Helvetia Schweizerische Versicherungsgesellschaft AG, Directorate for Germany (part of the Helvetia Baloise Group)
Helvetia
Helvetia is a motor third-party liability insurance for the Germany market with online purchase and limited assistance availability.
Direct payment
Helvetia settles bodily injury, property damage and pure financial loss claims directly with the injured third party rather than reimbursing the policyholder, as required by German compulsory motor insurance law; Helvetia is authorised to satisfy or contest claims in the policyholder's name and defends unfounded claims at its own cost.
Geographic scope
Europe and non-European territories belonging to the European Union
Cover applies within the geographic borders of Europe and non-European EU territories; the level of cover follows the statutory minimum of the visited country or the contract's own scope, whichever is higher. If an international insurance (green) card is issued, cover extends to the additional non-European countries listed on it that are not struck through.
Unique selling points
- Standard liability sum insured of a EUR 100 million lump sum, more than 13x Germany's statutory minimum of EUR 7.5 million for bodily injury.
- Leistungs-Update-Garantie automatically extends future policy improvements to existing customers at no extra premium (Komfortschutz only).
- Komfortschutz waives the right to reduce claims for grossly negligent conduct, except for drink/drug-related incidents or facilitating vehicle theft.
- Includes the 'Mallorca policy' extending liability cover to rental cars driven abroad by the policyholder or spouse for up to one month, at no extra cost in Komfortschutz.
- Covers up to EUR 50,000 per policy year for damage the policyholder causes to their own other insured vehicle, with just a EUR 500 deductible per claim.
Coverage limits
Bodily injury liability
€100,000,000
Helvetia's standard motor liability sum insured is a combined EUR 100 million lump sum covering bodily injury, property damage and pure financial loss, capped at EUR 15 million per injured person. The exact sum insured for a given contract is stated in the policy schedule (Versicherungsschein); amounts exceeding the agreed sum are governed by German compulsory-insurance law.
Property damage liability
€100,000,000
Property damage liability shares the same EUR 100 million combined lump-sum limit as bodily injury and financial-loss liability (a single pauschal sum, not an additional separate limit). The statutory minimum for property damage in Germany is EUR 1.2 million.
Legal defence against unfounded claims
Covered
If a third-party liability claim against the policyholder is unfounded, Helvetia defends it at its own cost, including where the claim is unfounded only as to amount, and is authorised to settle or contest claims in the policyholder's name. No separate monetary cap is stated for this defence obligation in the terms.
International Motor Insurance Card (Green Card)
Covered
Where Helvetia issues the international insurance card, liability cover extends to the non-European countries named on it that are not struck through, at the coverage level required in the visited country or the contract's own scope, whichever is higher.
Autoschutzbrief (roadside/breakdown assistance)
Optional
Optional add-on ('Autoschutzbrief') that can only be taken out together with the Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung. The risk carrier for this cover is ARAG Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG, not Helvetia itself. It provides breakdown/accident recovery, towing, vehicle storage, replacement transport, accommodation and medical/repatriation assistance, each subject to individually stated sub-limits (e.g. EUR 200 for self-arranged breakdown help, EUR 600 for up to 7 days' rental car).
Fahrerschutzversicherung (driver accident protection)
€100,000,000
Optional cover for personal injury or death of the driver caused by an accident while steering the vehicle, sellable only alongside a Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung for a car, van or motorhome. Helvetia pays as if a third party were liable, up to a combined EUR 100 million lump sum for personal, property and financial loss, capped at EUR 15 million per injured person.
Kfz-Unfallversicherung (occupant accident insurance)
Optional
Optional standalone accident insurance for vehicle occupants (lump-sum 'Pauschalsystem' or seat-based 'Platzsystem'), providing invalidity, daily allowance, hospital daily allowance and death-benefit payments. The specific sums insured are individually agreed and shown on the policy schedule; no fixed amount is stated in the general terms.
Key conditions
Territorial scope
Liability cover applies within the geographic borders of Europe and non-European territories belonging to the EU, at the level required by the visited country's law or the contract's own scope, whichever is higher.
Green card rules
Where issued, the international insurance (green) card extends cover to the listed non-European countries that are not struck through on the card, at the coverage level of the visited country or the contract, whichever is higher.
Driver restrictions
The vehicle may only be used for the agreed purpose and driven by an authorised driver holding the required licence; it must not be driven, or knowingly let be driven, by someone under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants, or in unauthorised speed events. Intentional breaches void cover; grossly negligent breaches allow Helvetia to reduce the payout proportionally, though in MTPL this reduction toward the policyholder and co-insured persons is capped at EUR 5,000 and the German statutory minimum sums still apply.
Claim notification deadline
Any event that could lead to a claim must be reported to Helvetia within one week; if a third party asserts a claim against the policyholder out of court, this must also be reported within one week of the claim being raised.
Bonus-malus rules
Premiums follow a no-claims discount system (Schadenfreiheitsrabatt) with classes from M/0 up to SF 45; new contracts typically start at SF-Klasse 0 (or SF ½ for experienced Komfortschutz customers under certain conditions), are reclassified annually on 1 January based on the prior year's claims record, move up one class per claim-free year, and are pushed down several classes per claim reported (per the tables in Annex 1 of the AKB).
Policy specifics
Claims settlement method
Helvetia settles motor third-party liability claims directly to injured third parties rather than reimbursing the policyholder, in accordance with German motor liability insurance law
SourceGeographical coverage scope
Insurance protection extends throughout the geographical borders of Europe and territories that form part of the European Union
SourceInsured persons definition
Coverage extends to vehicle holder, owner, driver, co-driver, employer (when vehicle used for business), bus attendants, and persons with vehicles covered under additional coverage for third-party vehicles
Source