Country market
germany flag

Germany insurance market

Germany is the largest insurance market in Europe by total premium volume. In 2025, the German insurance industry recorded gross written premiums of approximately EUR 254 billion, a growth of 6.6% over the prior year, according to the Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft (GDV). The market is divided into three main segments: life insurance (EUR 99.4bn, +5.1%, driven mainly by single-premium business), property and casualty or Schaden- und Unfallversicherung (EUR 99.7bn, +7.7%), and private health insurance or PKV (EUR 54.4bn, +7.3%). Motor insurance was the main growth driver in P&C, with premiums up 13.4% to EUR 38.6bn, and the segment returned to technical profitability in 2025 with a combined ratio of about 96%, after loss-making years with ratios above 100%. For 2026, GDV expects more moderate growth of 4.7% across all lines amid a weak macroeconomic backdrop. The primary regulator is BaFin (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht), which supervised 469 insurance undertakings, Pensionskassen and Pensionsfonds at the federal level in 2025 (down from 522 in 2023/2024, reflecting continued market consolidation). A further number of smaller undertakings remain under the supervision of the Lander authorities. The legal basis for insurance supervision is the Versicherungsaufsichtsgesetz (VAG), and the Solvency II Directive has applied since 1 January 2016. Germany's population stood at approximately 83.5 million at the end of 2025, the first population decline since 2020, and nominal GDP reached about EUR 4.47 trillion (~USD 5.0 trillion).

Last reviewed: Aug 26, 2026

Reviewed by: Boleron EU

Active insurers

469

Country market

Available products

Motor third-party liability

Mandatory cover for damage you cause to others.

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Motor casco

Full protection for your own vehicle.

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Travel insurance

Coverage for trips abroad and emergencies.

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Market overview

Market numbers

Total premiums

EUR 254bn

Annual growth

+6.6%

Insurance penetration

5.67%

Active insurers

469

Population

83,500,000

Registered vehicles

61,097,943

2025Yearly trend

Total premiums (EUR bn)

EUR 207.3bnEUR 218.9bnEUR 230.4bnEUR 242bnEUR 253.5bn2182020221.82021223.22022224.720232382024253.52025

Annual growth (%)

0.0%3.9%7.8%0.8%20220.6%20235.3%20246.6%2025

Non-life share / Life share

Non-life share
60.8%
Life share
39.2%

Insurance penetration (%)

5.5%5.7%5.8%5.8%20225.5%20245.7%2025
Total premiumsAnnual growthNon-life shareLife shareActive insurersInsurance penetrationClaims paidMotor premiums
2025EUR 254bn+6.6%
60.8%
39.2%
4695.67%Not availableEUR 38.6bn
2024EUR 238bn+5.3%
60.5%
39.5%
5225.53%Not availableEUR ~33.8bn
2023EUR 224.7bn+0.6%
59.1%
40.9%
522Not availableNot availableNot available
2022EUR ~223bn+0.8%Not availableNot availableNot available5.77%Not availableEUR ~29.1bn
2021EUR ~221.8bnNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
2020EUR ~218bnNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

Gross written premium 2025 (EUR bn)

EUR 0.0bnEUR 8.3bnEUR 16.6bnEUR 24.8bnEUR 33.1bn33.1Allianz Grupp…22.8R+V Versicher…15.5Generali Deut…15Debeka Versic…12.8AXA Konzern11.8ERGO Gruppe11HUK-COBURG Ve…9.27BarmeniaGotha…7.50Provinzial Ko…7.20Signal Iduna …

Market share 2025

Allianz Grupp…
13.7%
R+V Versicher…
6.9%
Generali Deut…
6.1%
Debeka Versic…
5.9%
AXA Konzern
5.0%
ERGO Gruppe
4.9%
HUK-COBURG Ve…
4.3%
BarmeniaGotha…
3.7%
Provinzial Ko…
3.0%
Signal Iduna …
2.8%

Insurer directory

Active insurers

Insurers currently active in Germany.

Allianz Gruppe Deutschland

Munich, Germany

#1

Allianz Deutschland AG is Germany's leading insurance company, operating as a holding umbrella for Allianz Versicherungs-AG (property & casualty), Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG (life), and Allianz Private Krankenversicherungs-AG (health). Founded in 1890, it serves over 20 million customers in Germany with a full range of insurance, pension, and wealth management products.

EUR 33,1 Mrd. (2024, Konzern: Leben 23,8 Mrd., Schaden/Unfall ca. 8,0 Mrd., PKV ca. 1,3 Mrd.); Lebenssparte (Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG) stieg 2025 bereits auf EUR 26,4 Mrd. (+10,9%), Konzern-Gesamtsumme 2025 von Allianz Deutschland AG noch nicht vollständig veröffentlicht

lifehealthmotorpropertyliabilityfinancialcybertravel

R+V Versicherung AG (Gruppe)

Wiesbaden, Germany

#2

R+V Versicherung AG is one of the largest insurance companies in Germany, serving approximately 9 million private and corporate customers. As part of the Cooperative Financial Group of Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken with DZ BANK AG as its main shareholder, it offers a comprehensive range of insurance and financial products across all major lines.

EUR 22,8 Mrd. Konzern gesamt (2025, +8,6%); deutsches Erstversicherungsgeschäft 17,5 Mrd. EUR (+9,3%)

lifehealthmotorpropertyliabilityfinancial

Generali Deutschland AG

Munich, Germany

#3

Generali Deutschland AG is the German holding company of the Assicurazioni Generali Group, the second largest primary insurance group in Germany. With premium income of approximately €15.5 billion and more than 9 million customers, it operates under the brands Generali, CosmosDirekt and Dialog in the life, health, and property/casualty insurance segments. Products are distributed exclusively through Deutsche Vermögensberatung (DVAG) and direct/broker channels.

EUR ~15,5 Mrd. (2025, Generali in Deutschland)

lifehealthmotorpropertyliabilitytravelcyber

Debeka Versicherungsgruppe

Koblenz, Germany

#4

Debeka is one of Germany's largest insurance groups, founded in 1905 as a mutual aid fund for civil servants. Organised as a Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (mutual insurance association), it is owned exclusively by its over 7.7 million members and offers health, life, property, motor, travel, and legal expenses insurance, as well as building society savings products. It is Germany's largest private health insurer and ranks among the top five in the German insurance and building society sector.

EUR 14,99 Mrd. (2025, Versicherungen; +13,2%); Gesamteinnahmen inkl. Bausparkasse 17,17 Mrd. EUR

healthlifepropertymotorliabilitytravel

AXA Konzern AG (Deutschland)

Cologne, Germany

#5

AXA Konzern AG is one of the largest primary insurers and financial services providers in Germany, offering property and casualty, health, life, pension and asset management products to private and corporate customers; it is the German arm of the French AXA Group and traces its roots to the Colonia Versicherungsgruppe founded in Cologne in 1839.

EUR 12,75 Mrd. (2025)

motorpropertyhealthlifeliabilitycyberfinancial

ERGO Gruppe AG (Deutschland)

Düsseldorf, Germany

#6

EUR ~11,8 Mrd. (2024, dt. Segment: ERGO Versicherung AG 5,1 Mrd., DKV 5,4 Mrd., ERGO Leben 1,45 Mrd., ERGO Vorsorge 1,27 Mrd.)

healthlifemotorpropertyliabilitytravelcyber

HUK-COBURG Versicherungsgruppe

Coburg, Germany

#7

HUK-COBURG is one of Germany's largest insurance groups, organized as a mutual insurance association (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit). Founded in 1933, it is Germany's largest motor vehicle insurer with around 14 million insured vehicles and over 13 million customers. It offers a broad range of insurance products for private households, including motor, liability, household, property, health, life, legal protection, and travel insurance.

EUR ~11,0 Mrd. (2025, +10,2%)

motorpropertylifehealthliabilityfinancialother

BarmeniaGothaer Konzern

Cologne and Wuppertal, Germany

#8

BarmeniaGothaer is a German insurance group headquartered in Cologne and Wuppertal, formed in 2024 through the merger of the mutual insurers Barmenia and Gothaer.

