compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance

Here you will find important information and regulations regarding motor liability insurance, both for the event that you want to take out insurance and for the event that you have suffered damage in an accident.

Motor vehicle liability insurance

For a vehicle with a regular location in Germany, the registered keeper must take out motor vehicle liability insurance in accordance with the Compulsory Insurance Act.

If a vehicle is to be used in Germany that does not have a regular location here, the following is required:

• the conclusion of a so-called. Border insurance, i.e. of a motor vehicle liability insurance pursuant to the Act on Compulsory Insurance for Foreign Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Trailers, or
• upon entering the EU via the external borders, the conclusion of a border insurance of another member state or
• a foreign motor vehicle liability insurance, if claims settlement in Germany is handled via the so-called. Green Card system is guaranteed.

For motor vehicle liability insurance from another state of the European Union and the European Economic Area, claims settlement in Germany is generally guaranteed via the Green Card system. If you have any questions on this point, please contact your foreign insurer.

Insurance coverage

The motor vehicle liability insurance covers damages caused by an insured vehicle:

• people are injured or killed,
• objects are damaged or destroyed or
• Financial losses occur.

The insurance protects both the policyholder and the accident victim in the event of an accident: The insurance compensate the accident victims in the event of justified claims until Amount agreed upon Sum insured. This releases the policyholder from their liability for damages towards the accident victim.

The following minimum insurance sums are legally required in Germany:

• 7.5 million EUR for personal injury,
• 1.22 million EUR for material damage and
• 50,000 EUR for pure financial losses.

However, most contracts in Germany provide for significantly higher insurance sums.

The motor vehicle liability insurance offers no protection in particular for damage to one's own vehicle. Comprehensive or partial coverage insurance is required for this.

Claim history

Consideration of the previous Damage history of an insured person is not in Germany regulated by law. When moving to Germany, submit your claims history certificate of your foreign insurer – preferably in German or English.

Claim for damages against the opposing party's insurer

In the event of an accident, contact the motor vehicle liability insurer of the opposing party. If you do not know where the opposing party in the accident is insured, but you know the license plate of the opposing party, then call the German Third Party Insurance Inquiry Service an.

Compensation for damages in the event of injury caused by an uninsured or unidentified vehicle, in the case of an intentional act, and in the event of the insurer's insolvency

If you were injured by an uninsured motor vehicle, please contact the Verein Verkehrsopferhilfe e.V. - an institution of German motor liability insurers that performs statutory duties for the compensation of traffic victims.

Der Verkehrsopferhilfe e.V. compensates traffic victims even in the event of accidents in Germany that are caused by unidentified or uninsured motor vehicles, or in which the car is used intentionally and illegally as a "weapon" or the motor vehicle liability insurer insolvent weird.

Information regarding the opposing party's insurance company

German Third Party Insurance Inquiry Service

• Phone from Germany: 0800 - 250 260 0
• Telephone from outside Germany: 0049 40 300 330 300;
• Further information: German Third Party Insurance Inquiry Service 

Compensation for damages in the event of injury caused by an uninsured vehicle and in certain other cases

Verkehrsopferhilfe e.V. 

Wilhelmstr. 43 / 43 G, 10117 Berlin, Telephone 0049 (30) 20 20 5858, Fax 0049 (30) 20 20 5722