Germany is a country of insurance
You cannot register a car here without insurance: the Zulassungsstelle will ask for electronic confirmation electronic confirmation of insurance, and without it, they won't accept the documents. Next comes the choice — which cover to get, what else to buy, and when to change provider.
On this page: three basic types of cover and what is actually included in them, what the price depends on, when and how to change your insurer, and which related policies a driver actually needs and which they do not.
Three types of car insurance: third-party liability (Haftpflicht), third-party fire and theft (Teilkasko), and comprehensive (Vollkasko)
Third-party liability insurance — the mandatory minimum
Third-party liability. Covers damage caused by you to other people using your car — the equivalent of CTP (OSAGO) in the Russian Federation. You cannot register a car without Haftpflicht, and driving without a valid policy is not just a fine, but a criminal offence (§ 30 PflVG).
This insurance does not cover your own car at all: neither a scratch in a car park nor a broken window.
Third-party, fire and theft car insurance
It covers damage from external events beyond your control: theft and robbery, fire and explosion, storm, hail, lightning and flood, glass damage from a stone kicked up by wheels, collision with an animal, and marten bites.
What Teilkasko does not cover: vandalism and any damage caused by your own fault. This is a common misconception — Teilkasko is not about «third parties», but about natural elements and theft.
Comprehensive insurance — full coverage
Everything covered by Teilkasko, plus two main points: damage caused by your own fault—from a dented bumper in a car park to a total write-off—and vandalism, meaning intentional damage to the car by third parties.
For mopeds, scooters and e-scooters, instead of a car number plate, there is insurance disc — rules and prices are discussed separately.
What is covered by which policy
| Situation | Liability insurance | third-party, fire and theft insurance | Comprehensive insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| You have damaged someone else's car or property | ✔ | — | — |
| The theft of your car | — | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hail, storm, lightning, flood | — | ✔ | ✔ |
| A stone smashed the windscreen | — | ✔ | ✔ |
| Collision with an animal | — | ✔ | ✔ |
| Fire and explosion | — | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pine marten bite | — | ✔ | ✔ |
| You dented your car yourself | — | — | ✔ |
| Vandalism: the car was deliberately scratched | — | — | ✔ |
If you have an expensive car, it is preferable to consider fully comprehensive insurance. Vollkasko is also compulsory in most cases when leasing – the lessor requires this under the contract.
What to check in the terms and conditions rather than the advertising
- Collision with an animal. In basic tariffs, cover is often restricted to wild game (Haarwild), while in extended tariffs it includes animals of any kind. The neighbour's cat and a cow from the field fall under different clauses of the terms and conditions.
- Effects of a marten bite. A chewed-through hose is covered almost everywhere, but the engine that has overheated as a result of it is not always. With ADAC, for example, the consequences are covered up to €20,000 in the basic policy, and unlimited in the extended ones.
- Short circuit in the wiring. It's listed as a separate item in many tariffs, but not all — check the wording.
- Gross negligence. A good policy pays out even in the event of gross negligence: going through a red light, leaving the keys in the car. A cheap one reduces the payout.
- repair shop tie-in. Discount for agreeing to have repairs done at the insurer's garage. The savings are real, but with leasing and while under the manufacturer's warranty, this is often unacceptable.
- Excess. The franchise reduces the excess. A common combination is €150 for Teilkasko and €300 for Vollkasko.
Where to compare tariffs
You can compare conditions and choose the best insurance on aggregators such as CHECK24* or VerivoxThis is quick, but the result depends heavily on which boxes you tick: the aggregator shows the price, not what you actually get for that money.
The second way is our own selection for finber.promakler24.deThe tariffs are the same, but the contract goes through us as a broker: we review the terms together, and in the event of an insurance claim, you are not left on your own with the company.
When and how to change your insurer
A standard car insurance policy runs from 1 January to 31 December, and you have to cancel it a month before the end of the insurance year. Hence the famous Stichtag — 30 November.