EUR 9,27 Mrd. (2025, +7,8%)

healthlifemotorpropertyliabilityother

Provinzial Konzern

Öffentliche Versicherungsträger (Deutschland)

#9

EUR ~7,5 Mrd. (2025)

propertymotorlifeliabilityother
www.provinzial-konzern.deMarket reference only

Signal Iduna Gruppe

Dortmund and Hamburg, Germany

#10

SIGNAL IDUNA is a German insurance and financial services group formed in 1999 through the merger of Dortmund-based Signal Versicherungen and Hamburg-based Iduna Nova Group, offering health, life, property/casualty insurance and financial services (banking, building savings, asset management) to private and corporate customers.

EUR 7,2 Mrd. (2025, +3,1%)

healthlifepropertymotorliabilityfinancial

Zurich Gruppe Deutschland

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

#11

Zurich Gruppe Deutschland is one of Germany's leading insurers, founded in 1875 in Berlin and part of the globally active Zurich Insurance Group. With premium income of over EUR 6.2 billion and around 5,300 employees in Germany, Zurich offers life, property, and personal insurance for private, commercial, and industrial customers. 38 of 40 DAX companies are insured with Zurich.

EUR 6,235 Mrd. (2025, +6%)

lifemotorpropertyliabilityfinancialcybertravel

DEVK Versicherungen

Cologne, Germany

#12

DEVK Versicherungen is a major German insurance group founded in 1886 by railway workers in Breslau, headquartered in Cologne. It is structured as a Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (mutual insurance association) and serves around 4.2 million customers with roughly 15 million insured risks across all lines of insurance, including motor, property, liability, health, life and commercial products.

EUR 5,75 Mrd. (2025, +7,0%)

motorpropertylifehealthliabilityother

LVM Versicherung

Münster, Germany

#13

LVM Versicherung is a German mutual insurance association (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit) headquartered in Münster, offering insurance, retirement planning and financial services; every policyholder is simultaneously a member of the association and there are no shareholders.

EUR 5,3 Mrd. (2025, +8,9%)

motorpropertylifehealthliabilityother

VHV Gruppe

Hannover, Germany

#14

VHV Group is a German insurance and reinsurance group based in Hannover, formed in 2003 through the merger of insurers rooted in the Hannover region, with core legacy companies dating back to 1875 and 1919. It operates as a multi-brand group (VHV Versicherungen, Hannoversche) and is the mutual parent (VHV a.G.) controlling VHV Holding SE, active in motor, construction/property, liability, accident and life insurance for private and commercial clients in Germany and internationally.

EUR 4,5 Mrd. (2025, +8,3%)

motorpropertylifeliabilityother

HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe

Hamburg, Germany

#15

HanseMerkur is an independent, group-unaffiliated German insurance group headquartered in Hamburg, founded in 1875 as a health and burial support association. It is organized as a mutual insurance association (VVaG) and is a mid-sized personal insurer focused on health, travel, life/pension, accident and property insurance, and is the market leader in travel insurance in Germany.

EUR 3,55 Mrd. (2025, +20,6%)

healthtravellifepropertyother

Nürnberger Beteiligungs-AG (Nürnberger Versicherung)

Nuremberg, Germany

#16

Nürnberger Versicherung is a German insurance company headquartered in Nuremberg that operates in the life, private health, property/casualty and auto insurance segments as well as in the financial services sector, primarily in Germany and Austria.

EUR 3,521 Mrd. (2025, gebuchte Bruttobeiträge, -3,9%, Bestandsbereinigung Schaden/Unfall)

lifehealthpropertymotorliability

Talanx / HDI Deutschland AG

Hanover, Germany

#17

HDI Versicherung AG is one of Germany's largest and most well-known insurers, part of the Talanx Group, offering a broad range of insurance and financial services to private and business customers.

EUR ~3,3 Mrd. (2024, dt. Privat- und Firmenversicherung); 2025 Umsatzrückgang von ca. 8% durch Beendigung der Targobank-Kooperation Ende 2025

motorpropertylifeliabilityfinancialother

ARAG Versicherungsgruppe

Düsseldorf, Germany

#18

ARAG SE is a European insurance group headquartered in Düsseldorf, the largest family-owned insurance company in Germany and considered the largest legal expenses insurer in the world, offering legal protection, health, composite (property/casualty), accident and other insurance products through its group companies.

EUR 3,16 Mrd. (2025, erstmals über 3 Mrd.)

liabilitymotorhealthtravelpropertyother

Proxalto Lebensversicherung AG

Viridium Gruppe (Deutschland)

#19

EUR ~2,0 Mrd. (2023, letzter Ausweis; Bestand schrumpft im Rahmen der Bestandsabwicklung)

life
www.proxalto.deMarket reference only

Swiss Life Deutschland

Swiss Life Holding AG (Schweiz); erweiterte 2025 die Finanzberatungsorganisation um die TELIS-Unternehmensgruppe

#20
lifehealthfinancial
www.swisslife.deMarket reference only

INTER Versicherungsgruppe

Mannheim, Germany

#21

INTER Versicherungsgruppe is an independent German mutual insurance group headquartered in Mannheim, offering private health, life, property and liability insurance to private and commercial customers, with a traditional focus on craftsmen and medical professionals.

EUR ~1,12 Mrd. (2025, +5%)

healthlifepropertyliability

Süddeutsche Krankenversicherung a.G. (SDK)

Fellbach (near Stuttgart), Germany

#22

SDK - Süddeutsche Krankenversicherung a. G. is a German mutual insurance association (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit) headquartered in Fellbach near Stuttgart, specializing in private health insurance and supplementary health products, and part of the SDK Versicherungsgruppe together with Süddeutsche Lebensversicherung a.G. and Süddeutsche Allgemeine Versicherung a.G.

EUR >1,0 Mrd. (2024)

health

Helvetia Gruppe Deutschland

Bad Homburg v.d.H., Germany (historic legal seat: Frankfurt am Main)

#23

EUR ~988 Mio. (2023, letzter verfügbarer offizieller Einzelausweis; 2025-Zahlen noch nicht isoliert für Deutschland veröffentlicht)

lifepropertymotorliabilityhealthother

Wüstenrot & Württembergische AG (W&W Gruppe)

Kornwestheim, Germany

#24

Wüstenrot & Württembergische AG (W&W Group) is a listed German financial services holding company formed in 1999 from the merger of the building society Wüstenrot and the insurer Württembergische, offering home loan savings, banking, and a wide range of life, health, and property/casualty insurance products through subsidiaries such as Württembergische Versicherung AG, Württembergische Lebensversicherung AG, Württembergische Krankenversicherung AG, Wüstenrot Bausparkasse AG and the digital brand Adam Riese.

lifepropertymotorliabilityhealthfinancial

Barmenia Versicherungen a.G.

Wuppertal, Germany

#25No new contracts

Barmenia Versicherungen a.G. is a German mutual insurance association (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit) that, since September 2024, forms part of the BarmeniaGothaer group following its merger with Gothaer; until 2024 Barmenia was an independent insurance group with about 3,600 employees and premium income of EUR 2.9 billion, offering health, life, motor, liability and property insurance for private and corporate customers.

EUR 6,30 Mrd. (2024, Barmenia-Konzern vor vollständiger Integration in BarmeniaGothaer)

healthlifepropertymotorliability

ADAC Versicherung AG

Munich, Germany

1 markets

ADAC Versicherung AG is the insurance arm of Germany's largest automobile club, ADAC. Founded in 1972 as ADAC Schutzbrief-Versicherungs AG, it grew from providing travel assistance cover into a broad insurance group offering motor, travel, health, home, liability, accident and legal protection products, often in cooperation with partners such as Allianz and Zurich.

AdmiralDirekt.de GmbH

Cologne, Germany

1 markets

AdmiralDirekt.de GmbH is a German direct motor insurer founded in 2007, originally the German branch of the British Admiral Group plc and, since 2011, a wholly owned subsidiary of Itzehoer Versicherung/Brandgilde von 1691 VVaG.

Allianz Direct Versicherungs-AG

Munich, Germany

1 markets

Allianz Direct Versicherungs-AG, headquartered in Munich, is the digital direct insurance subsidiary of Allianz SE, offering online motor, liability, home and travel insurance across several European markets including Germany.

Alte Leipziger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft (part of the Alte Leipziger – Hallesche / ALH Gruppe, whose mutual parent is Alte Leipziger Lebensversicherung a.G.)

