How do I sign up for car insurance?
The car insurance sign-up process is the same whether you’re registering a car for the first time or switching from another insurer. Complete these steps in order:
Request a quote on our website by answering questions about your vehicle and your driving history.
Open the quote email we send you and start your application. Starting an application is non-binding and doesn’t commit you to a policy.
Complete the application form with the remaining details we need.
Review the offer we send you by email, which includes your official application and the full policy terms. If anything needs correcting, we update the offer before you accept it.
Accept the offer by confirming it by email. Once you confirm, your offer is accepted and your application is finalized.
Nothing is binding until you accept your offer. After you accept your offer, the next step depends on whether you’re registering the car for the first time or switching insurers. You can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.
What’s the difference between registering a car for the first time and switching insurers?
Whether you’re registering a car for the first time or switching insurers determines what happens after you accept your car insurance offer:
First-time registration (Erstzulassung) means you’re registering a vehicle that doesn’t have a German car insurance policy yet. We send you an eVB, which you present at the Zulassungsstelle (vehicle registration office) to register the car. If you’re aged 23 or older and registering your first car in Germany, with no claims history in Germany, you’re eligible for the SF3 special starting class (SF class, or Schadenfreiheitsklasse, is the no-claims class that affects your premium).
Switching insurers (Versichererwechsel) means your car is already registered and insured with another company, and you’re moving your cover to us. Your registration and license plates stay as they are, and we send a VBÜ (Versicherungsbestätigungsübermittlung), an electronic confirmation of your new cover, directly to the Zulassungsstelle.
If you’re not sure which situation applies to you, you can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.
What is an eVB, and why didn’t I get one?
An eVB (elektronische Versicherungsbestätigung) is a 7-character code that proves your car is insured. The Zulassungsstelle requires an eVB before it registers a car for the first time, and we issue your eVB and send it to you once you accept your car insurance offer by confirming it by email.
If you’re switching insurers on a car that’s already registered, you don’t receive an eVB, and that’s expected. Instead, we send a VBÜ (Versicherungsbestätigungsübermittlung) electronically to the Zulassungsstelle to confirm your new cover, so there’s no code for you to keep.
What do I need to bring to the Zulassungsstelle to register my car?
For a first registration at the Zulassungsstelle, you typically need the documents below. Requirements vary slightly by region, so check with your local Zulassungsstelle before you go.
Your ID or passport.
Your eVB number.
The car’s registration documents (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and Teil II), or proof of purchase if the car is new.
A valid TÜV/HU (Hauptuntersuchung) inspection certificate if the car is used.
Your bank details for a SEPA direct debit to pay the vehicle tax.
When does my car insurance start if I’m registering a car or switching insurers?
Your car insurance start date depends on whether you’re registering the car for the first time or switching from another insurer:
If you’re registering the car for the first time, your policy starts on the day you register the car at the Zulassungsstelle with the eVB we issued. The start date shown on your application is provisional and is updated automatically to match your registration date.
If you’re switching from another insurer, your policy starts on the date you select in your application. Time the cancellation of your previous policy so that it ends on the day your policy with us starts, and get written confirmation of that end date. We can’t backdate a start date, so the date in your application must be correct.
Your car must be insured continuously, with no gap and no overlap between your previous policy and your new policy. A gap can lead the Zulassungsstelle to start deregistering the car.
Why isn’t my car insurance showing as active after I registered my car?
We send you confirmation of your car insurance coverage on the day your car is registered. If your policy doesn’t show as active right after registration, the cause is usually a processing delay, not a problem with your cover. Common causes include:
A registration made through i-Kfz, Germany’s online vehicle registration system, can take time for the Zulassungsstelle to process.
A registration made with a provisional registration certificate can take time for the Zulassungsstelle to process.
The official registration document often arrives by post after the car is registered.
Your cover starts on your registration date, and these delays don’t leave your car uninsured. If our confirmation of coverage doesn’t arrive on the day your car is registered, something may need checking. You can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.
What happens if I registered my car with a short-term policy or temporary plates?
Moving to our car insurance after a short-term policy or temporary plates works differently depending on which one you used:
A short-term contract (Kurzzeitvertrag), often sold as an “instant eVB” on comparison sites, lasts around 28–30 days and comes with an ordinary registration. A Kurzzeitvertrag counts as prior German car insurance, so moving to us is an insurer switch, and you aren’t eligible for the SF3 special starting class.
A short-term plate (Kurzzeitkennzeichen), the 5-day plate, doesn’t create an ordinary registration. Moving to us after a Kurzzeitkennzeichen still counts as registering your first car in Germany, so you’re eligible for the SF3 special starting class if you’re aged 23 or older and have no claims history in Germany.
In both cases, we need the exact end date of your previous cover so your policy with us starts on that day, with no gap and no overlap.
Who can I contact if I have questions during the sign-up process?
You can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.