Switching car insurance in Germany: the 30 November deadline
By Ali Alawihee · Updated 5 November 2026
If you want to switch car insurance in Germany, remember 30 November: for most policies, your cancellation must reach the insurer by then. Here is what you need to know.
The 30 November deadline
Car insurance can usually be cancelled with one month's notice before the insurance year ends. If it follows the calendar year, your notice must reach the insurer by 30 November – arrival counts, not posting.
Some policies use other dates, such as 1 April to 31 March, so check your policy document. In 2026, 30 November is a Monday. Miss the deadline and the policy usually renews for another year.
How to cancel correctly
Text form (Textform) is enough: a letter, fax or email will do, and insurance terms may not demand more (§ 309 No. 13 BGB). Ask for confirmation of receipt.
Some insurers offer online cancellation, but according to the consumer advice centre (Verbraucherzentrale) the statutory cancellation button (§ 312k BGB) does not apply to insurance, which counts as a financial service. Your notice should include:
- Name and address
- Policy number and number plate
- Cancellation date, e.g. 31 December 2026
- The phrase "hilfsweise zum nächstmöglichen Termin" (or at the next possible date)
Special termination rights
Sometimes you can cancel outside the normal period (Sonderkündigungsrecht) under the Insurance Contract Act (VVG) and your policy terms (AKB).
- Premium increase without a change in cover: within one month of receiving the notice (§ 40 VVG).
- After a claim: either side may cancel within one month of settlement (§§ 92, 111 VVG).
- Selling the car: the policy passes to the buyer, who may cancel within one month (§ 96 VVG); report the sale promptly (§ 97 VVG).
- New car: it needs its own policy, possibly with another insurer.
- Usually no special right if the premium rises only due to your own claim, higher mileage or a move.
Your no-claims class
Your claim-free years are not lost. The new insurer takes over your claims history and places you in its own no-claims class (Schadenfreiheitsklasse, SF-Klasse). Special classifications, such as for a second car, and no-claims protection do not transfer automatically, so compare quotes using the same SF class.
Switching on 1 January without a gap
Third-party liability cover (Kfz-Haftpflicht) is compulsory (§ 1 PflVG); without it, a vehicle may not be registered or driven on public roads (§ 6 PflVG). So if your old policy ends on 31 December, the new one should start on 1 January.
Liability insurers must generally accept applicants, but for partial and fully comprehensive cover they need not. Stiftung Warentest therefore advises securing the new policy before cancelling the old one.
What to have ready
Have these details ready for a new quote:
- Policy document or latest premium notice
- Your current SF class
- Vehicle registration certificate (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I)
- Current and estimated annual mileage, plus details of all drivers
Points worth comparing
Quotes are only comparable if they cover the same things. The right cover depends on your car and your situation – this article is for information only, not personal advice. These points affect cover and premium:
- Cover: partial (Teilkasko) includes theft, storms, hail and broken glass; fully comprehensive (Vollkasko) adds accidents you cause and vandalism.
- Excess (Selbstbeteiligung): a higher excess usually lowers the premium.
- Approved repairer (Werkstattbindung): repairs are done at the insurer's partner garages.
- Named drivers (Fahrerkreis): who drives and their ages affect the premium.
- Annual mileage: be realistic, as driving more than agreed can change the premium.
- Location and model: regional and vehicle type classes are factored in.