Oberursel (Taunus), Germany

1 markets

Alte Leipziger is a long-established German insurance and financial services group tracing its roots to the 1819 Leipziger Feuer-Versicherungs-Anstalt, today organized as a mutual (VVaG) alongside Hallesche within the ALH Gruppe, offering life, health, property/casualty and financial products.

ALTE OLDENBURGER Krankenversicherung AG

Vechta, Germany

1 markets

ALTE OLDENBURGER Krankenversicherung AG is a private health insurer headquartered in Vechta, Lower Saxony, founded in 1927 as the 'Bäuerliche Krankenkasse'. It operates nationwide as a broker-focused insurer offering private full health insurance, mandatory long-term care insurance and supplementary health insurance products, and since 2007 forms a health insurance group together with Provinzial Krankenversicherung Hannover AG under holding company ALTE OLDENBURGER Beteiligungsgesellschaft AG.

AWP P&C S.A., Branch for Germany (trading as Allianz Travel / Allianz Reiseschutz)

Königinstraße 28, 80802 Munich, Germany

1 markets

Allianz Reiseschutz (Allianz Travel) is the German travel insurance brand operated by AWP P&C S.A., Niederlassung für Deutschland, a branch of the French company AWP P&C S.A. within the Allianz Partners / Allianz Global Assistance network, itself part of Allianz SE. It offers trip cancellation, travel medical, luggage, rental-car and assistance insurance products for private and business travellers in Germany.

Baloise Sachversicherung AG Deutschland / Baloise Lebensversicherung AG Deutschland

Bad Homburg v.d.H. (non-life) / Hamburg (life), Germany

1 markets

Baloise in Germany comprises Baloise Sachversicherung AG Deutschland (Bad Homburg) and Baloise Lebensversicherung AG Deutschland (Hamburg), offering property/casualty and life insurance to private and corporate customers as part of the Swiss Baloise Group, which historically traces back to the 1863 founding of Basler Versicherungen and its German roots including Deutscher Ring and Securitas.

BavariaDirekt Versicherung AG

Berlin, Germany

1 markets

BavariaDirekt Versicherung AG is a German direct (online) insurer, formerly known as Ostdeutsche Versicherung AG (OVAG), founded in Berlin in 1991 and fully owned since 2005 by Versicherungskammer Bayern; it markets private-customer insurance products under the BavariaDirekt online brand and is part of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe.

BD24 Berlin Direkt Versicherung AG

Wrangelstraße 100, 10997 Berlin, Germany

1 markets

BD24 Berlin Direkt Versicherung AG is a digital direct insurer based in Berlin-Kreuzberg. It is a subsidiary of HanseMerkur based in Berlin-Kreuzberg, and is a young international insurer that sees itself as a digital pioneer within the HanseMerkur Group, offering a variety of new and innovative products alongside traditional insurance lines. The company is registered with the Amtsgericht Charlottenburg (Berlin) under the number HRB 152599 B.

BGV Badische Versicherungen (Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband, a public-law corporation, together with its subsidiary BGV-Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft)

Karlsruhe, Germany

1 markets

<cite index="3-1">The BGV Badische Versicherungen insurance group, headquartered in Karlsruhe, is an insurance association founded in 1923.</cite> <cite index="2-4">The Badische Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband (BGV), founded in 1923, is the specialist insurer for municipalities in Baden and also the market leader in insuring the public sector there.</cite> <cite index="2-5">For private and corporate customers the group offers property, accident, liability, motor and legal protection insurance, as well as, together with strong cooperation partners, individual solutions in retirement provision, financial services and health insurance.</cite>

Concordia Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit

Hanover, Germany

1 markets

Concordia is a German mutual insurance association (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit) headquartered in Hanover, founded in 1864 and offering property/casualty, life, health and legal-protection insurance for private individuals, self-employed people, farmers and businesses through itself and its subsidiaries.

Continentale Krankenversicherung a.G. (Continentale Insurance Group)

Dortmund, Germany

1 markets

Continentale is a German mutual insurance group (Versicherungsverbund auf Gegenseitigkeit) headquartered in Dortmund, with its top company Continentale Krankenversicherung a.G. founded in 1926 by advocates of naturopathy. The group is not a conventional corporation but a mutual association, comprising several independent insurers including Continentale Krankenversicherung, Continentale Lebensversicherung, Continentale Sachversicherung, the EUROPA companies and Mannheimer Versicherung, offering private customers and small/medium businesses insurance across health, life and property/casualty lines.

CosmosDirekt (Cosmos Lebensversicherungs-AG and Cosmos Versicherung AG)

Saarbrücken, Germany

1 markets

CosmosDirekt is a group of legally independent companies based in Saarbrücken that sells and services insurance exclusively directly, without field agents; it has belonged to the insurer Generali Deutschland since 1998 and is Germany's largest direct insurer and largest term life insurer.

DA Deutsche Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

1 markets

DA Direkt is an online direct insurer and a subsidiary of Zurich Gruppe Deutschland, offering household, motor, personal liability, legal protection, pet, accident, dental and health supplementary insurance products sold online and by phone.

DBV Deutsche Beamtenversicherung (branches of AXA Versicherung AG, AXA Lebensversicherung AG and AXA Krankenversicherung AG)

Wiesbaden, Germany

1 markets

DBV Deutsche Beamtenversicherung is a specialist insurance brand of the AXA Group in Germany, dedicated to civil servants (Beamte), public sector employees, teachers, police, soldiers and their families, offering tailored insurance and pension products; it traces its roots to 1871 as a life insurance institution for the army and navy and today operates as branches of AXA's life, non-life and health insurance companies.

DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung AG

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

1 markets

DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung AG is a German joint-stock insurance company headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, operating as a fully digital direct insurer focused on health supplementary, care, accident, pet and property insurance products for private customers.

die Bayerische Insurance Group (formerly Bayerische Beamten Versicherungen / BBV), parent company BY die Bayerische Vorsorge Lebensversicherung a.G.

Munich, Germany

1 markets

die Bayerische is a German mutual insurance group headquartered in Munich-Neuperlach, tracing its roots back to 1858. It is a member of the German Insurance Association (GDV) and offers life insurance, property/casualty insurance (motor, liability, legal protection, accident) and supplementary health insurance to private and business customers nationwide.

DKV Deutsche Krankenversicherung AG

Cologne, Germany

1 markets

DKV Deutsche Krankenversicherung AG is a German private health insurer headquartered in Cologne, founded in 1927 and one of the largest private health insurers in Germany and Europe, offering full private health cover, supplementary health insurance, long-term care, travel health, daily sickness allowance and group/company health insurance products; it has been part of the ERGO Group since 1998.

East Frisian Regional Fire Insurance Fund (Ostfriesische Landschaftliche Brandkasse)

Aurich, Germany

1 markets

The Ostfriesische Landschaftliche Brandkasse is a public-law regional insurer based in Aurich that has operated since 1754, making it one of the oldest insurance institutions in the world; it operates primary insurance for household contents, buildings, accident, motor, commercial, property and liability insurance in the East Frisia region, with other lines sold through cooperation partners such as VGH, LBS, ÖRAG and UKV.

ENVIVAS Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft

Cologne, Germany

1 markets

ENVIVAS Krankenversicherung AG is a 100% subsidiary of Generali Deutschland Holding AG based in Cologne that exclusively offers private supplementary health insurance products to statutorily insured members of Techniker Krankenkasse (TK).

ERGO Reiseversicherung AG (formerly ERV – Europäische Reiseversicherung AG)

Munich, Germany

1 markets

ERGO Reiseversicherung AG is the travel-insurance specialist of the ERGO Group and thus belongs to Munich Re, one of the world's leading reinsurers and risk carriers, offering trip cancellation, travel medical, baggage and other travel protection products worldwide.

Europ Assistance SA, Branch for Germany (also operating as Europ Assistance Versicherungs-AG)

Grünwald (Munich area), Germany

1 markets

Europ Assistance is a global assistance and insurance provider founded in Paris in 1963, wholly owned by the Generali Group. Its German branch, opened in Munich in 1980 with a second site in Rostock since 2007, offers travel, mobility, cyber and assistance insurance products to private and corporate customers.

