ERGO Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
ERGO
ERGO is a motor third-party liability insurance for the Austria market with online purchase and 24/7 assistance.
Direct payment
ERGO first checks all claims and then pays covered amounts directly to the injured third party up to the agreed sum insured; ERGO also defends the policyholder against unfounded claims. In certain cases (e.g. driving under the influence or without a valid licence) ERGO pays the injured party but can then recover the amount, up to a set limit, from the policyholder.
Geographic scope
Austria
Geographic Europe, and in any case all states that signed the 30 May 2002 agreement between the national insurance bureaux of the EEA member states and other associated states (see AVB annex list)
Unique selling points
- Base liability cover of 10 million euros, well above Austria's statutory minimum of 7.79 million euros, with options up to 30 million euros
- 'Once zero, always zero' bonus-malus benefit keeps the discount level unchanged after a liability claim for policyholders in levels -2 to 3
- Mallorca Police rental-car extension is included in the standard product at no extra cost, topping up foreign minimum cover to the Austrian contract sum
- 24/7, 365-day Kfz-Assistance hotline valid across Europe can be added for breakdown help, recovery and towing
- ERGO's price-performance ratio has received a top ranking among rated motor insurers in Austria
Coverage limits
Bodily injury liability
€10,000,000 – €30,000,000
Covers claims for bodily injury caused to third parties by the insured vehicle, as part of a single combined lump-sum sum insured (Pauschalversicherungssumme) shared with property and pure financial loss claims. Base cover is 10 million euros; 20 or 30 million euros can be chosen instead.
Property damage liability
€10,000,000 – €30,000,000
Covers claims for property damage and pure financial loss caused to third parties by the insured vehicle, within the same single combined lump-sum sum insured as bodily injury. Base cover is 10 million euros; 20 or 30 million euros can be chosen instead.
Legal defence against unfounded claims
Covered
Defence against unfounded third-party claims is a core part of the policy at no extra cost; the cost of defence is folded into the combined sum insured. A broader, separately priced legal-protection module, D.A.S. TOP Kfz-Rechtsschutz, covering legal problems as driver, passenger or vehicle owner, can be added.
Green Card / international insurance card
Covered
Cover extends at least to the scope required for vehicles bearing foreign plates in the visited state, or to the scope agreed in the contract if higher, in all states for which a Green Card is issued or which waive its presentation under the multilateral agreement. Coverage applies across geographic Europe.
24h Kfz-Assistance (roadside assistance)
Optional
Optional add-on module to the MTPL policy: a 24/7, 365-day emergency hotline valid across Europe for breakdown help, recovery and towing after an accident, keeping the policyholder mobile with a single phone call.
Driver accident insurance
€100,000
Optional add-on providing financial protection if the driver is injured in a self-caused traffic accident. Selectable sum insured up to 100,000 euros.
Passenger (occupant) accident insurance
Optional
Optional add-on protecting the driver and passengers against the financial consequences of an accident, e.g. costs of care in case of permanent disability, paid regardless of fault. No specific sum insured is stated in the source.
Key conditions
Territorial scope
Cover applies, unless otherwise agreed, to geographic Europe and in any case to the territory of all states that signed the 30 May 2002 multilateral agreement between the national insurance bureaux of the EEA member states and other associated states.
Green card rules
In states for which a Green Card is issued, or which waive its presentation under the multilateral agreement, cover extends at least to the scope prescribed in that state for vehicles with foreign plates, or to the contractually agreed scope if higher; cover ends with the end of the insurance contract even if the Green Card shows a longer validity.
Driver restrictions
The insurer may be released from its obligation to pay if the driver was not legally entitled to drive the vehicle, was under the influence of alcohol or drugs as defined by traffic law, or if more persons were carried than legally permitted; the insurer nonetheless remains liable towards the policyholder and other co-insured persons if they could not, without fault, have recognised the breach.
Claim notification deadline
The policyholder must notify the insurer of the insured event, in as much detail as possible, within one week of becoming aware of it.
Bonus-malus rules
Premium is set under Austria's Bonus-Malus system; every policyholder starts at level 9 (unless a claims history from a prior contract is carried over), levels can rise up to 17 after claims, and can fall down to -2 for a claims-free history. ERGO's 'once zero, always zero' benefit keeps the bonus level unchanged after a liability claim for policyholders in levels -2 to 3.
Where to buy
Policy specifics
Minimum coverage sum (statutory requirement)
Statutory minimum coverage requirement in Austria: 7.79 million euros
SourceOptional higher coverage sums
ERGO allows policyholders to choose higher coverage sums of 20 or 30 million euros
SourceMallorca Police (rental car extension)
Extended coverage for rental vehicles used abroad, providing equivalent protection to Austrian standard
SourceBonus-Malus system
Austrian motor insurance rating system where premium adjusts based on claims history. Base level is stage 9; can descend to -2 for no-claim bonus or rise to 17 for claims
SourceDeductible/self-retention option
Not established from the insurer's documents
Policyholders can optionally choose a deductible in motor third-party liability, resulting in premium reduction
SourceThird-party source, not the insurer's documentOptional add-on modules
Motor third-party liability can be extended with optional modules including D.A.S. TOP legal protection, passenger accident insurance, and assistance products
SourcePremium adjustment by inflation index
Premiums are adjusted annually based on the statistical inflation index published by Statistics Austria
SourceVehicle change and transfer procedures
Special rules apply when replacing an insured vehicle or taking over a vehicle from another policy
SourceForeign insurance coverage recognition
Time spent with foreign motor insurance is credited as if a simultaneous MTPL contract had existed in Austria
SourceSecond-car bonus
Customers who already insure a passenger car with ERGO can obtain a bonus-malus level improved by three levels for a second vehicle
Source