluntary Deductible: Your compulsory deductible, which is set by the insurance company, does not change based on your decision for an extra voluntary deductible. So, if you opt for a voluntary deductible, you have to pay both compulsory and voluntary deductibles before your insurer covers the rest.
Paying Voluntary Payments is not Always Beneficial: Your choice for a voluntary deductible depends on how frequently you are making claims. If your regular driving area is prone to accidents and theft, opting for a voluntary deductible can be a bad decision.
Opting for a voluntary decision is not beneficial for all types of policyholders. It can be beneficial for some, while some might face losses. Here are some factors which you should consider while making your choice for it.
Frequency of Claims: The main factor in deciding your choice for a voluntary deductible depends on the number of times you have to make claims. If you are making frequent claims and you pay a sum of money every time you make those claims. Cumulatively, this can outweigh the amount you would have paid in premiums.
Your Driving Environment: The type of area you are driving in is a big factor for your choice for voluntary deductible. The people you are driving with on the road or business on the streets can be equally responsible for accidents on the road.
Your Confidence While Driving: If you are a confident driver and you think you can avoid accidents on the road with your driving skills. You can opt for a voluntary deductible as confidence can reduce your chances of accidents and ultimately claims.
Percentage Of Compulsory Deductible: Whether you opt for a voluntary deductible or not, you have to pay the compulsory deductible as stated in your insurance policy. So, you will have to make a comparison between compulsory and voluntary deductibles. This comparison will help you calculate your affordability to pay a voluntary deductible on top of the compulsory deductible.
Overall, a Voluntary deductible is a great feature in car insurance. It provides flexibility to people who want comprehensive car insurance but at a lower price. However, you must remember, it is not an economic decision for all. Make a detailed analysis of all the possibilities, your personal traits, and your financial condition, and make your decision.
Yes, the sole reason why people pay part of their claims upfront is to enjoy reduced periodic premium payments.
No, a voluntary deductible in car insurance remains the same for the whole tenure of a policy. However, you can alter it during policy renewal.
A voluntary deductible is a set amount of money you choose to pay as part of your claims. However, a compulsory deductible is a partial claim amount you have to pay as per your insurance policy.
In such cases, it is recommended that you do not make a claim, as it is covered by the amount of money you are willing to pay yourself.
Unfortunately, if a policyholder is unable to pay the agreed amount of the voluntary deductible, then they cannot get a claim settlement.