When you buy a car, you need to insure it. motor vehicle liability insurance is required by law – without proof of liability coverage, nothing can be done, even at the time of registration. Liability coverage is always provided if you culpably cause damage to another road user. partial or fully comprehensive insurance can be taken out voluntarily. comprehensive insurance also pays for damage to your own vehicle.
Many factors determine the premium
the amount of the premium for motor vehicle insurance depends on many factors – the period of time you have already driven without an accident, the type of vehicle and regional class, the desired deductible, and whether you can take advantage of special premium discounts as a garage owner, low user, or civil servant.
As a novice driver, you pay less if you initially register your car as the second car of your parents and have the contract changed later on. Convertible drivers save by using a seasonal license plate.
car liability insurance
Whether car, truck or motorcycle – no motorized vehicle is allowed on the road without liability insurance. Liability protection is indispensable so that the victim can be adequately compensated in the event of an accident.
The motor vehicle liability pays for all damages that you cause to others while using your vehicle. This can include loss of earnings, pain and suffering compensation or, in the event of permanent damage to health, a lifelong pension.
Of course, the costs for towing and repair or the replacement costs for the vehicle of the innocent party involved in the accident are also insured. If the injured party needs a rental car during the repair period, this will also be paid for by the vehicle liability of the party causing the damage, within certain limits.
High sums insured in the event of a claim
in addition, the liability insurance always checks whether the accident victim’s claims are justified – it defends unjustified or excessive claims with legal means.
The legislator stipulates a minimum insurance sum of 7.5 million euros per person for motor vehicle liability insurance. property damage must be insured up to 1.12 million euros, property damage up to 50 million euros.000 euro. In practice, however, the contractual sums insured by insurers are considerably higher.
Partial and fully comprehensive insurance
Partially comprehensive insurance
partially comprehensive insurance covers damage to your own vehicle caused by theft, fire, storm, collision with game or glass breakage. In addition, z.B. In the event of theft or destruction, the standard accessories of your car are also insured. You can find out what counts as accessories in individual cases from the insurance conditions.
Some insurers also compensate for the increasingly frequent damage caused by marten bites. Tip: you can reduce your premium by taking out a partially comprehensive insurance policy with a deductible in the event of a claim.
Fully comprehensive insurance also pays for self-inflicted damage
fully comprehensive insurance generally covers all damage to your vehicle, including damage caused by an accident for which you are responsible. Damage caused by vandalism, such as scratched paint or dented doors, is also covered by your fully comprehensive insurance policy.
If you make a claim on your fully comprehensive motor insurance – and not for partially comprehensive damage – your insurance policy will be downgraded, and the premium will increase in the following year. As is the case with partial cover, deductibles are also common in fully comprehensive insurance. Because of the comparatively high premium, fully comprehensive insurance is particularly worthwhile for new vehicles.
The costs
Type classes in liability, partial and fully comprehensive insurance
Car insurance premiums are initially calculated according to the type of vehicle. Each vehicle is assigned to a specific type class for liability insurance and two additional type classes for partial and fully comprehensive insurance.
These type classes reflect the claims history of the various vehicles over the past few years. The lower the type class of your vehicle, the lower the premium.
The place of residence also influences the premium. The level of premiums for motor vehicle insurance also depends on where you live – the different regional classes are based on the claims history in the individual German registration districts. The regional statistics for comprehensive insurance also take into account local characteristics such as floods, hail or the frequency of theft.
The reclassification into more favorable or more expensive regional classes takes place at every 1. October instead of. However, around two-thirds of all policies remain unaffected in any given year.
No-claims bonus
Beginners at the wheel pay higher premiums than "old hares" for motor vehicle liability and fully comprehensive insurance, that have been on the road for many years without an accident. If you do not use your insurance for a long time, the premium will drop considerably. Drivers who have been accident-free for many years only pay 20 percent at best.
Pay for minor damage yourself?
No-claims classes and downgrading rules may differ among insurers. By the way, downgrading can be avoided if you pay for small damages out of your own pocket – because it is not the amount of damage, but only the number of damages caused that determines the discount.
Your insurer will tell you whether it is worth your while to pay for a small claim yourself. Some insurers offer so-called discount savers – so that the first accident does not immediately mean a downgrade to a more expensive discount level.
How to save premiums
Lower premiums for second cars
Because novice drivers are more likely to cause accidents than experienced drivers, motor vehicle liability insurers charge them premium rates of up to 300 percent. However, a few tricks can save you a lot of money.
First option: have your parents register the vehicle as a second car. This is how you start with a significantly lower premium rate. The premium discount acquired over time with the second vehicle can later be transferred to you. Many companies also offer lower entry rates if a family member already has a vehicle insured with the company.
Another option: many insurers offer favorable rates for new drivers who have already insured a moped or a small motorcycle with them.
Use seasonal license plates
summertime is convertible time. If you want to drive openly and save money, you can use a seasonal license plate. You only pay car insurance for the period in which your vehicle is registered. If your car rolls for more than six months per year, your no-claims bonus will continue to increase.
The vehicle tax is also waived during the rest months. If the vehicle is completely deregistered in the fall, the no-claims bonus achieved is usually retained if it is re-registered within eighteen months – for as long as this is the case, most insurers offer a non-contributory rest insurance policy.