When driving a car in Switzerland, insurance is a topic you cannot avoid. In addition to the legally required third-party liability insurance, comprehensive insurance (fully comprehensive cover) is mandatory for leased cars or car subscriptions. This covers collision damage to your own car – including accidents you cause yourself.
But what happens if you have an accident? That is exactly when the deductible comes into play. It determines how much money you have to pay out of your own pocket in the event of a claim.
How the Deductible Works with Fully Comprehensive Insurance
The deductible is the fixed, agreed amount that you pay yourself in the event of damage. The insurance company only pays the remainder once the repair costs exceed this amount. You can choose how high this amount is when you sign your contract. With Carvolution, you can choose between CHF 250, CHF 500, or CHF 1,000.
A simple calculation example: You have chosen a deductible of CHF 500 and scrape a wall while reversing. The repair at the garage costs CHF 3,000.
Your share: CHF 500
The insurance covers: CHF 2,500
If a claim is below your chosen deductible (e.g., a small scratch costing CHF 300), you pay the full amount yourself. Reporting it to the insurance company is usually not worth it in this case.
The Golden Rule: Deductible ALWAYS Applies Per Incident
This is the point that most frequently leads to misunderstandings: In Switzerland, the car deductible always applies per damage event and not per calendar year (unlike the deductible for health insurance).
Therefore, if you overlook a post while parking in July and have a rear-end collision in October, these are two separate events. This means the deductible is due twice.
How is it decided whether it is one or multiple damages?
When a claim is reported, the insurance company examines exactly how the damage occurred.
One event: You brush against a guardrail. The front door, the rear door, and the wing on the same side are scratched. This is a single, connected accident = 1x deductible.
Multiple events: Your car has a scratch on the front right from a wall and a dent on the rear left from a shopping trolley. Since these damages cannot possibly have been caused by the same driving error, they are treated as two events = 2x deductible.
Damage or Normal Wear and Tear?
Particularly when returning a car – whether at the end of a classic lease or your Carvolution car subscription – the big question arises: What do I actually have to pay for at the end?
Not every small flaw is a comprehensive insurance claim for which a deductible is due. A very clear distinction is made between normal wear and tear and actual damage. These are the official standards from Carvolution that ensure absolute transparency:
Bodywork & Paint (Exterior)
Accepted as normal wear and tear (You pay nothing):
Minor paint damage that only affects the top coat of paint and can be polished out.
Small, superficial stone chip damage on the front of the car.
Classified as damage (Fully comprehensive / Deductible applies):
Severe impairment of the bodywork is not accepted.
This includes deep scratches that are longer than 100 mm or reach the bare metal.
Dents, wheel rim damage from kerbs, broken wing mirror housings, paint peeling (e.g., from stickers), and improperly executed DIY repairs.
💡 Good to know regarding parking damage: If your car was damaged in a car park by an unknown person (e.g., a typical parking dent with hit-and-run), you will not be charged for this upon return, provided you have taken out parking damage insurance. You can easily add this valuable supplementary insurance at Carvolution for a small monthly surcharge.
⚠️ Important to note: The insurance exclusively covers damage caused by unknown third parties to your already parked car. If you hit something yourself while parking and cause damage, this does not count as parking damage (and is usually handled via fully comprehensive insurance).
Interior
The longer a car is driven, the higher the wear and tear in the interior. Here too, Carvolution differentiates absolutely fairly:
Accepted as normal wear and tear:
Typical bulges on the seats and seat edges from getting in and out.
Small stains or marks on the upholstery that can be easily removed during standard cleaning.
Classified as excessive wear and tear:
Heavy staining and marks that cannot be removed even with professional valeting.
Burn holes in the seats or functional defects in the seat belts.
Transparent and Fair:
Exactly what counts as an accepted sign of use and what is classified as damage is documented for you crystal clear and with pictures in our guidelines. You can find them here.
The Right Deductible at Carvolution
With a car subscription from Carvolution, not only is the fully comprehensive insurance already included in the fixed monthly price. Third-party motor liability insurance, occupant insurance, breakdown assistance, and legal protection insurance are also included. So you do not have to worry about contracts. You decide how much risk you want to take in the event of a claim when booking:
Low deductible (CHF 250 / CHF 500): Perfect if you drive a lot in the city, share the car with family, and want maximum cost certainty.
Higher deductible (CHF 1,000): Ideal if you have a solid financial cushion and want to keep your monthly subscription rate as low as possible.
Do you have questions about a specific incident or would you like to adjust your deductible? Our team is always here for you! Simply arrange a personal consultation appointment or call us directly on: +41 62 531 25 25
🚗 And you can find our car selection here if you would like to take a look at our cars yourself first.
