Three levels of cover
- Liability (Kfz-Haftpflicht): required by law. It pays justified claims from other people after an accident and defends you against unjustified ones. The German consumer advice centres (Verbraucherzentrale) recommend a high limit, ideally 100 million euros.
- Partial cover (Teilkasko): optional. It protects your own car against certain external events, such as theft or storms.
- Fully comprehensive (Vollkasko): optional. It includes everything in Teilkasko and also pays for accidents you caused and for vandalism.
Kasko is always taken out together with liability insurance. It pays for repairs or, if the car is written off, its replacement value minus the salvage value. New to the German system? Our English guide to car insurance in Germany covers the basics.
What Teilkasko covers
According to the Verbraucherzentrale, partial cover typically includes:
- Fire and explosion
- Theft and related losses: theft, robbery, embezzlement and unauthorised use
- Natural events: storms of at least wind force 8, hail, lightning and flooding, including objects thrown onto the car by them
- Collisions with game animals (Haarwild) such as deer or wild boar – with some policies, any animal
- Broken glass
- Short-circuit damage to the wiring and, with many insurers, marten bites to cables
Damage to tyres, for example, is not covered. The exact scope is set out in your policy terms.
What Vollkasko adds
Fully comprehensive cover pays for everything Teilkasko does, plus:
- accidents you caused that damage your own car
- malicious damage by others, i.e. vandalism
The difference at a glance
| Damage to your own car | Teilkasko | Vollkasko |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, explosion | yes | yes |
| Theft, robbery | yes | yes |
| Storm, hail, lightning, flood | yes | yes |
| Collision with game animals | yes | yes |
| Broken glass | yes | yes |
| Vandalism | no | yes |
| Accident you caused | no | yes |
Three everyday examples
- Hail damages the paintwork: a classic partial-cover claim, paid by both Teilkasko and Vollkasko, minus any agreed deductible.
- You scrape a pillar while parking: only Vollkasko pays for the damage to your own car. With Teilkasko alone, you pay yourself.
- Someone keys your car: this counts as vandalism and is only covered by Vollkasko.
These examples show why the decision mainly comes down to whether you could afford to pay for damage caused by your own driving mistakes.
The key difference: SF class
Teilkasko normally has no no-claims classes. A partial-cover claim, such as broken glass or hail, therefore does not lead to a downgrade. Vollkasko, on the other hand, has its own SF class, separate from liability. If you claim for an accident you caused under Vollkasko, you will be downgraded the following year. How this works is explained in our guide to SF class and the no-claims discount.
When is Vollkasko worth it?
The Verbraucherzentrale recommends fully comprehensive cover for expensive new cars and for cars that are financed with a loan or leased. If your car is leased or financed, also check whether your contract requires Vollkasko.
For older cars, Teilkasko can be worthwhile – especially if you could not afford a replacement after a total loss. If the car is worth very little, liability alone is often enough.
A simple way to decide: compare the extra annual cost of Vollkasko with the damage you would have to pay for yourself in the worst case. A good Vollkasko SF class can also reduce the extra cost noticeably.
Deductible and other settings
- Deductible (Selbstbeteiligung): a higher deductible lowers the Kasko premium but means you pay more in the event of a claim. Choose an amount you could pay at any time.
- Garage network (Werkstattbindung): if you agree to use the insurer's recommended repair shop, Kasko premiums are often lower.
- Policy details: look for a waiver of the gross negligence defence, the scope of animal collisions (game only or all animals) and cover for consequential damage after marten bites. The waiver matters, for example, if you crash on summer tyres in winter – see winter tyres and car insurance in Germany.
For the full set of price factors, see car insurance cost in Germany. If you want to rethink your Kasko cover with a new insurer, read our guide to switching car insurance.
Frequently asked questions about Teilkasko and Vollkasko
What is the main difference between Teilkasko and Vollkasko?
On top of the partial-cover benefits, Vollkasko also pays for damage to your own car after an accident you caused and after vandalism.
Will I be downgraded after a Teilkasko claim?
Normally not. Partial cover usually has no no-claims classes, so a Teilkasko claim does not lead to a downgrade.
Which cars is Vollkasko recommended for?
The Verbraucherzentrale recommends it for expensive new cars and for financed or leased cars. For older cars, Teilkasko may be enough.
Does Teilkasko pay for marten damage?
Short-circuit damage to the wiring is usually covered by Teilkasko, and many insurers also cover cable damage from marten bites. Whether consequential damage is included depends on the policy.
Can I switch from Vollkasko to Teilkasko?
Yes, usually at the end of the insurance year or when you change insurer. The details are in your policy.
Next step
Decide which damage you could pay for yourself, then price Teilkasko and Vollkasko with identical details.
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Sources
- Verbraucherzentrale: Kfz-Versicherung – liability, Teilkasko, Vollkasko (scope of cover, Vollkasko recommendation for new/financed/leased cars, 100 million euro limit, garage network, deductible; German)
- ADAC Autoversicherung: Vollkasko (German)
- ADAC Autoversicherung: Teilkasko (German)
- Allianz (insurer): Schadenfreiheitsklassen (separate SF classes for liability and Vollkasko; German)