EUROPA Versicherung AG (trading as EUROPA-go)

Cologne, Germany

1 markets

EUROPA-go is the pure online car insurance brand of EUROPA Versicherung AG, launched in July 2014, offering motor liability, comprehensive and third-party partial cover contracts handled entirely online. EUROPA Versicherung AG itself is a direct insurer founded as part of the Europa group (whose roots go back to 1959) and is fully part of the Continentale Versicherungsverbund.

EUROPA Versicherung AG / EUROPA Lebensversicherung AG

Cologne, Germany

1 markets

EUROPA Versicherung is a German direct insurer based in Cologne, part of the Continentale Versicherungsverbund, offering private customers property, casualty, motor and life insurance products under the motto "Versicherung pur".

Feuersozietät Berlin Brandenburg Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft

Berlin, Germany

1 markets

Feuersozietät Berlin Brandenburg is the second-oldest insurance company in Germany, founded in 1718 in Berlin by Prussian King Frederick William I. Together with its sister company Öffentliche Lebensversicherung Berlin Brandenburg, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Versicherungskammer group, belongs to the public insurers, and is part of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe.

GARANTA Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft

Ostendstraße 100, 90334 Nuremberg, Germany

1 markets

GARANTA Versicherungs-AG is a German property and casualty insurer headquartered in Nuremberg. It has offered special insurance products as a professional insurer for the motor vehicle trade, its companies, employees and customers since 1985, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of NÜRNBERGER Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG, operating in Germany and Austria.

GVV-Kommunalversicherung VVaG (Mutual Insurance Association)

Cologne, Germany

1 markets

GVV Kommunalversicherung VVaG is a German mutual insurer founded in 1911 by municipalities in the Rhineland-Westphalia region as a self-help risk community, providing liability, vehicle, accident, property and technical insurance for cities, municipalities, districts, municipal enterprises and savings banks. Its wholly owned subsidiary, GVV Direktversicherung AG (GVV Direkt), sells motor, home, liability, accident and legal protection insurance directly to public-sector employees, volunteer firefighters and, since June 2015, the general public.

Hallesche Krankenversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit (mutual insurance association)

Stuttgart, Germany

1 markets

Hallesche Krankenversicherung is a German private health insurer organized as a mutual insurance association (VVaG), headquartered in Stuttgart, offering comprehensive private health, supplementary health, long-term care and travel health insurance products, and forming a co-ordination group (Gleichordnungskonzern) with Alte Leipziger Lebensversicherung since 1994.

Hannoversche Lebensversicherung AG

Hanover, Germany

1 markets

<cite index="2-1,2-3">The Hannoversche Lebensversicherung AG, also known as Hannoversche (formerly Hannoversche Leben), is a German insurance company that is particularly active in the area of protection against life risks, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the VHV Group.</cite> <cite index="10-12">It is the oldest direct insurer in the country.</cite>

HUK24 AG

Coburg, Germany

1 markets

HUK24 AG is a German direct (online-only) insurer based in Coburg and a subsidiary of the HUK-Coburg insurance group, distributing insurance exclusively via its own website without intermediaries or comparison portals, and describes itself as Germany's largest direct insurer with almost 5.7 million contracts.

Itzehoer Insurance / Brandgilde von 1691 Mutual Insurance Association

Itzehoe, Germany

1 markets

Itzehoer Versicherungen is a German mutual insurance association (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit) founded in 1906 in Elskop, Schleswig-Holstein, offering a broad range of property/casualty, life, health, legal protection and financial products mainly to customers in northern Germany, with nationwide broker distribution and subsidiaries such as AdmiralDirekt.de GmbH and Itzehoer Lebensversicherungs-AG.

Janitos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft

Heidelberg, Germany

1 markets

Janitos Versicherung AG is a German insurance company based in Heidelberg and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung AG, specializing in property/casualty lines and distributing its products exclusively through independent insurance brokers in Germany and Austria.

KRAVAG Insurance Group (KRAVAG-LOGISTIC Versicherungs-AG, KRAVAG-ALLGEMEINE Versicherungs-AG and KRAVAG-SACH Versicherung des Deutschen Kraftverkehrs VaG)

Hamburg, Germany

1 markets

KRAVAG is a specialist insurer for the German road transport and logistics industry and is part of the R+V insurance group; it consists of the three legally independent companies KRAVAG-ALLGEMEINE, KRAVAG-SACH and KRAVAG-LOGISTIC, with KRAVAG-LOGISTIC being market leader in commercial freight transport insurance in Germany while KRAVAG-ALLGEMEINE focuses on private motor insurance.

Lippische Landesbrandversicherung AG

Detmold, Germany

1 markets

Lippische Landesbrandversicherung AG is a regionally active, public-law composite insurer headquartered in Detmold (Kreis Lippe), operating mainly within the Lippe district; it has been part of the Provinzial Group since 2009 and became an AG (stock corporation) within Provinzial Holding in 2020.

Mecklenburgische Insurance Company on a Mutual Basis (Mecklenburgische Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit)

Hanover, Germany

1 markets

Founded in 1797 in Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburgische is the oldest German private insurance company with nationwide operations and the oldest still-existing hail insurer in the world; it is organized as a mutual insurance association (VVaG) headquartered in Hanover, offering property, liability, life and health insurance to private individuals, farmers and businesses across Germany through around 800-900 exclusive agencies.

Münchener Verein Versicherungsgruppe (comprising Münchener Verein Krankenversicherung a.G., Münchener Verein Lebensversicherung AG and Münchener Verein Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG)

Munich, Germany

1 markets

Münchener Verein is an independent German insurance group headquartered in Munich-Ludwigsvorstadt, founded in 1922 as a mutual self-help institution for craftsmen and trade, offering a broad range of health, life and property/casualty insurance products for private and commercial customers as a mutual insurance association (VVaG) without external shareholders.

Neodigital Autoversicherung AG

Heinz-Kettler-Str. 1, 66386 St. Ingbert, Germany

1 markets

Neodigital Autoversicherung AG is a fully digital German motor insurer that was launched in March 2023 as a joint venture between insurtech Neodigital Versicherung AG and HUK-COBURG Holding AG, offering third-party liability, partial and comprehensive motor cover with a fully digital, white-label-capable sales and administration model; since June 2025 it has become a wholly owned subsidiary of HUK-COBURG.

Neodigital Versicherung AG

St. Ingbert, Germany

1 markets

Neodigital Versicherung AG is a German digital property and casualty (Schaden- und Unfall) insurer founded in December 2016 by Stephen Voss and Dirk Wittling, focused on fully digitized processes and, more recently, on providing an Insurance-as-a-Service technology platform to other insurers.

Öffentliche Feuerversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt and Öffentliche Lebensversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt (trading jointly as ÖSA Versicherungen)

Magdeburg, Germany

1 markets

ÖSA (Öffentliche Versicherungen Sachsen-Anhalt) is a regional public-law insurer consisting of the Öffentliche Feuerversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt and the Öffentliche Lebensversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt, based in Magdeburg and belonging to the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. It is the only insurer headquartered in Saxony-Anhalt and offers a full range of property, motor, life, health, liability, legal-protection and pet insurance products to private customers, businesses and municipalities.

Öffentliche Versicherung Braunschweig (comprising Öffentliche Sachversicherung Braunschweig and Öffentliche Lebensversicherung Braunschweig)

Braunschweig, Germany

1 markets

Öffentliche Versicherung Braunschweig is a regional public-law insurer (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) based in Braunschweig, tracing its roots to the Braunschweigische Landesbrandversicherungsanstalt founded in 1754 by Herzog Carl I., and operating almost exclusively within the historic Braunschweig region offering property, motor, liability, life, health, travel and accident insurance as well as financial services.

Öffentliche Versicherungen Oldenburg (comprising Oldenburgische Landesbrandkasse and Öffentliche Lebensversicherungsanstalt Oldenburg)

Staugraben 11, 26122 Oldenburg, Germany

1 markets

Öffentliche Versicherungen Oldenburg is a regional public-law insurer based in Oldenburg, formed by the Oldenburgische Landesbrandkasse and the Öffentliche Lebensversicherungsanstalt Oldenburg, offering property, motor, life, health, liability and commercial insurance across the Oldenburger Land region of Lower Saxony.