When can I leave without waiting for the end of the year
There are three situations with the right to early termination (Sonderkündigungsrecht), and one month is given for each:
- The insurer raised the premium, and the conditions remain the same — a month from the date of the notice. That is precisely how it most often happens: the letter about the increase arrives in November.
- Following the settlement of the insurance claim — month since the company closed the case. The right is mutual: the insurer can also terminate the contract.
- Change of car — when buying or selling a car. When selling, the policy automatically transfers to the buyer, and you are refunded the unused portion of the premium.
How much do people actually save on this?
Since 2022, car insurance in Germany has risen in price by an average of 40 %, and the variation in premiums has become more pronounced than before. According to Finanztip’s calculations for 2026, switching insurers and adjusting your cover can save between a third and a half of your premium: for a Golf owner with partial comprehensive cover (Teilkasko) – up to 55 %; for an SUV owner with fully comprehensive cover (Vollkasko) – around 30 %.
The switch itself takes 15 minutes: compared tariffs, drew up a new agreement, sent the cancellation of the old one. The new insurer usually takes care of the cancellation.
GAP insurance for leasing
This insurance is strongly recommended when owning a car under a leasing agreement. In the event of an accident, Vollkasko will cover all repair costs, but upon closing the agreement and returning the vehicle, it will lose market value beyond what is stated in the contract due to the accident. And the lessor will ask to compensate for this difference, which will most likely amount to thousands of euros.
In this case, GAP insurance will help you out: the insurer will pay the difference between the residual value and the replacement cost of the vehicle.
If the car is bought with your own money or on finance without a balloon payment, GAP insurance is not needed.
What does the price depend on?
The contribution isn't calculated «by car», but by a dozen factors. Three of them matter more than the rest.
insurance group
Each model is assigned a class based on its actual accident statistics: the number of claims made for it and the total amount paid out. The classes are reviewed once a year. In Haftpflicht there are 16, in Vollkasko 25, and in Teilkasko 24.
By 2026, around a quarter of drivers had seen a change in their licence category: around 5.9 million were upgraded to a higher category, around 4.5 million were downgraded, whilst for 32 million – that is, 75 % – everything remained the same.
regional class — insurance rating based on vehicle location
It is calculated based on the claims history in your registration district (Zulassungsbezirk), of which there are 413 in Germany. There are 12 classes in third-party liability (Haftpflicht), 9 in fully comprehensive (Vollkasko), and 16 in partially comprehensive (Teilkasko).
By 2026, the class increased for about 5 million drivers in 48 counties, decreased for 5.3 million in 51 counties, and remained unchanged for 32.1 million in 314 counties. Important: it is the place where the car is registered that counts, not where you drive it.
no-claims bonus
The longer you drive without making a claim, the smaller the percentage of the base premium you pay. This is the most significant personal factor — and the main reason to think carefully before claiming for minor damage.
Next come the annual mileage, garage, list of authorised drivers, payment method (annual payment is cheaper than monthly) and another dozen minor details.
GDV's own slip of the tongue: You cannot judge how the whole contribution will change based on a single class — it is made up of all factors at once.
What else a driver needs: related insurance policies
Personal liability insurance
The most important insurance in life generally — and at the same time the one most often confused with car insurance. The difference is simple: damage caused while driving is covered by third-party motor insurance, not personal liability insurance. Personal life works when you are out of the car.
How this looks in practice:
- opening the door and scratching the neighbouring car is still motor liability insurance, use of a vehicle;
- walking or cycling and damaged someone else's car — that's already personal liability insurance;
- lost the key to a company or rental car — Privathaftpflicht (private liability insurance), if the policy includes cover for the loss of third-party keys (Schlüsselverlust);
- helped an acquaintance drive a car and damaged it — this is a courtesy damage (Gefälligkeitsschaden), not covered everywhere and not fully;
- the person at fault for your damage is insolvent — legal protection against unpaid claims will save the day, and it is included in the package with good tariffs.
The consumer advice centre advises choosing a cover amount of no less than €10 million, and preferably €50 million: the difference in price is just a few euros a year. Children are insured along with their parents as long as they are studying for their first continuous education.
Full details on the page private liability insurance.
