Kasko Deductibles and Co-Payments: What You Give Up for a Lower Premium

When you ask for a cheaper kasko (Turkish comprehensive motor insurance) quote, many of the answers lead to the same place: a deductible or a co-payment. These conditions can genuinely lower the premium, but in return you carry part of the damage yourself. The trouble is that they often appear as a small line on the quote, and their effect only becomes clear with the first claim. This guide explains both concepts, their types and what they mean for different drivers.

Deductible vs co-payment

In practice the two Turkish terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but their general logic differs:

• Deductible (muafiyet): You pay the damage up to an amount set in the policy. If the damage is below that amount, the insurer pays nothing; if it is above, the insurer usually pays the part above it.
• Co-payment (katılım payı): For every claim, a share of the damage set in the policy stays with you. The bigger the damage, the bigger your share.

Some policies combine both, and insurers may use different names. The safest approach is to ask your agency to explain what the wording on your quote means, ideally with an example claim.

Types of deductible: not all conditions are the same

• General deductible: Applies to all kasko claims and has the clearest effect on the premium.
• Workshop-related co-payment: Applies when you have repairs done outside the insurer’s contracted garages.
• Driver-related conditions: Extra conditions when a driver under a certain age or with a recently issued licence is at the wheel.
• Claim-type conditions: Some policies have separate deductibles for specific covers such as glass or natural disasters.

Comparing quotes without seeing which type applies, and when, is misleading.

Scenarios: small damage, big damage

Imagine two drivers: one chose a policy without a deductible, the other a policy with one.

After a minor scrape in a car park, the first driver reports it and the repair is covered under the policy terms. If the second driver’s damage is below the deductible, they pay for the repair themselves. For this driver, the policy effectively does not work for small damage.

After a serious accident, both drivers are covered, but the second still pays the deductible or co-payment. How the condition applies if the car is badly damaged also depends on the policy.

A deductible can make sense for a driver who says “I will handle small damage myself; I want protection against the big risk”. For someone who drives daily, parks on narrow streets or wants small damage handled through insurance, it may not bring the expected saving.

What happens at claim time

The claim steps do not change: accident report, notification, expert inspection and repair. The difference comes at payment. After the insurer sets the amount, the deductible or co-payment is subtracted, and you usually pay that part to the garage. Clarify the figure with the garage and the insurer before repairs start. If the other party is at fault, you may be able to claim from their traffic insurance instead, in which case your own deductible may not come into play. Discuss the better route case by case with your agency.

Questions to ask yourself before deciding

1. How many small incidents has your car had in recent years, and how did you deal with them?
2. Could you comfortably pay the deductible after a claim?
3. Who else drives the car, and are there separate conditions for them?
4. Is your preferred garage one that triggers a co-payment?
5. Is the premium saving really meaningful compared with what you might pay after a claim?

The answers can make two different policies right for two different drivers of the same car. For other factors that shape the price, see what affects your kasko premium.

Some drivers assume a deductible costs them nothing because they never report small damage anyway, to protect their no-claims discount. That can be true in some cases, but how each claim affects the discount depends on the policy and the insurer. Do the maths with your own policy terms, not a general assumption.

For a transparent comparison

A deductible is not a bad thing; chosen consciously, it is a legitimate way to match the premium to your needs. The problem is choosing it without noticing. As an agency working with several insurers, we can place options with and without a deductible side by side, for the same car and the same information. Documents are in Turkish, and we can walk you through the wording in English. See our comprehensive car insurance (kasko) in Maslak page.

To go through the deductible terms on your quote together, call us on +90 530 375 89 61 or send a message on WhatsApp — our team offers English support. Our office is in Maslak Atatürk Oto Sanayi Sitesi.