ÖVB Versicherungen (Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover, trading as ÖVB Versicherungen in Bremen)

Bremen, Germany

1 markets

ÖVB Versicherungen is the regional insurance brand for Bremen and Bremerhaven, operated by VGH (Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover) as parent company since 2019, offering a full range of property, personal and liability insurance products.

PassportCard Europe GmbH

Hamburg, Germany

1 markets

PassportCard Europe GmbH, based in Hamburg, is the German arm of the international PassportCard/DavidShield Group, offering long-term international health insurance for expats, digital nomads, students and emigrants, distinguished by its real-time prepaid payment card that lets customers settle medical bills abroad without paying upfront.

Rhion Versicherung AG

Neuss, Germany

1 markets

Rhion Versicherung AG, marketed since 2018 under the brand name rhion.digital, is a German composite insurer founded in 2005 as the dedicated broker-distribution risk carrier within the RheinLand Versicherungsgruppe, a family-owned insurance group based in Neuss that has operated since 1880.

Sparkassen DirektVersicherung AG (S Direktversicherung Aktiengesellschaft)

Düsseldorf, Germany

1 markets

Sparkassen DirektVersicherung AG (S-Direkt) is a direct insurer of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe headquartered in Düsseldorf, specialised in motor insurance for private customers but also offering household contents, personal liability and accident insurance, with additional products distributed via cooperation partners.

Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen (comprising Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen Allgemeine Versicherung AG and Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen Lebensversicherung AG, under S.V. Holding AG)

Dresden, Germany

1 markets

Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen is a public regional insurer headquartered in Dresden, active exclusively in the Free State of Saxony in cooperation with the Saxon savings banks (Sparkassen).

SV SparkassenVersicherung Holding Aktiengesellschaft

Stuttgart, Germany

1 markets

SV SparkassenVersicherung is a German regional insurer that bundles the insurance offering of the savings bank organizations (Sparkassen) in Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Thuringia and parts of Rhineland-Palatinate, formed in 2004 through the merger of several regional public insurers whose roots go back over 250 years, and it is one of Germany's leading building/home insurers.

UKV – Union Krankenversicherung Aktiengesellschaft

Saarbrücken, Germany

1 markets

UKV is a private health insurer headquartered in Saarbrücken that offers private health, supplementary, long-term care, corporate and travel health insurance and is part of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe within Konzern Versicherungskammer, Germany's largest public-sector insurance group.

uniVersa Versicherungen (uniVersa Krankenversicherung a.G., uniVersa Lebensversicherung a.G. and uniVersa Allgemeine Versicherung AG)

Nuremberg, Germany

1 markets

uniVersa Versicherungen is a German mutual insurance group based in Nuremberg, formed by uniVersa Krankenversicherung a.G. (founded 1843, the oldest private health insurer in Germany), uniVersa Lebensversicherung a.G. and their subsidiary uniVersa Allgemeine Versicherung AG, offering health, life, motor, property and liability insurance to private households and SMEs.

URV – Union Reiseversicherung Aktiengesellschaft

Munich, Germany

1 markets

URV – Union Reiseversicherung AG is a German travel insurer founded in 2001 as the joint travel insurance company of the public insurers (öffentliche Versicherer) and savings banks (Sparkassen), based in Munich and part of the Versicherungskammer group.

Versicherer im Raum der Kirchen (VRK) - group comprising VRK Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit im Raum der Kirchen, VRK Sachversicherung AG, VRK Krankenversicherung AG and VRK Lebensversicherung AG

Kassel / Detmold, Germany

1 markets

VRK (Versicherer im Raum der Kirchen) is a German insurance group specializing in coverage for people and institutions working in churches, Caritas, Diakonie and free welfare organizations, offering property/casualty, health and life insurance products under a shared ethical-sustainable investment philosophy.

Versicherungskammer Bayern, Institution under Public Law

Maximilianstraße 53, 80538 Munich, Germany

1 markets

Versicherungskammer Bayern (VKB) is a public-law insurance institution and the largest public insurer in Germany, part of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe.

Verti Versicherung AG

Teltow (near Berlin), Germany

1 markets

Verti Versicherung AG is a direct insurer headquartered in Teltow near Berlin, part of the Spanish MAPFRE Group since 2015, and is Germany's second-largest direct motor insurer, offering vehicle, liability and life insurance products.

VGH Versicherungen (Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover / Provinzial Lebensversicherung Hannover)

Hannover, Germany

1 markets

VGH Versicherungen is a German public-law insurance group headquartered in Hannover, formed in 1957 through the merger of the Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover (founded 1750) and Provinzial Lebensversicherung Hannover (founded 1918), later joined by Provinzial Krankenversicherung and Provinzial Pensionskasse Hannover; it is the largest insurer in Lower Saxony, offering property, casualty, life, health and liability products to private and business customers.

vigo Krankenversicherung VVaG

Düsseldorf, Germany

1 markets

vigo Krankenversicherung VVaG is an independent German mutual insurance association (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit) headquartered in Düsseldorf, specializing in supplementary private health, dental, hospital, long-term care and travel health insurance for members of the statutory health insurance system rather than full private health insurance.

Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung a. G. (WGV Group)

Stuttgart, Germany

1 markets

WGV is a German mutual insurance association (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit) headquartered in Stuttgart. Founded in 1921, it acts as a municipal insurer (Kommunalversicherer) for cities, municipalities and public-sector bodies in the historic region of Württemberg, while its subsidiaries WGV-Versicherung AG and WGV-Lebensversicherung AG offer nationwide retail insurance for private customers.

Württembergische Versicherung AG

Kornwestheim, Germany

1 markets

Württembergische Versicherung AG is a traditional German property and casualty insurer founded in 1828 as the Württembergische Privat-Feuer-Versicherungs-Gesellschaft, the first private property insurance company in Southern Germany. It is part of the Württembergische Insurance Group, together with Württembergische Lebensversicherung AG and Württembergische Krankenversicherung AG, and belongs to the Wüstenrot & Württembergische (W&W) financial services group headquartered in Kornwestheim.

Würzburger Versicherungs-AG

Würzburg, Germany

1 markets

Würzburger Versicherungs-AG is a German niche insurer founded in 1989, specializing in tailored insurance products for private customers, including travel insurance (under the TravelSecure brand), liability, accident, household contents and dental supplementary insurance. The company describes itself as independent and not subject to the constraints of large corporate groups.

WWK Lebensversicherung a.G.

Munich, Germany

1 markets

WWK Versicherungsgruppe is a German insurance group headquartered in Munich, consisting mainly of WWK Lebensversicherung a.G. (the mutual parent company), WWK Allgemeine Versicherung AG, WWK Pensionsfonds AG, WWK Unterstützungskasse e.V. and WWK Investment S.A. Its core business is fund-linked (unit-linked) life insurance and hybrid pension products, and it ranks among the top life insurers in Germany.

Market notes

Important news

Jul 29, 2026

BaFin Gains AI Act Market Surveillance Powers Over Insurers, Fines up to EUR 35 Million

Germany's AI Act implementation law (KI-MIG) took effect on 29 July 2026, making BaFin the market surveillance authority for AI systems directly linked to regulated financial activity, including insurer risk-scoring and chatbot systems. Breaches can trigger fines of up to EUR 35 million or 7% of global annual turnover; transparency duties apply from 2 August 2026.

Why it matters

First time a dedicated authority with fining power supervises AI-driven underwriting and customer-facing systems in German life and health insurance, requiring insurers to document and justify automated decision-making.

BaFinAlle von der BaFin beaufsichtigten VersichererBundesnetzagentur
Sources

Jun 18, 2026

German Government Submits VSAAG Bill Transposing Solvency II Reform and IRRD

On 18 June 2026 the German government submitted the VSAAG (Versicherungs-Sanierungs-Abwicklungs-und-Aufsichtsänderungsgesetz) bill to the Bundestag, transposing Directives (EU) 2025/1 (Insurance Recovery and Resolution Directive) and 2025/2 (Solvency II amendment). It introduces a new insurer recovery and resolution regime and adjusts supervisory proportionality rules.

Why it matters

First-ever harmonised EU recovery and resolution framework for insurers; German industry associations, including the GDV and PKV, have raised concerns about additional bureaucratic burden and double reporting risk ahead of the January 2027 transposition deadline.