Motor legal protection — legal protection on the road
It pays for a lawyer and legal costs when a dispute is already underway: the at-fault party's insurer is undervaluing the payout, you have been given a fine with points, there are proceedings following a road traffic accident, or a dispute with a car dealership over a hidden defect. Please note: Kfz-Haftpflicht (motor liability insurance) protects the insurer's interests in a dispute, not yours.
Let's analyse separately: legal protection insurance.
Roadside assistance cover
Recovery vehicle, on-site repairs, a replacement car, overnight accommodation and the return journey if your car breaks down. Often sold as an add-on to a car insurance policy and works out cheaper than automobile club membership. What exactly is included — analysis of the Schutzbrief.
Glass: a separate policy is almost never needed
Glass damage is covered under Teilkasko. A separate Glasversicherung is among the policies that consumer organisations call unnecessary. What to do if the glass is already broken, and when repair is more cost-effective than replacement: broken car windscreen.
Insassenunfallversicherung is usually redundant
Passenger accident insurance. Casualties in someone else's car already receive a payout under the at-fault party's motor third-party liability insurance (Kfz-Haftpflicht), while personal risks are covered by private [insurance]. personal accident insurance. Verbraucherportal Bayern classifies Insassenunfall as unnecessary — along with nine other policies from our review useless insurance policies.
What else to read about the car
- How to take out car insurance in Germany - detailed analysis of the registration process, eVB number and documents.
- Documents for registering a car — what to take with you to the Zulassungsstelle.
- Moving to Germany in your own car — customs clearance, transfer of residence, registration.
- Exchange of driving licence in Germany — deadlines, procedure and cost.
- Ukrainian driving licences are being exchanged without tests — what changed in 2026.
- The green card that turned white how to claim on insurance abroad.
- Fines for motorists — up-to-date catalogue of points and restrictions.
- E-scooters and the insurance sticker — if instead of a car it's a two-wheeler.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to drive while the policy hasn't been issued?
No. The car cannot be registered without an eVB number, and driving without a valid policy is a criminal offence under § 30 PflVG, not a fixed penalty notice.
What to choose: Teilkasko or Vollkasko?
Base your decision not on the car's age, but on how much you would lose if it were gone. If you are prepared to buy the same again out of your own pocket in the worst-case scenario, Teilkasko is enough. With leasing and finance with a balloon payment, there is usually no choice: Vollkasko is required by the contract.
Should I claim for minor damage?
First calculate. The reported claim resets your no-claims bonus (Schadenfreiheitsklasse), and you pay a higher premium for several years afterwards. It is often cheaper to pay for repairs yourself. A number of companies offer a no-claims protection option (Rabattschutz) — this preserves your bonus after the first claim in a year.
The policy is in my name, but my wife drives — is that a problem?
Only if she is not named in the policy. The list of authorised drivers affects the price: if someone not on the list was at the wheel, the insurer has the right to demand an extra payment, and in the case of serious breaches, to reduce the payout.
What happens to insurance when you sell a car?
The policy is transferred to the buyer automatically. Both the buyer and the insurer have a month to cancel it. The unused portion of the premium is refunded to you.
Is insurance required for a car that is kept in a garage?
As long as it's registered, yes. If you deregister it, most companies activate Ruheversicherung: liability is suspended, while theft and fire protection remain in effect. The duration and terms vary by company, so check your contract.
Who wrote this. Valeriy Melekh, independent insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler) pursuant to Section 34d (1) of the German Trade Regulation Act (GewO), registration number D-HIAG-TDBW7-60, IHK Rhein-Neckar, Mannheim. 20 years of practice in Germany.
Sources of the figures: GDV — model classes for 2026 and regional classes for 2026; ADAC — right to early termination and differences between Haftpflicht, Teilkasko and Vollkasko; — Citizens Advice — private liability insurance.
The material is for informational purposes and does not replace an individual review of your agreement. The figures were verified in August 2026.
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With our recommendations, we want to help as many people as possible manage their finances. We fund our work through affiliate links. We mark these links with an asterisk (*).
