Typklasse explained: how your car model affects insurance in Germany

If you have ever compared German car insurance quotes for two different cars, you will have noticed that the model alone can move the price noticeably. The reason is the Typklasse (type class): a rating that reflects how many claims, and how expensive ones, a particular car model produces compared with other models. It sits alongside your SF class, your regional class, annual mileage and the named drivers as one of the main rating factors.

This guide explains where the type class comes from, how to look up your own car and what you can do when it goes up.

What is the Typklasse?

Every car model registered in Germany is assigned a type class based on statistics published by the German Insurance Association (Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft, GDV). The logic is simple: a model that causes relatively few and inexpensive claims gets a low class; frequent or costly claims push it into a higher one.

One point surprises many newcomers: the GDV statistics are not binding on insurers. Most of them use the type class as a rating factor, but each company sets its own prices. That is why the same car can be rated quite differently by two insurers.

How the GDV calculates it

The GDV analyses the claims record of each model once a year, looking at claims and repair costs over the previous three years. Which claims count depends on the type of cover:

• Liability (Kfz-Haftpflicht): payments for damage the model caused to other people and their property, from car-park scrapes to serious collisions.
• Fully comprehensive (Vollkasko): damage to your own car after accidents you caused, plus partial-cover claims.
• Partial cover (Teilkasko): partial-cover claims only, such as theft, broken glass, collisions with game animals or storm damage.

For the two comprehensive covers, the car's replacement value, repair costs and spare-part prices matter a lot. The GDV's own rule of thumb: the more expensive a car and its parts, the higher its comprehensive type class tends to be. Many small cars that are cheap to repair sit in low comprehensive classes.

Three classes per car

Each model has a separate class for each type of cover, and the scales differ in length:

Source: GDV. A lower class generally has a more favourable effect on the premium. A car can be rated low for liability and high for comprehensive cover, typically when it rarely causes accidents but is expensive to fix.

How to look up your car's type class

The type class is linked not to the model name but to two codes on your Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I (vehicle registration certificate, part I):

1. HSN (manufacturer code), field 2.1
2. TSN (type code), field 2.2

With these two codes you can check the current classification in the type class lookup on the GDV website (in German). Copy the codes carefully: different engine versions of the same model often have their own codes and therefore their own classes.

If you are buying a car from abroad that has not yet been registered in Germany, ask the dealer or the registration office which HSN/TSN will apply, so your quote is based on the right model.

What happens when the type class changes?

The GDV publishes new figures once a year. Most drivers keep their classification, but many models move up or down by one or two classes. Insurers may apply the new values immediately to new policies and to existing ones from the next insurance year.

If your premium rises because your model has been moved to a higher class, and your cover stays the same, you normally have a special right to cancel (Sonderkündigungsrecht). Your notice must reach the insurer within one month of receiving the letter, and it takes effect from the date the higher premium would apply. Deadlines and the switching process are covered in our guide on how to switch car insurance in Germany.

Think about the type class before you buy

When choosing a car, it is worth checking the type classes before you commit. Engine versions of the same model can differ in both liability and comprehensive classes. A practical approach:

• Ask the seller for the HSN and TSN, or read them off the registration certificate.
• Check all three classes and run quotes for several candidate cars with the same inputs (PLZ, mileage, drivers, SF class).
• Keep in mind that the classification can change in later years.

This matters most for new drivers and for cars you plan to insure fully comprehensive. If you are still getting to grips with the German system, our overview of car insurance in Germany covers the basics.

Using the type class when comparing quotes

You cannot change the type class of a car you already own, but you can see how differently insurers price it. Because the GDV figures are only a recommendation, compare quotes with identical inputs first and only then adjust individual settings such as the deductible or a garage network. For the other factors behind your premium, see car insurance cost in Germany. Your no-claims history is usually the biggest lever of all – read more in SF class and no-claims discount.

Frequently asked questions about the type class

Where can I find my car's type class?

You need the HSN (field 2.1) and TSN (field 2.2) from part I of the registration certificate. With both codes, the GDV type class lookup shows the classes for liability, partial and fully comprehensive cover.

Is a lower type class always cheaper?

A lower class generally has a more favourable effect. The final premium still depends on your SF class, regional class, mileage, named drivers, cover and the insurer's own pricing.

How often does the type class change?

The GDV publishes new type class statistics once a year. Existing policies can be reclassified from the next insurance year.

Can I cancel if my type class goes up?

If the insurer raises your premium for that reason and the cover stays the same, you normally have a special right to cancel. Your notice must reach the insurer within one month of receiving the notification.

Do all insurers have to use the GDV type classes?

No. The GDV statistics are a non-binding recommendation. Insurers may use their own classifications and rates.

Next step

Note down the HSN and TSN from your registration certificate, check the three classes and then compare quotes using the same basic details.

Compare car insurance quotes by PLZ

Sources

• GDV: Typklassen kurz erklärt (type classes explained, German)
• GDV: press release on the current type class statistics (class ranges, comprehensive rule of thumb, application from the next insurance year; German)
• ADAC: Sonderkündigungsrecht Kfz-Versicherung (German)
• Verbraucherzentrale NRW: cancelling after a premium increase (German)