If you drive a car in Germany, you need car insurance (Kfz-Versicherung). Kfz means motor vehicle, for example a car or a motorcycle. One part of this insurance is mandatory: car liability insurance (Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung). It pays if you use your car to cause damage to other people or to other people’s property. Without this insurance, you cannot register (zulassen) your car. Registering means you register the car at the vehicle registration office (Zulassungsstelle) and get a number plate. The insurance is taken out by the registered keeper (Halter). The registered keeper is the person the car is registered to. Good news: if you drove for a long time abroad without any claims, this can lower the price in Germany.
What you need
- Your passport or ID card
- A registered address in Germany (Meldeadresse). To find out how to register your address, read Registering your address.
- A valid driving licence. Find out more at Checking and exchanging your driving licence.
- The car’s details, for example from the registration certificate (Zulassungsbescheinigung). This is the official document for the car. For a new car, you get the details from the seller.
- A bank account from which money can be debited. See Opening a bank account.
- Proof of your no-claims years from abroad. This is a letter from your previous insurer.
- Information about who will drive the car and roughly how many kilometres you drive per year
Step by step
- Get your proof: Ask your previous insurer abroad for a confirmation. It should state since when you were insured and whether you had any claims. Ask for a version in German or English.
- Choose your cover: Liability insurance is mandatory. In addition, you can choose partial cover (Teilkasko) or comprehensive cover (Vollkasko) if you want. Partial cover usually pays for damage to your own car, for example from theft, storms or broken glass. Comprehensive cover also pays if you cause an accident yourself and your car is damaged.
- Compare offers: The price depends on many things. For example, on the car, where you live, the drivers and your no-claims class. You can compare rates at the bottom of this page.
- Ask about your years abroad: Before signing, ask whether the insurer accepts your proof. Every insurer has its own rules. Get the answer in writing.
- Sign the contract: You then receive an eVB number (eVB-Nummer). eVB stands for electronic insurance confirmation (elektronische Versicherungsbestätigung). This number shows the vehicle registration office that your car is insured.
- Register the car: Go to the vehicle registration office with the eVB number and your documents. In some cities you need an appointment for this. The vehicle registration office will tell you exactly which documents you need.
- Check your documents: Later you receive the insurance policy (Versicherungsschein). This is your written contract. Check that your details and your no-claims class are correct.
Costs and deadlines
Prices vary a lot. That is why we do not give any amounts here. What matters is the no-claims class (Schadenfreiheitsklasse), or SF class for short. It shows how many years you have driven without a claim. The higher the class, the cheaper the premium usually is.
- You can often pay the premium yearly, every six months or monthly. With many insurers, paying monthly costs a little more overall.
- Vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer) is a separate tax. It is not part of the insurance. Customs (Zoll) debits it from your account. You give the account details when you register the car.
- Liability insurance must be in place before you register the car. Driving without liability insurance is a criminal offence.
- Many contracts run for one year and then renew automatically. You can often cancel up to one month before the end of the contract year. Check the exact deadline in your contract.
Common problems for newcomers
No no-claims class in Germany
Without proof, you often start in a low class. This makes the insurance more expensive. So submit your proof from abroad. Some insurers also allow a family member to transfer their class to you. The rules for this differ from insurer to insurer.
Your proof is not accepted
Sometimes information is missing from the letter, or it is in a foreign language. Ask the insurer what information it needs. A translation can help. Also ask other insurers, because the rules differ.
No registered address yet
To register a car, you need a place of residence in Germany. So register your address at the citizens’ office (Bürgeramt) first. This is the authority in your city that handles address registration.
No Schufa record
Schufa collects data on how people pay their bills. Some insurers check this data. If you are new to Germany, you often have no entries yet. Ask whether you can pay the premium for one year in advance. Find out more at Understanding and building your Schufa score.
Little German
Insurance documents are often hard to understand. Ask whether documents are available in English. Bring someone who speaks German well. Do not sign anything you do not understand.
Personal liability insurance is not enough
Personal liability insurance does not pay for damage you cause with your car. For that, you need car liability insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need partial or comprehensive cover?
No, by law only liability insurance is mandatory. However, if you buy the car on credit or lease it, the lender often requires comprehensive cover.
Can I keep driving with my foreign number plate?
That depends on your situation. If you live in Germany permanently, you usually have to register your car here. Ask the vehicle registration office in your city. For general information about your stay, read Sorting out your residence permit.
What happens after an accident?
Report the damage to your insurer quickly. If the insurance pays, your SF class may go down. The premium then usually becomes more expensive the following year.
Is my foreign driving licence valid?
Often it is only valid for a limited time. This depends on the country where you got it. You can find information at Checking and exchanging your driving licence.
Can I switch insurers later?
Yes. This is usually possible at the end of the contract year. Pay attention to the notice period in your contract.