Bundesministerium der FinanzenBaFinAlle deutschen Versicherungsunternehmen
Sources

Mar 31, 2026

BRUBEG Grants BaFin Expanded Investigative and Publication Powers

Legal amendments (BRUBEG) that took effect on 31 March 2026 require BaFin to publish more details on the nature of violations without an additional proportionality test, make publication mandatory for breaches of the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), and extend the minimum publication period. Expanded powers cover primary and reinsurance undertakings, including cross-border EU/EEA insurers.

Why it matters

Significantly increases transparency and enforcement risk for insurers, as sanction decisions will be published more routinely and with greater detail, reinforcing compliance incentives across the sector.

BaFinAlle nach dem VAG beaufsichtigten Versicherungs- und Rückversicherungsunternehmen
Sources

Oct 17, 2025

Vienna Insurance Group Agrees to Acquire Nürnberger for EUR 1.38 Billion

Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) agreed on 17 October 2025 to acquire German insurer Nürnberger Beteiligungs-AG for EUR 1.38 billion, offering EUR 120 per share, after Nürnberger reported a 2024 loss and sought a stronger partner. The takeover closed on 19 May 2026, with VIG reaching 99.2% ownership.

Why it matters

One of the largest German insurer acquisitions in years, giving the Austria-based VIG a strong foothold in the German life, health and biometric insurance market while Nürnberger retains its brand and headquarters; Fitch subsequently upgraded Nürnberger's financial strength rating to A+.

Vienna Insurance Group AGNürnberger Beteiligungs-AGNürnberger Versicherung
Sources

Oct 16, 2025

Bundestag Debates Bill to Amend Insurance and Consumer Contract Law (VVG Reform)

On 16 October 2025, the Bundestag held its first reading of a bill transposing EU Directives 2023/2673 and 2024/825, introducing a mandatory electronic cancellation button for online-concluded insurance contracts and restricting the previously unlimited right of withdrawal for financial and insurance contracts.

Why it matters

Once enacted, insurers must implement a one-click cancellation mechanism for digitally sold policies, and restricting perpetual withdrawal rights reduces litigation risk from legacy contracts.

Alle Versicherungsunternehmen mit Online-VertriebVerbraucher in Deutschland
Sources

Aug 22, 2025

BaFin Approves Merger of Ostangler Brandgilde and LSH Versicherung

BaFin approved by order dated 15 July 2025 the merger of Landesschadenhilfe (LSH) VVaG into Ostangler Brandgilde VVaG, retroactive to 1 January 2025. The merged entity has about EUR 80 million in premium volume and roughly 200 employees.

Why it matters

Part of the broader consolidation wave among small and mid-sized German mutuals, driven by rising digitalisation and regulatory costs; Ostangler Brandgilde has since announced a further planned merger with Schwarzwälder Versicherung in 2026.

Ostangler Brandgilde VVaGLandesschadenhilfe (LSH) Versicherung VVaG
Sources

Jul 1, 2025

Munich Re's ERGO Completes USD 2.6 Billion Acquisition of NEXT Insurance

ERGO Group AG, part of Munich Re, completed the full acquisition of US digital insurer NEXT Insurance on 1 July 2025, after signing a definitive agreement on 20 March 2025 valuing the company at USD 2.6 billion. ERGO already held about 29% before the deal.

Why it matters

Marks German reinsurer Munich Re's strategic entry into the US small-business insurance market via its primary insurance arm ERGO, reflecting the broader trend of German insurers using M&A to access digital and international growth.

Munich ReERGO Group AGNEXT Insurance
Sources

Mar 6, 2025

BaFin Fines Talanx AG EUR 1.095 Million for WpHG Reporting Breach

On 6 March 2025, BaFin fined Talanx AG EUR 1,095,000 for failing to publish a mandatory advance notice about its 2022 half-year report within the WpHG deadline. Talanx, Germany's third-largest insurer, accepted and paid the fine.

Why it matters

Demonstrates BaFin's stricter enforcement of securities transparency obligations against large insurers, even for procedural reporting lapses.

Talanx AGHDI Versicherungen
Sources

Jan 29, 2025

EU Solvency II Amendment Directive (2025/2) Enters Into Force

Directive (EU) 2025/2, published in the Official Journal on 8 January 2025, entered into force on 29 January 2025, introducing proportionality for small insurers, sustainability and macro-prudential requirements, and recovery/resolution planning. Germany must transpose it by 30 January 2027.

Why it matters

The most significant reform to EU insurance supervision since Solvency II took effect in 2016, reshaping capital, reporting and crisis-management rules for all German insurers.

Alle BaFin-beaufsichtigten VersicherungsunternehmenBaFinGDV
Sources

Jan 8, 2025

ELEMENT Insurance AG: Preliminary Insolvency Proceedings Opened, New Business Banned

On 20 December 2024, ELEMENT Insurance AG notified BaFin of insolvency after its main reinsurer cancelled cover. BaFin imposed a new-business ban; preliminary insolvency proceedings opened 8 January 2025, final proceedings began 1 March 2025, and about 320,000 contracts terminated on 1 April 2025.

Why it matters

First major insolvency of a BaFin-supervised insurer in many years, exposing systemic risks of the white-label carrier model and the importance of reinsurance stability for smaller digital insurers.

ELEMENT Insurance AG
Sources

Sep 4, 2024

Barmenia and Gothaer Complete Germany's Largest Insurance Merger in Over 20 Years

On 4 September 2024, Barmenia and Gothaer officially completed their merger, registering BarmeniaGothaer Finanzholding AG in the commercial registers of Cologne and Wuppertal. The combined entity entered the top-10 German insurers with over EUR 7 billion in premium income.

Why it matters

The merger signalled an accelerating consolidation trend among German mutual insurers, driven by IT modernisation costs and margin pressure, and is regarded as a catalyst for the wider wave of insurer mergers seen through 2025-2026.

Barmenia Versicherungen a.G.Gothaer Versicherungsbank VVaGBarmeniaGothaer Finanzholding AG
Sources

Regulation

Regulation

BaFin

Federal Financial Supervisory Authority

BaFin is Germany's integrated financial supervisory authority responsible for supervising banks, insurance undertakings, financial services institutions, and securities trading. In insurance, it supervised 469 insurance undertakings, Pensionskassen and Pensionsfonds at the federal level in 2025 pursuant to the Insurance Supervision Act (VAG). Its primary objective in insurance supervision is the protection of policyholders and beneficiaries, ensuring that insurers can meet their obligations at all times.

https://www.bafin.de

GDV

German Insurance Association

The GDV is the umbrella organization of private insurers in Germany. It acts as the central industry association, represents the interests of the insurance industry to policymakers, the public, and international bodies, and publishes official market statistics and annual reports at its Jahresmedienkonferenz. It is Germany's member association in Insurance Europe.

https://www.gdv.de

PKV-Verband

Association of Private Health Insurers

The PKV-Verband is the trade association for private health insurance companies in Germany. It represents the interests of private health insurers, provides statistics on the private health insurance market, and engages with policymakers on healthcare policy.

https://www.pkv.de

Destatis

Federal Statistical Office of Germany

Destatis is the German federal statistics office that publishes macroeconomic data including GDP, population, and national accounts, which underpin insurance penetration and market sizing calculations.

https://www.destatis.de

KBA

Federal Motor Transport Authority

The KBA is the German federal authority for road traffic and motor vehicles. It maintains the Central Vehicle Register (Zentrales Fahrzeugregister, ZFZR) and publishes official vehicle registration statistics used for motor insurance market analysis.

https://www.kba.de

Key legislation

Key legislation

Versicherungsaufsichtsgesetz (VAG) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 1. April 2015 (BGBl. I S. 434), zuletzt geaendert

Insurance Supervision Act (VAG)

The primary legal basis for insurance supervision in Germany. Pursuant to section 294, the primary objective of insurance supervision is the protection of policyholders and beneficiaries. The VAG also transposed the EU Solvency II Directive (2009/138/EC) into German law, effective from 1 January 2016, introducing risk-based solvency requirements and market value-based valuation rules. It governs the authorisation, ongoing supervision, and winding-up of insurance undertakings. It was further amended by the Second Act to Strengthen Occupational Pensions (BRSG II), largely in force from 1 January 2026.

