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Driver injury cover in Germany: protecting the person behind the wheel

German motor liability insurance compensates your passengers, the other driver and any pedestrian you hit. It pays nothing for your own injuries if the accident was your fault. Fahrerschutz, an add-on to your car policy, closes that gap for a few euros a month, and most German motor insurers offer it.

The question almost everyone asks first

I have health insurance. Why would I need driver injury cover?

Health insurance pays for treatment, and sick pay replaces only part of your income. Nobody pays you damages for pain and suffering, and if you caused the crash yourself there is no one to claim the rest from. Fahrerschutz treats you as if someone else had been at fault. It matters most for sole earners, the self-employed and anyone who drives a lot without private accident or disability cover.

Why motor liability leaves the driver out

Liability insurance pays for harm you do to others. In German motor insurance that includes your own passengers, so they are covered even when you are to blame. You, however, are never the injured third party under your own policy.

If someone else caused the crash, their insurer pays you. On black ice, after a moment of inattention or in a single vehicle accident there is no one else. You are left with what statutory health and pension insurance provide, which covers neither pain and suffering nor your full income.

Two designs, very different results

The better design works like a liability insurer: you receive what a German court would award you against a negligent third party, including damages for pain and suffering, lost earnings, household help, adapting your car and home, and maintenance for your family if you die. Limits on such policies can reach eight figures.

The weaker design pays fixed sums, much like accident insurance, for example a lump sum for permanent disability and a daily allowance. Stiftung Warentest, the German consumer testing body, rates this form as the less advisable one. Your offer will state which design you are getting.

Second in line, and subject to the rules of damages

Fahrerschutz normally pays only after other payers have done their part: health insurance, pension insurance, the statutory accident insurer for commuting and work trips, your employer's sick pay. It tops up the difference to your full loss and pays what none of them pay, above all pain and suffering.

Because it follows the rules of damages, contributory negligence counts. If not wearing a seatbelt made your injuries worse, the benefit can be cut as a court would cut damages. How a policy treats alcohol and drugs is set out in its terms and is worth checking before you sign.

What is covered

  • The driver's own injuries in an accident the driver caused with the insured vehicle
  • Damages for pain and suffering under German liability rules, in policies of the damages design
  • Lost earnings not replaced by your employer or social insurance
  • Household help and care during recovery
  • Adapting your home and vehicle after a lasting disability
  • Maintenance for surviving dependants if the driver dies
  • Accidents where no one else is liable, such as black ice or swerving for wildlife

What is not covered

  • Damage to your own car, which is a matter for comprehensive cover (Vollkasko)
  • Injuries to passengers and other road users, paid by motor liability
  • Accidents outside the insured vehicle, on foot or on a bike
  • Deliberately caused accidents
  • Benefits already paid by another payer
  • Depending on the terms: driving under alcohol or drugs, or without a licence

Who needs it

  • Sole earners whose family relies on their income
  • Self-employed people without employer sick pay
  • Commuters and high-mileage drivers
  • Anyone without private accident or disability insurance

Who does not need it

  • Occasional drivers with strong accident and disability insurance already in place
  • A separate occupant accident policy (Insassenunfallversicherung) on top of Fahrerschutz

Wheel of misfortune

Spin the wheel of bad luck

Six things that really happen. The wheel picks yours and shows who pays.

See all six cases
  1. Black ice, alone into a tree, pain and suffering plus lost earnings, quickly several thousand euros. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. With no one else at fault, nobody pays pain and suffering. A fixed sum policy pays only for lasting disability or hospital days; the damages design also pays pain and suffering and lost earnings.
  2. Paralysed after the car rolled, adaptations, care and lost earnings for decades, often well over a million euros. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. Fixed sums run out within a few years. The damages design pays ongoing needs up to the limit once health and pension insurance have paid their share.
  3. Self-employed, off work three months, lost profit, several thousand euros a month depending on the business. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. Without employer sick pay the self-employed feel the loss at once. A daily allowance covers little of it; replacement of lost earnings covers the documented loss.
  4. Driver dies, family loses its income, maintenance for partner and children over many years. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. The fixed death benefit is a one off payment. The damages design replaces the maintenance the deceased would have provided, as far as survivors' pensions do not.
  5. No seatbelt, serious head injury, pain and suffering and lost earnings, minus contributory fault. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays in part. If the missing seatbelt made the injury worse, the benefit can be reduced as a court would. That applies to good policies too.
  6. Own car written off, replacement value of the vehicle. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Fahrerschutz pays only for injuries. The car itself is paid only by comprehensive cover.

What it costs

Fahrerschutz is one of the cheapest options on a German motor policy. It is only sold together with motor liability and applies to the vehicle insured under that contract.

ExampleTypical range
Add-on to motor liability, private cararound 20 to 60 € a year

What drives the premium

  • Insurer and design, damages or fixed sums
  • Age of the youngest driver
  • Vehicle type, car or motorcycle
  • Policy limit
  • Range of named drivers on the motor policy

The range comes from comparison sites and insurers; some policies cost more. Your premium is fixed only in the offer.

