Definition
The fixed amount you pay yourself on each claim before the travel insurer starts paying, often USD 50–250 per claim. A higher deductible lowers the premium but means you carry small expenses yourself.
How a deductible works
If your policy has a USD 100 deductible on medical expenses and you run up a USD 600 clinic bill, you pay USD 100 and the insurer pays USD 500. If the bill is USD 80, you pay all of it. Deductibles usually apply per claim, not per trip, so two separate clinic visits can mean two deductibles.
Where deductibles appear
- Medical expenses: the most common, especially on cheaper plans and senior-citizen policies
- Baggage loss or damage
- Trip delay: often expressed in hours rather than money, with cover starting after a 6- or 12-hour delay
Example
A Delhi family in Zurich takes their nine-year-old to a clinic for an ear infection. The bill is CHF 250 (about ₹27,500). With a USD 100 (about ₹8,800) deductible, they pay ₹8,800 and claim the balance of about ₹18,700. A zero-deductible policy would have reimbursed the full amount, which is handy in Switzerland, where even small visits are expensive.
Things to check
- Is the deductible per claim, per person or per trip?
- Does it rise with age? Policies for travellers over 60 or 70 often carry higher deductibles.
- Is it stated in USD or EUR? A small number can hide several thousand rupees.
- Does it apply to every section, or only to medical and baggage?
Practical advice
For families with young children or older parents, a low or zero deductible usually pays for itself, since small claims are the most frequent. For short trips by healthy adults, a moderate deductible is fine. Read it alongside the sum insured.
Compare deductibles across plans through our travel insurance service.