Gesetz ueber die integrierte Finanzaufsicht (FinDAG) vom 22. April 2002 (BGBl. I S. 1310)

Financial Services and Integration Act (FinDAG)

Established BaFin on 1 May 2002 by merging the former Federal Banking Supervisory Office (BAKred), Federal Insurance Supervisory Office (BAV), and Federal Supervisory Office for Securities Trading (BAWe) into a single integrated supervisory authority. Created the legal basis for unified financial market supervision in Germany.

Solvency II Directive 2009/138/EC, transposed into German law via VAG amendment effective 1 January 2016

Solvency II

The EU-wide prudential regulatory framework for insurance undertakings, applicable in Germany since 1 January 2016. Introduces a three-pillar structure covering quantitative requirements (Pillar 1 - Solvency Capital Requirement, Minimum Capital Requirement), qualitative governance requirements (Pillar 2), and public disclosure and supervisory reporting (Pillar 3). Based on holistic risk analysis and market-value-based valuation of assets and liabilities. GDV continues to lobby for greater proportionality for smaller undertakings under ongoing EU reviews.

Versicherungsvertragsgesetz (VVG) vom 23. November 2007 (BGBl. I S. 2631)

Insurance Contract Act (VVG)

Governs the legal relationship between insurers and policyholders in Germany. Establishes the rights and obligations of both parties, including pre-contractual information duties, the duty to disclose, claims handling procedures, and consumer protection provisions for insurance contracts. The VVG was comprehensively reformed in 2008.

Pflichtversicherungsgesetz (PflVG) vom 5. April 1965 (BGBl. I S. 213)

Compulsory Insurance Act - Motor Third Party Liability

Establishes the compulsory motor third-party liability (Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung) insurance obligation for all motor vehicle holders in Germany. Requires every motor vehicle keeper to maintain a minimum level of liability cover as a condition of vehicle registration. Sets minimum coverage limits and the framework for the German Motor Insurers Bureau.

EU cross-border access

EU cross-border insurers

Lemonade Insurance N.V.

Freedom of Services

Home country: Niederlande

Supervisor: De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB)

Anbieter von Inhalts- und Haftpflichtversicherungen in Deutschland via App und Website; lizenziert in den Niederlanden, tätig in Deutschland per Dienstleistungsfreiheit.

propertyliability
Sources

AXA Schengen (AXA Partners S.A.S.)

Freedom of Services

Home country: Frankreich

Supervisor: ACPR (Frankreich)

AXA Schengen bietet Reiseversicherungen für Schengen-Visa-Antragsteller an; Risiken aus Frankreich gezeichnet, AXA Partners als Risikoträger.

travelhealth
Sources

Europ Assistance S.A.

Freedom of Services

Home country: Frankreich

Supervisor: ACPR (Frankreich)

Europ Assistance bietet Reise- und Assistenzversicherungen in Deutschland an; Teil der Generali Group, aus Frankreich per Dienstleistungsfreiheit tätig.

travelhealthother
Sources

SI Insurance (Europe), SA

Freedom of Services (über Niederlassung Frankreich)

Home country: Luxemburg

Supervisor: Commissariat aux Assurances (CAA, Luxemburg)

BaFin-Bekanntmachung von Oktober 2024: SI Insurance (Europe) SA ist berechtigt, in Deutschland im Dienstleistungsverkehr über ihre Niederlassung in Frankreich tätig zu werden.

propertymotorliabilityfinancialother
Sources

Allianz Care (Allianz Partners S.A.)

Freedom of Services

Home country: Frankreich

Supervisor: ACPR (Frankreich)

Allianz Partners bietet internationale Kranken- und Reiseversicherungen für Expatriates und Unternehmen in Deutschland an; Marke Allianz Care; aus Frankreich per Dienstleistungsfreiheit tätig.

healthtravel
Sources

Distribution channels

Distribution channels

46%

Exclusive Agents (tied agents)

Allianz Beratungs- und Vertriebs-AGHUK-COBURGDEVKR+V VersicherungSIGNAL IDUNA

27%

Insurance Brokers

Aon DeutschlandMarsh GmbHFunk GruppeEcclesia GruppeMRH Trowe

13%

Bancassurance (credit institutions)

Deutsche Bank / DWSSparkassen-VersicherungVolksbanken Raiffeisenbanken (R+V)Commerzbank / Generali

10%

Direct Sales and Online Comparison Portals

Check24 VergleichsportalVerivoxHUK24DA Direkt

4%

Other channels (annex sales, car dealerships, independent fee advisors)

Consumer rights

Consumer rights

1

Submit a written complaint directly to the insurer's internal complaints management (Beschwerdemanagement). Allow at least six weeks for a final response before escalating.

2

If unresolved, file a free complaint with the Versicherungsombudsmann e.V. (insurance ombudsman). Binding decisions up to EUR 10,000; recommendations up to EUR 100,000. Most cases resolved within 3 months.

3

File a supervisory complaint with BaFin (online form, letter, or email). BaFin handles collective consumer protection and requests a statement from the insurer. Does not issue binding rulings in individual cases.

4

As a last resort, pursue civil litigation. Only courts can issue binding rulings and compel payment. Consult a lawyer or consumer advice centre (Verbraucherzentrale) beforehand.

Contacts

0800 2100500 (gebührenfrei / free)

tel:08002100500

https://www.versicherungsombudsmann.de

https://www.versicherungsombudsmann.de

https://www.versicherungsombudsmann.de

EU cross-border access

EU cross-border access

Under Solvency II, an insurer licensed in any EU/EEA member state may operate throughout the EU via either freedom of establishment (branch) or freedom of services (cross-border). The home-country regulator (e.g. BaFin for German insurers) supervises solvency; the host-country regulator handles general-good rules. A single authorisation covers both modes. A reform via Directive (EU) 2025/2 and the national VSAAG bill, submitted to the Bundestag on 18 June 2026, will add proportionality tiers and harmonised recovery and resolution planning by January 2027.

EU-Richtlinie 2009/138/EG (Solvabilität II) in der Fassung der Änderungsrichtlinie (EU) 2025/2, umgesetzt in Deutschland durch das Versicherungsaufsichtsgesetz (VAG)

freedom of establishment

An EU/EEA insurer may open a permanent branch or subsidiary in Germany (Zweigniederlassung). The insurer must notify its home regulator, which then informs BaFin. The branch is supervised on solvency by the home regulator and must comply with German general-good conduct rules.

freedom of services

An EU/EEA insurer may offer insurance products to customers in Germany without establishing a local presence, remaining based in its home country. The home regulator supervises the insurer and notifies BaFin. German policyholders are protected by the insurer's home-country guarantee scheme.

Market history

Market history

1990-1994

Reunification and Market Integration

German reunification on 3 October 1990 restored a single national insurance market. Western insurers rapidly expanded into the new federal states. The EU Third Non-Life and Life Directives came into force in July 1994, laying the groundwork for full EU single-market liberalisation.

1994-2000

Deregulation and Increased Competition

From 1 January 1995 the old system of prior product approval was replaced by a solvency-based supervisory regime, enabling free product design. Price competition intensified, especially in motor insurance. Independent product ratings emerged in 1995 to help consumers navigate the new product diversity.

2001-2015

Market Consolidation, Financial Crisis and Solvency II Preparation

The sector weathered the 2001-2003 stock-market crash and the 2008 financial crisis with relatively limited damage. Consolidation accelerated, with the five largest groups capturing over 44% of the market. Preparation for the Solvency II framework dominated regulatory agendas throughout this period.

2016-2023

Solvency II in Force, Low Interest Rates and Digital Transformation

Solvency II became fully applicable on 1 January 2016 via a revised VAG. Prolonged low interest rates squeezed life-insurance margins. Digitalisation and insurtechs gained momentum; comparison portals captured about 20% of motor new business. By 2022, 506 undertakings were under BaFin supervision with premium income of around EUR 223 billion.