The policy levels on the market

01

Fixed sums

Agreed amounts for disability, death and hospital days, similar to accident insurance. Cheap and simple, but often too little after a serious crash.

02

Damages design

Pays your injury loss the way a liability insurer would: pain and suffering, lost earnings, household help, adaptations, survivors' maintenance, up to a high limit. The usual choice.

03

Damages design plus wider protection

Fahrerschutz for the car plus private accident or disability insurance for the rest of life. For sole earners and the self-employed.

How to recognise a good policy

CriterionMinimum standardStrong policyWhy it matters
Design fixed sums for disability and death damages under German liability law Only the damages design covers lost earnings and long term care.
Limit one million euros equal to the personal injury limit of the motor liability cover A life in a wheelchair with adaptations, care and lost income quickly costs millions.
Pain and suffering included included without a separate sub limit No social insurer pays it; it only comes from this cover.
Survivors spouse and children also registered and unmarried partners If you live together unmarried, this wording decides whether your partner is provided for.
Drivers any authorised driver of the vehicle any authorised driver, guests included Your partner or a friend at the wheel should have the same protection.
Contributory negligence reduction as under liability law no reduction for minor contributory fault Otherwise a forgotten seatbelt can cost a noticeable part of the benefit.

Insurers on the German market

Most German motor insurers offer Fahrerschutz, though not all, and the terms differ widely. This is an overview of the market, not a statement about who we work with.

InsurerBackground
HUK-COBURGmutual-led group, own sales force, does not work with brokers
Allianztied agents and brokers
R+Vinsurer of the cooperative banks
VHVmutual-owned, strong in broker distribution
DEVKmutual-led group, own sales force
AXAtied agents and brokers
Württembergischepart of the W&W group, agents and brokers
Zurichpart of the Swiss Zurich group, agents and brokers

Compare the wordings of all tariffs Driver injury cover 61 tariffs from 30 providers, as of 24 October 2026

From the BaFin register

123

123 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance.

(Unfall, Summenversicherung)

Show all 123 names from the register
  • ACM Versicherung AG
  • ADAC Versicherung AG
  • ADLER Versicherung AG
  • Allianz Direct Versicherungs-AG
  • Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE
  • Allianz Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Alte Leipziger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Ambra Versicherung AG
  • AMMERLÄNDER VERSICHERUNG Versicherungsverein a.G. (VVaG)
  • ARAG Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Astra Versicherung AG
  • AXA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • BA die Bayerische Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband
  • Baloise Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft Deutschland
  • Barmenia Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • BavariaDirekt Versicherung AG
  • Bayerischer Versicherungsverband Versicherungsaktiengesellschaft
  • BD24 Berlin Direkt Versicherung AG
  • BGV-Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Concordia Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Continentale Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Cosmos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • DA Deutsche Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • DARAG Deutschland AG
  • Debeka Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft Sitz Koblenz am Rhein
  • Delvag Versicherungs-AG
  • DEVK Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • DEVK Deutsche Eisenbahn Versicherung Sach- und HUK-Versicherungsverein a.G. Betriebliche…
  • DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung AG
  • Dialog Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Die Haftpflichtkasse VVaG
  • ERGO Direkt Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • ERGO Reiseversicherung AG
  • ERGO Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Euro-Aviation Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • EUROPA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Fahrlehrerversicherung Verein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Feuersozietät Berlin Brandenburg Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • GARANTA Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Generali Deutschland Versicherung AG
  • Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Gothaer Versicherungsbank VVaG
  • Great Lakes Insurance SE
  • GRUNDEIGENTÜMER-VERSICHERUNG Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • GVO Gegenseitigkeit Versicherung Oldenburg VVaG
  • GVV Direktversicherung AG
  • GVV-Kommunalversicherung, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Hamburger Feuerkasse Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • HanseMerkur Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • HanseMerkur Reiseversicherung AG
  • HDI Global SE
  • HDI Global Specialty SE
  • HDI Haftpflichtverband der Deutschen Industrie Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • HDI Versicherung AG
  • Helvetia Schweizerische Versicherungsgesellschaft AG Direktion für Deutschland
  • Helvetia Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • HUK-COBURG Haftpflicht-Unterstützungs-Kasse kraftfahrender Beamter Deutschlands a.G. in Coburg
  • HUK-COBURG-Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • HUK24 AG
  • Häger Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Hübener Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • IDEAL Versicherung AG
  • INTER Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • Interlloyd Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • InterRisk Versicherungs-AG Vienna Insurance Group.
  • ISSELHORSTER Versicherung V.a.G.
  • Itzehoer Versicherung/Brandgilde von 1691 Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Janitos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • KRAVAG-LOGISTIC Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • KRAVAG-SACH Versicherung des Deutschen Kraftverkehrs Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • KS Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover
  • LBN Versicherungsverein a.G. (VVaG)
  • Lifestyle Protection AG
  • Lippische Landesbrandversicherung AG
  • LVM Landwirtschaftlicher Versicherungsverein Münster a.G.
  • Mannheimer Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Markel Insurance SE
  • Mecklenburgische Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • MVK Versicherung VVaG
  • MÜNCHENER VEREIN Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
  • NEH Neue Hildener Versicherung AG
  • Neodigital Versicherung AG
  • neue leben Unfallversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Newline Europe Versicherung AG
  • nexible Versicherung AG
  • NV-Versicherungen VVaG
  • NÜRNBERGER Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • NÜRNBERGER BEAMTEN ALLGEMEINE VERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
  • OKV - Ostdeutsche Kommunalversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Ostangler Brandgilde, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
  • ProTect Versicherung AG
  • Provinzial Nord Brandkasse Aktiengesellschaft
  • Provinzial Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • PVAG Polizeiversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • R+V Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • RheinLand Versicherungs Aktiengesellschaft
  • Rhion Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • S DirektVersicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SAARLAND Feuerversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SHB Allgemeine Versicherung VVaG
  • SIGNAL IDUNA Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SIGNAL IDUNA Unfallversicherung a. G.
  • Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Stuttgarter Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SV SparkassenVersicherung Gebäudeversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • TRIAS Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Uelzener Allgemeine Versicherungs-Gesellschaft a.G.
  • Union Reiseversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • uniVersa Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • VOLKSWOHL-BUND SACHVERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
  • VPV Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
  • VRK Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit im Raum der Kirchen
  • Waldenburger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • WGV-Versicherung AG
  • WWK Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Württembergische Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Würzburger Versicherungs-AG
  • Zurich Insurance Europe AG
  • Öffentliche Feuerversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt

