Cancelling your car insurance (Kfz-Versicherung kündigen) in Germany takes three things: the right date, the right form and proof that your notice arrived. The standard case is termination at the end of the insurance year with one month’s notice. This guide offers a template and a checklist and complements Insurance for students: an overview (in German).
In short: Ordinary termination of motor insurance takes effect at the end of the insurance year and must reach the insurer one month earlier. With a main due date of 1 January, that means 30 November (as of November 2026, cf. ADAC and the GDV model terms AKB). Rely on the dates in your policy schedule, since the main due date can differ.
Key points
- You can terminate ordinarily at the end of the insurance year with one month’s notice.
- With a 1 January due date, your notice must reach the insurer by 30 November, otherwise the contract renews for another year.
- 30 November 2026 is a Monday. What counts is receipt, not the date of posting.
- Special termination rights exist, for example after a premium increase, after a claim and when changing vehicle.
- Always request a confirmation of termination and cancel only once the new cover is confirmed.
By when do you have to cancel?
The deadline depends on when your insurance year ends. Notice must be received one month before expiry. If the main due date is 1 January, 30 November is the usual cut-off, which ADAC also names (page dated 2 November 2026). For seasonal plates the main due date is the start of the season, for example 1 April. Some insurers use different due dates.
| Main due date | Notice must be received by (examples, same calculation) |
|---|---|
| 1 January | 30 November |
| 1 April | 28 February, in a leap year 29 February |
| 15 June | 14 May |
| 30 June | 29 May |
This guide concentrates on form and proof. The GDV model terms regulate term (G.1), your termination (G.2), the insurer’s termination (G.3), receipt of the notice (G.5) and premium settlement after termination (G.6) in section G.
Which form does the notice need?
Depending on the contract terms, insurers accept notices through several channels: in person, by phone, by letter or fax, digitally by email or customer portal, and through comparison portals. The difference lies in the proof.
| Form | Requirement | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Written form (Schriftform) | Handwritten signature or qualified electronic signature | Registered mail with return receipt recommended, a fax with transmission report counts as proof |
| Text form (Textform) | Readable, permanently storable statement with your name, no signature | Email is usually enough, request an acknowledgement of receipt |
| Phone | Oral statement | Ask for written confirmation by email or post |
| Customer portal | Digital termination, for example via a button | Save the confirmation |
Which form your contract requires is stated in your terms and policy schedule. If in doubt, use a channel that proves receipt.
What does a template look like?
The following template is general. Adjust names, numbers and date to your contract.
Sender: First name Last name, street and number, postcode city
Recipient: insurer’s name, address (from the policy schedule)
Place, date
Termination of my motor insurance, policy number … , licence plate …
Dear Sir or Madam,
I hereby terminate the above contract in due time effective at the end of the insurance year on … (date), alternatively at the earliest possible date. Please confirm the termination and the end of the contract in writing.
Kind regards
First name Last name
The usual mandatory details are name and address, policy number, a clear statement of termination and the desired end date. For an ordinary termination, contract number and date are enough. For a special termination you also state the reason, such as a claim or a premium increase.
Checklist before you send it
- Policy number, licence plate and your address appear in the letter.
- The desired end date is a day on which the insurance year ends and the deadline is met.
- You chose a channel that proves receipt: registered mail, fax with transmission report, email with acknowledgement or a customer portal with a saved confirmation.
- For a special termination you state the reason and respect the one-month period from notice or end of settlement.
- The new cover is confirmed, so no gap arises.
- You filed copies of all documents and chase the insurer if confirmation is missing.
A notice that arrives too late takes effect only at the next date. Allow for postal delivery times and do not post the letter on the last day. If you use phone or portal, save the confirmation as proof.
Which special termination rights exist?
There are four typical occasions. Details are in Premium increase: when you can use the special termination right.
- Premium increase: termination within one month after you receive notice of the increase.
- Claim: after the settlement talks end, either side may terminate within one month.
- Vehicle change: after you give up the old vehicle, you may choose any insurer for the new one.
- Sale: the contract passes to the buyer, who has a special termination right. Report the sale to the insurer without delay.
For a temporary deregistration, a premium-free dormant cover remains. A permanent deregistration ends the contract and overpaid premiums are refunded.
Which proof do you need when switching?
When switching you need the new insurer’s confirmation of cover and the eVB number for registration, see Finding your eVB number (in German). The new insurer does not cancel the old contract automatically. You cancel it yourself and secure the confirmation of termination. Pay the first premium of the new contract on time, otherwise cover may be missing. ADAC advises concluding the new contract first and cancelling the old insurance afterwards, so that no gap arises. For a change of vehicle, see Changing vehicles: plates and insurance (in German).
Example: termination for 1 January 2027
Assumption: Your contract has its main due date on 1 January. You want to switch insurers effective 1 January 2027.
- Obtain a new offer and conclude the new contract for 1 January 2027.
- Send the notice so that it reaches the old insurer by 30 November 2026 at the latest, ideally a few days earlier.
- Wait for the confirmation of termination and file it.
- Keep the new insurer’s eVB number ready for the registration authority.
Frequently asked questions
Is an email enough to cancel?
Text form is usually sufficient, but your contract terms decide (in the GDV model terms, section G.5 deals with receipt of the notice). Request an acknowledgement of receipt. If your contract requires written form, you need a signature.
What if I miss the deadline?
Then the contract renews for another year. Check whether a special termination right applies, for example after a premium increase or a change of vehicle.
Do I have to give a reason?
Not for an ordinary termination. For a special termination you state the reason, for example premium increase or claim.
Does the new insurer cancel for me?
No. You take out the new contract first and then cancel the old one yourself, as ADAC also describes.
What about cancelling when I go abroad?
A deregistration with dormant cover may make sense then, see Putting car insurance on hold abroad.
What to do now
- Find the main due date and the contract number in your policy schedule.
- Work out the last day of receipt, for a 1 January due date that is 30 November.
- Conclude the new contract and have the cover confirmed.
- Send the notice in a form that proves receipt and request the confirmation.
- File the confirmation, contract documents and eVB number.
If you would like to talk the switch through in person, the page How we work describes how Academycon runs a consultation.
Related guides
- Insurance for students: an overview (in German)
- Premium increase: when you can use the special termination right
- Changing vehicles: plates and insurance (in German)
- Finding your eVB number (in German)
- Putting car insurance on hold abroad
Sources: ADAC, special termination right in motor insurance, page dated 2 November 2026 (in German); Section 40 VVG (termination on premium increase), gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved November 2026 (in German); GDV model motor insurance terms AKB 2015, version 10.2017, section G on term and termination (in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