2024-2026

Consolidation Wave, Solvency II/IRRD Reform and AI Supervision

German insurers pursued a new consolidation wave: the Barmenia-Gothaer merger (2024), Vienna Insurance Group's takeover of Nürnberger (2025-2026), and several mutual-insurer mergers. Premium income grew 6.6% to EUR 254 billion in 2025. The EU IRRD and Solvency II Amendment Directive are being transposed via the VSAAG bill, and BaFin gained new AI Act market-surveillance powers with fines up to EUR 35 million from July 2026.

Glossary

Glossary

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Versicherungsaufsichtsgesetz (VAG)

The primary German statute governing licensing, solvency supervision and winding-up of insurance undertakings; the key transposition vehicle for EU Solvency II.

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Versicherungsvertragsgesetz (VVG)

Federal law regulating the contractual relationship between insurers and policyholders, including duties of disclosure, premium payment and claims handling.

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Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)

Germany's integrated financial regulator for banking, insurance, securities and payment services; primary supervisory authority for most German insurers.

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Solvabilitätskapitalanforderung (SCR)

Risk-based minimum capital that an insurer must hold under Solvency II to absorb unexpected losses with 99.5% confidence over one year.

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Ausschließlichkeitsvermittler (AO-Vermittler)

An insurance intermediary who distributes products on behalf of only one insurer; the dominant distribution channel in Germany.

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Versicherungsmakler

An independent intermediary who represents the policyholder's interests and may place business with multiple insurers; regulated under section 34d GewO.

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Versicherungsombudsmann

Independent alternative dispute resolution body for insurance disputes; issues binding decisions up to EUR 10,000 and non-binding recommendations up to EUR 100,000, free of charge.

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Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung

Mandatory insurance covering bodily injury and property damage caused to third parties by motor vehicles, required under the PflVersG.

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Bestandsübertragung

The supervised transfer of an insurer's entire or partial policy portfolio to another licensed insurer, typically used during restructuring or to avoid insolvency.

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Rückversicherung

Insurance purchased by an insurer to transfer part of its risk to a reinsurer; Germany hosts two of the world's largest reinsurers, Munich Re and Hannover Rück.

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Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)

A member-owned insurer where policyholders are also owners; common legal form for many mid-sized German insurers such as HUK-COBURG and Debeka.

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Direktvertrieb

Distribution of insurance without an intermediary, via insurer websites, telephone or online comparison portals such as Check24; particularly strong in motor insurance.

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Private Krankenversicherung (PKV)

Optional private health coverage for self-employed persons and employees above the statutory income threshold; offers broader benefits than the statutory GKV.

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Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV)

Mandatory social health insurance for employees earning below the income threshold; funded by income-related contributions shared between employer and employee.

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Höchstrechnungszins

Regulatory ceiling on the guaranteed interest rate life and pension insurers may use in premium and reserve calculations; raised from 0.5% to 1.0% from 1 January 2025.

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Sicherungsvermögen

Ring-fenced assets held by German insurers to cover policyholder liabilities; in insolvency, claims against these assets rank ahead of general creditors.

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Neugeschäftsverbot

A supervisory measure by which BaFin prohibits an insurer from concluding any new contracts, typically imposed when solvency is materially threatened.

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Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft (GDV)

The umbrella trade association representing the German insurance industry; publishes statistics, tariff classifications and regulatory positions.

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KI-Verordnung (KI-VO)

EU regulation governing artificial intelligence systems; from July 2026 BaFin acts as market surveillance authority for AI used in German regulated financial activity, including insurance.

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BRUBEG

German legislation effective March 2026 that broadens BaFin's investigative reach and mandates fuller publication of sanction decisions against insurers and other financial firms.

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Versicherungssanierungs-, -abwicklungs- und -aufsichtsänderungsgesetz (VSAAG)

Draft German law transposing the EU Insurance Recovery and Resolution Directive and the Solvency II amendment directive, establishing harmonised crisis-management rules for insurers by January 2027.

Market notes

FAQ

How large is the German insurance market?

Gross written premiums rose 6.6% to about EUR 254 billion in 2025, driven by motor insurance rate increases and strong single-premium life business. The GDV expects growth to slow to 4.7% in 2026 amid weaker German economic conditions.

Who regulates the insurance market in Germany?

The Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) is the federal supervisory authority for solvency, market conduct and collective consumer protection. Some smaller insurers are supervised by state (Länder) authorities. Since July 2026, BaFin also supervises AI systems used in regulated financial activity.

Is health insurance mandatory in Germany?

Yes. All residents must hold health insurance, either statutory (GKV) or private (PKV). Employees below the income threshold must be in the GKV; those above may opt for the PKV. Private health insurance premiums rose 7.3% in 2025 due to medical cost inflation.

Is motor liability insurance compulsory in Germany?

Yes, under the Compulsory Insurance Act (PflVersG). Comprehensive (Vollkasko) and partial (Teilkasko) cover remain optional. Motor premiums rose 13.4% in 2025 due to inflation catch-up and rising repair costs, pushing the segment to a positive technical result for the first time in years.

How does the insurance ombudsman process work?

A consumer must first complain to the insurer and wait at least six weeks for a final reply. The Versicherungsombudsmann e.V. then examines the case free of charge, issuing binding decisions up to EUR 10,000 and non-binding recommendations up to EUR 100,000, usually within three months.

Can EU insurers sell policies to German residents without a German licence?

Yes. Under Solvency II, an insurer authorised in any EU/EEA state may offer insurance in Germany via freedom of services without a separate BaFin licence. The home-state regulator supervises the insurer and notifies BaFin, and expanded BRUBEG investigative powers now also cover such cross-border insurers.

Which distribution channel sells the most insurance in Germany?

Exclusive (tied) agents remain the leading channel at around 46% of business, followed by brokers (about 27%), bancassurance (about 13%), and direct/online sales including comparison portals (about 10%), which are strongest in motor insurance.

What happens if a German insurer becomes insolvent?

Only BaFin may file for insolvency proceedings under section 312 VAG. It first tries to arrange a portfolio transfer; for life insurers the Protektor Lebensversicherungs-AG safety net takes over contracts. The 2024-2025 ELEMENT Insurance AG case, where about 320,000 contracts ended after no transfer could be arranged, illustrates the process for non-life insurers.

What is the significance of the Solvency II/IRRD reform being transposed via the VSAAG?

The VSAAG bill, submitted to the Bundestag on 18 June 2026, transposes Directives (EU) 2025/1 (Insurance Recovery and Resolution) and 2025/2 (Solvency II amendment), introducing the first EU-wide harmonised recovery and resolution regime for insurers alongside proportionality relief for small undertakings, effective from January 2027.

How does BaFin now supervise AI use by insurers?

Since the KI-MIG law took effect on 29 July 2026, BaFin is the market surveillance authority for AI systems tied to regulated financial activity, including chatbots and life/health risk-scoring tools. It can fine violators up to EUR 35 million or 7% of global turnover, with transparency duties applying from 2 August 2026.

Market notes

Sources

Last reviewed: Aug 26, 2026

  1. 01
    BaFin - Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht

    Official regulator: supervisory measures, complaint statistics, insolvency notices, Solvency II and AI Act guidance.

  2. 02
    GDV - Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft

    Industry association: annual statistics, distribution channel data and market overviews.

  3. 03
    Versicherungsombudsmann e.V.

    Official insurance ombudsman: consumer dispute resolution, FAQ and procedural rules.

  4. 04
    Bundesministerium der Finanzen - VSAAG Gesetzentwurf

    German Federal Ministry of Finance draft law transposing IRRD and Solvency II amendment directive.

  5. 05
    Deutscher Bundestag - VSAAG Drucksache 21/6561

    Parliamentary documentation on the VSAAG government bill, submitted June 2026.

  6. 06
    Deutscher Bundestag - Verbrauchervertragsrecht

    Parliamentary documentation on VVG and consumer contract law amendment bill, 2025.

  7. 07
    EUR-Lex - Solvency II Directive 2009/138/EC

    Official EU text of the Solvency II framework directive governing EU insurance supervision.

  8. 08
    GDV Jahresmedienkonferenz 2026

    GDV annual press conference data on 2025 premium income and 2026 market outlook.

  9. 09
    Vienna Insurance Group - Pressezentrum

    Official press releases on the VIG acquisition of Nürnberger Versicherung.

  10. 10
    Statista - Versicherungsmarkt Deutschland

    Market size, premium volume forecasts and per-capita spending data for Germany.

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