Source: BaFin company database, 18 September 2026; EU insurers without a German office excluded.

Legal basis and sources

Products and add-ons

Fahrerschutz as a motor add-on

The standard form: an extension of the motor liability policy for the insured vehicle, paying damages or fixed sums.

Fahrerschutz for motorcycles

Some insurers offer it for motorcycles too, where there is no crumple zone and injuries are more often severe.

Occupant accident insurance

Fixed sums for everyone in the car. Usually unnecessary next to Fahrerschutz, because passengers are already covered by motor liability.

Private accident insurance

Applies around the clock and worldwide, paying fixed sums by degree of disability. The sensible complement for accidents outside the car.

Myth or truth

True or false?

Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.

My motor liability insurance also pays for my own injuries.

This is false.

False. Liability insurance pays only for harm to others. If you caused the accident, your own policy pays nothing for your injuries.

If I cause the accident, my passengers are still covered.

This is true.

True. Passengers are third parties in relation to the driver and are compensated by the motor liability insurance. Only the driver goes without.

German health insurance covers everything after an accident.

This is false.

False. It pays for treatment and sick pay that is below your net salary. It does not pay pain and suffering, household help or your full loss of earnings.

Fahrerschutz usually costs less than five euros a month.

This is true.

True in most cases. Around 20 to 60 euros a year as an add-on to motor insurance is typical.

With Fahrerschutz I no longer need accident insurance.

This is false.

False. Fahrerschutz applies only at the wheel of the insured vehicle. Accidents at home, in sport or on a bike need private accident insurance.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming motor liability also pays your own injuries
  • Picking a fixed sum policy without noticing that lost earnings are missing
  • Paying for occupant accident insurance on top of Fahrerschutz
  • Switching insurer and forgetting to add Fahrerschutz to the new policy
  • Driving without a seatbelt and reducing your own benefit

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

What does Fahrerschutz pay?

The driver's injury loss after an accident the driver caused with the insured vehicle.

Under the damages design that means pain and suffering, lost earnings, household help,

adapting home and car and maintenance for dependants, to the extent other payers do not cover it.

How much does it cost?

Usually around 20 to 60 euros a year as an add-on to motor insurance, depending on the insurer,

the driver's age and the design.

Does it cover other people driving my car?

Usually yes; it protects the authorised driver of the insured vehicle.

The exact circle of drivers is in the terms and often linked to the named drivers on your motor

policy.

Does it cover me in a rental car or a friend's car?

Usually not, because it belongs to the motor policy of one specific vehicle.

For accidents in other vehicles you need private accident insurance.

I already have accident insurance. Do I still need it?

Not necessarily.

Accident insurance pays fixed sums for permanent disability,

but no pain and suffering and no ongoing loss of earnings.

If you drive a lot or are the sole earner, having both is sensible.

What if the other driver was at fault?

Then the other driver's motor liability insurer pays first.

Fahrerschutz is designed for accidents where nobody else is liable.

Some policies pay certain items regardless; check the terms.

Is the benefit reduced if I was not wearing a seatbelt?

It can be.

Policies of the damages design calculate like a court,

and a court reduces damages if the missing seatbelt made the injuries worse.

Can I add it to an existing policy?

That depends on the insurer, so it is worth asking.

It is always possible when you switch motor insurer, for example by the 30 November deadline,

by agreeing it in the new contract.

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