Motor third-party liability — Germany

What is MTPL (Kfz-Haftpflicht) insurance in Germany and who is required to have it?

Motor Third-Party Liability (MTPL) insurance, known in Germany as Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung, is mandatory under the Pflichtversicherungsgesetz (PflVG) and the Kraftfahrzeug-Pflichtversicherungsverordnung (KfzPflVV). Every keeper (Halter) of a motor vehicle registered in Germany must hold a valid MTPL policy before the vehicle is admitted to public roads — the registration office (Zulassungsstelle) will not issue a Kennzeichen without an electronic eVB confirmation of insurance. The policy covers damages caused to third parties — not your own vehicle or your own injuries as the at-fault driver.

What are the mandatory minimum coverage limits for Kfz-Haftpflicht in Germany?

Under § 4 PflVG and Annex to the KfzPflVV, the statutory minimum cover is €7.5 million per injured person for bodily injury and death, €1.3 million per loss event for property damage (raised from €1.22M from 23 December 2023 in line with EU Directive 2021/2118), and €50,000 per loss event for pure financial loss (Vermögensschaden). In practice, every major German insurer offers far higher cover — the standard market offering is a combined lump-sum (Pauschalsumme) of €100 million per loss event with a per-person sub-limit of €15 million (€16 million at R+V) for bodily injury.

What does Kfz-Haftpflicht insurance actually cover?

Kfz-Haftpflicht covers damages caused to third parties by the insured vehicle. This includes: bodily injury, disability or death of pedestrians, occupants of other vehicles, cyclists or other road users; property damage to other vehicles, buildings or any third-party property; pure financial loss (Vermögensschaden) flowing from a covered event; legal defence costs against unfounded or excessive third-party claims (Regulierungsvollmacht); and lost earnings of injured parties. It does not cover damage to your own vehicle or your own injuries as the at-fault driver — for that you need Kasko (own-damage) and/or Insassenunfallversicherung (passenger accident).

Are the at-fault driver's own damages covered?

No. Under § 11 PflVG and standard policy conditions, damages suffered by the at-fault driver are excluded from MTPL coverage. If you cause an accident, you are not entitled to compensation for your own injuries or vehicle damage under the Haftpflicht policy. To protect yourself you need separate cover: a Kaskoversicherung (Teil- or Vollkasko) for own vehicle damage, plus a Fahrerschutz or Insassenunfallversicherung for personal injury to yourself.

Are passengers in the at-fault vehicle covered?

Yes. Passengers in the insured vehicle who are injured in an accident caused by that vehicle's driver are treated as third parties under § 7 StVG and the Pflichtversicherungsgesetz. Their personal injury claims are covered within the bodily injury limit of the Kfz-Haftpflicht policy. The only exception is the at-fault driver themself (see previous question). For broader passenger protection — including statutory benefits irrespective of fault — most German insurers offer a voluntary Insassenunfallversicherung as an add-on.

Is legal defence included in German Kfz-Haftpflicht policies?

Defence against unfounded or excessive third-party claims (Regulierungsvollmacht / Anspruchsabwehr) is included as part of every German Kfz-Haftpflicht policy at the insurer's expense — the insurer may settle, defend or contest the claim in court on the policyholder's behalf. This is distinct from a standalone Verkehrs-Rechtsschutz (traffic legal expenses insurance), which actively pursues the policyholder's own claims and is offered as a separate add-on or independent policy by most insurers.

What is the Green Card and is it included with German MTPL?

The Internationale Versicherungskarte (Grüne Karte) is an international certificate of motor insurance issued under a multilateral agreement between national insurers' bureaus. For travel within the European Economic Area and additional treaty states, the German registration plate alone is sufficient proof of cover and a paper Green Card is not required. For travel to other Green Card member countries — such as Turkey, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Albania, Morocco, Tunisia or Iran — the German insurer issues a Green Card on request, free of charge. Payment in those countries is capped at the local statutory minimum amounts, deviating from the agreed contractual sums.

Which countries does German MTPL insurance cover?

German Kfz-Haftpflicht cover extends automatically to: the Federal Republic of Germany; all EU Member States; EEA countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein); and Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, the Vatican, San Marino, Serbia and other Green Card system members. Within the EEA the contractually agreed German cover sums apply; outside the EEA the insurer's liability is reduced to the legally required minimum cover applicable in the country of visit unless the Green Card has been issued. Cover for trips outside Germany is typically granted for journeys of less than one year.

What must I do immediately after a road accident?

After an accident you must: stop immediately and secure the scene (warning triangle, hazard lights); render first aid and call emergency services (112) where there are injuries; call the police (110) where required by § 142 StGB (personal injury, significant property damage, hit-and-run risk); not leave the scene before identifying yourself and exchanging insurance details with the other party; complete a European Accident Statement (Europäischer Unfallbericht) where there are no personal injuries; photograph the scene, damage and vehicle positions; and notify your insurer in writing within one week of the event as required by standard policy clause E.1.1. Court proceedings or formal third-party claims must be reported immediately.

Can I buy German Kfz-Haftpflicht online and pay in installments?

Yes. All major German MTPL insurers — including Allianz, HUK-Coburg, ERGO, Generali Deutschland, Debeka, R+V and Zurich — offer online conclusion through their own portals as well as through independent brokers and comparison sites (Check24, Verivox). The insurer issues an eVB (elektronische Versicherungsbestätigung) immediately upon application, which is required for vehicle registration at the Zulassungsstelle. Payment is typically annual, half-yearly, quarterly or monthly; sub-annual instalments carry a surcharge (Ratenzahlungszuschlag) of a few percent. Cover commences from the policy start date stated in the policy schedule; the German rolling-renewal date is traditionally 1 January.