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Which deductible makes sense for car insurance in Germany?

In short

Which deductible makes sense depends mainly on your savings. For car insurance in Germany EUR 150 in partial cover and EUR 300 in comprehensive cover is a proven choice. Higher only makes sense if you can pay it at any time: going from EUR 300 to 1,000 saved about EUR 120 a year in a published example. Liability cover has no deductible.

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Which deductible makes sense for car insurance in Germany?

What it costs

Premium example from a published analysis: compact car, driver aged 45, no-claims class 10, 12,000 km a year, Berlin.

Example	Typical range
Comprehensive, EUR 150 instead of 0 deductible	about EUR 280 less a year, about 24 percent
Comprehensive, EUR 300 instead of 0	about EUR 379 less, about 33 percent
Comprehensive, EUR 1,000 instead of 300	about EUR 123 less a year
Partial cover, EUR 150 instead of 0	about EUR 109 less, about 18 percent
Partial cover, EUR 500 instead of 150	about EUR 125 less a year

As of October 2026, example values from September 2025.

Your premium depends on car, place of residence and no-claims class.

The threshold of about six years without a damage claim is a guide value from our quoting practice, calculated from the example.

Worked example

EUR 300 or 1,000 deductible in comprehensive cover

Same car as in the premium example, over six years, with one damage claim in that time.

Saving with EUR 1,000, six years × about EUR 123	about EUR 740
Extra own share for the one claim	EUR 700
Difference after six years	about EUR 40 in favour of the high level
With two claims in six years	about EUR 660 in favour of the low level

A high deductible only pays off if claims stay rare. A second claim already turns the sum around.

How the deductible works

The deductible (Selbstbeteiligung) is the amount you pay yourself for every claim under partial cover (Teilkasko) or comprehensive cover (Vollkasko). With glass damage of EUR 900 and a EUR 150 deductible, the insurer pays EUR 750. Two claims in a year mean paying it twice.

Partial and comprehensive cover usually have separate amounts. A common combination is EUR 300 comprehensive and EUR 150 partial. For a collision with game the lower one applies, for an accident you cause the higher one.

What each level saves

The premium falls most at the first step. After that every further level is bought dearly: you carry a few hundred euros more risk for a few tens of euros saving a year.

The figures below come from a published example for a compact car. For your car the euros differ, the pattern is almost always the same.

Comprehensive deductible	Annual premium in example	Saving on level before
EUR 0	about EUR 1,166	none
EUR 150	about EUR 886	about EUR 280
EUR 300	about EUR 786	about EUR 99
EUR 500	about EUR 729	about EUR 57
EUR 1,000	about EUR 664	about EUR 66

When a high deductible fits

A deductible of EUR 500 or 1,000 fits if you rarely have claims, the money is easily available and you would pay small damage yourself anyway to protect your no-claims class. Then you pay less for cover you would not use for small claims.

Do the maths: going from EUR 300 to 1,000 means EUR 700 more per claim and saves about EUR 120 a year in the example. That only pays off if you have a damage claim less often than about every six years.

When you need a low deductible

New drivers, frequent parking in tight city streets, new or leased cars and small savings call for a low deductible. A EUR 1,000 bill should not put you in difficulty.

A zero deductible rarely pays off though. The surcharge is high, and in comprehensive cover you would often pay small claims yourself anyway to avoid losing your no-claims class. Partial cover can be an exception if you often get stone chips in the windscreen.

Step by step

Check your savings: what amount could you pay tomorrow without trouble?
Count your own claims of recent years, including glass and game.
Ask for premiums for EUR 150, 300, 500 and 1,000 with the same cover.
Divide the extra amount by the yearly saving: that many years you need to stay claim free.
Decide partial and comprehensive cover separately.

Checklist

Deductible not higher than your free savings
Partial cover rather low, because glass and game claims are common
Saving per level compared in euros, not just percent
Lease company requirements checked
Checked whether glass repair is possible without deductible

Common mistakes

Choosing the highest deductible just because the premium is lowest
Forgetting that it applies to every single claim
Choosing zero and then paying small claims yourself anyway to keep the no-claims class
Not looking at partial and comprehensive cover separately

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Is there a deductible in liability cover?

No. Anyone damaged by your car gets the full loss paid. A deductible only exists in partial and comprehensive cover.

Does the deductible apply to every claim?

Yes, it is deducted from every claim payment. Two claims in a year mean two own shares.

Can I change my deductible later?

Usually at the next renewal date or when you switch. Some insurers allow it during the year.

Do I pay the deductible for glass damage?

In many policies yes. Some waive it if the windscreen is repaired instead of replaced. Your policy terms say so.

What is a good choice for new drivers?

Rather a low deductible, about EUR 150 partial and EUR 300 comprehensive, because claims are more frequent in the first years.

Who pays my deductible if the other driver was at fault?

Their liability insurer pays your full loss. If you used your own damage cover first, you can claim the deductible back from the other side.

Sources

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