Motor liability insurance for new drivers (Kfz-Haftpflicht) is compulsory once a vehicle is registered, and it forms the core of every car policy in Germany. The legal minimum cover is fixed, but policies differ in sums insured, benefits and conditions. This guide shows what young drivers should check, whether they are students or starting a career. It complements Insurance for students: an overview (in German).
In short: The statutory minimum for motor liability, per the annex to section 4(2) of the Compulsory Insurance Act (PflVG), is EUR 7.5 million for personal injury, EUR 1.3 million for property damage and EUR 50,000 for pure financial loss per claim (version on gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved November 2026). A sensible policy offers sums well above that floor and states clearly when cover can be refused.
Key points
- Motor liability pays for damage you cause to others, not for damage to your own car.
- The law sets only minimum sums. The sum your contract actually offers is in your policy schedule and terms.
- New drivers usually start in a low no-claims class (Schadenfreiheitsklasse) and therefore often pay a risk surcharge.
- Comprehensive and partial cover (Kasko) are voluntary and a topic of their own.
- Check foreign cover, breakdown benefits and rules on named drivers before you sign.
What minimum cover does the law require?
The annex to section 4(2) of the PflVG lists minimum sums insured per claim. They apply to motor vehicles including trailers. Which group applies depends on the entries in the vehicle documents.
| Type of damage | Minimum sum insured per claim |
|---|---|
| Personal injury | EUR 7.5 million |
| Property damage | EUR 1.3 million |
| Pure financial loss (not connected to personal injury or property damage) | EUR 50,000 |
For vehicles carrying more than nine passengers, increases apply for each further seat. They are irrelevant for a private car. These values are floors. Insurers may offer higher sums, and many tariffs do. The insurance confirmation and the terms show which sum applies.
Is the minimum cover enough for new drivers?
The law requires the minimum, it does not say that it suffices for every loss. Personal injury in particular can lead to very high follow-up costs, for example in the case of permanent care needs. Assumption: an accident seriously injures several people and the follow-up costs exceed the minimum. The insurer then pays only up to the agreed sum, beyond that you would be personally liable as keeper or driver. The example is hypothetical and only shows why many people choose sums above the legal minimum.
A higher limit is not an end in itself. Check whether the tariff states a flat sum for personal, property and financial loss and whether it applies per claim. Each insurer states the actual figures in its documents. This page deliberately gives no prices of individual providers.
What matters most for new drivers?
New drivers have little experience and are classified accordingly. New drivers, students included, often have held a licence only for a short time, which is why insurers frequently price the limited experience into a higher premium. With every claim-free year the class rises, and a high class means lower premiums. For how classes can be transferred, see No-claims class transfer.
For accompanied driving from age 17, some tariffs reduce the premium, with the details set out in the tariff terms. Ask about it explicitly when taking out a policy.
| Checkpoint | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Sum insured | The legal minimum is the floor, a tariff may offer more |
| Foreign cover | Green card and territorial scope for trips outside Germany |
| Named drivers | Who may drive the car affects classification and premium |
| Duties of the policyholder | Breaches can lead to refused cover, for example use outside permitted terms |
| No-claims class | Starting class and progression shape the premium over time |
| Termination rules | Main due date and notice period, usually 30 November for a 1 January due date |
When do you also need comprehensive cover?
Liability covers damage to others. Damage to your own car needs partial or comprehensive cover, which you take out voluntarily. Whether it pays off depends on the car’s value and age, your budget and the excess. For a comparison see Partial or comprehensive cover for new drivers (in German). Note that under section 5 PflVG insurers are generally obliged to offer liability cover but may decline partial or comprehensive cover.
How do vehicle and type class play in?
Besides driving experience, vehicle characteristics feed into the premium. They include the model’s type class (Typklasse), which can change every year, see Type classes 2027. For registration you also need an electronic insurance confirmation, see Finding your eVB number (in German).
What happens after a liability claim?
If you cause an accident, you report the claim to your own insurer. It examines the injured parties’ claims, settles justified demands and rejects unjustified ones. For you, the main consequence concerns classification, as the model terms deal with classification, upgrading and downgrading (section I of the AKB 2015). How much your premium rises depends on the contract.
After a claim there is also a special right of termination: under section 92 VVG either side may terminate within one month after the settlement talks end. See Premium increase: when you can use the special termination right. New drivers with few claim-free years should weigh minor damage carefully and clarify beforehand what a report means for class and premium.
Prompt reporting matters. Late or incomplete information can have consequences under the terms, which differ between insurers. Read the section on duties after a claim in your terms before anything happens.
Frequently asked questions
Do new drivers need more liability cover than others?
No, the statutory minimum is the same for all keepers. Differences arise in the premium through classification and tariff features. You decide how high a sum you choose when selecting a tariff.
Does motor liability cover damage to my own car?
No. It pays for damage you cause to others. Damage to your own vehicle is only insured through comprehensive or partial cover if you have agreed it.
Can I be insured through my parents as a new driver?
A car can be registered in your parents’ name. Claim-free years are then usually credited to the parents, so you do not build up a class yourself. How your insurer handles this is set out in the contract terms. This is a second-car model with its own pros and cons.
Does liability cover apply abroad?
Whether and where cover applies depends on the contract and the green card. See Green card: when motor insurance applies abroad (in German).
Where do I find the sums of my contract?
In the policy schedule and in the policy terms. An eVB confirmation initially only confirms that cover exists, you find the sums in the contract documents your insurer sends.
What to do now
- Note the legal minimum cover and compare the sums in offers against it.
- Decide whether to insure liability alone or with partial or comprehensive cover.
- Check foreign cover, named drivers and duties in the terms.
- Obtain the eVB number before registering the vehicle.
- Note the main due date and notice period so you can review the contract later.
For a personal assessment of your car and other risks, Academycon offers a consultation, see How we work.
Related guides
- Insurance for students: an overview (in German)
- Partial or comprehensive cover for new drivers (in German)
- No-claims class transfer
- Green card: when motor insurance applies abroad (in German)
- Liability insurance for students: who needs it (in German)
Sources: Compulsory Insurance Act (PflVG), annex to section 4(2), minimum sums insured (in German); Section 5 PflVG (obligation to contract), gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved November 2026 (in German); ADAC, transferring the no-claims class, 7 May 2026 (in German); Section 92 VVG (termination after an insured event), gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved November 2026 (in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
