Does bike insurance in Germany pay without a receipt or frame number?
In short
Does bike insurance in Germany pay without a receipt or frame number? Often yes, if you prove ownership, model and value another way, such as a bank statement, photos, a bike passport or coding. The insurer may only ask for documents you can reasonably obtain (section 31 VVG). Some policies exclude bikes without a dealer receipt, though. In 2025 insurers paid around EUR 1,270 per stolen bike.
What is at stake when a bike is stolen in Germany and what cover costs.
Example
Typical range
Average insurance payout per stolen bike 2025
around EUR 1,270
Total insurer payouts for stolen bikes 2025
around EUR 150 million
Bike worth EUR 1,000, contents insurance with bike add-on
around EUR 50 a year
Bike worth EUR 1,000, stand-alone comprehensive policy
about EUR 50 to 450 a year
As of October 2026, from the insurance association's statistics and published tariff examples.
The worked example uses assumed figures; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
E-bike worth EUR 2,800 stolen, receipt lost in a move
The owner has neither receipt nor a note of the frame number, but an online finance agreement, photos and a service invoice.
Finance agreement with model and price
proves purchase and value
Dealer service invoice with frame number
proves identity
Photos from the last holiday
prove ownership and equipment
Contents insurance, bike limit 1 percent of EUR 60,000
at most EUR 600
Stand-alone bike insurance for EUR 2,800, bike two years old
up to EUR 2,800, depending on the conditions
The evidence is enough for both contracts. The amount is limited not by the missing receipt but by the bike limit in the contents policy.
What the insurer may ask for
After a bike theft you must give the insurer any information it needs to assess the claim. It may, however, only ask for documents you can reasonably be expected to obtain (section 31 VVG). A lost receipt alone is therefore no reason to refuse payment.
Without receipt and frame number, two questions matter: did you really own this bike, and what was it worth? The more independent evidence you provide, the less the missing receipt counts.
When the policy itself sets the proof
Stand-alone bike policies often specify how you must identify your bike. One published set of conditions requires you to ensure and prove a permanent marking, meaning the frame number or professional coding, which you may prove with the original invoice or comparable documents.
The same conditions exclude bikes without a dealer receipt and privately bought bikes without an invoice or a written sales contract. With such a policy and no receipt, you are in a weak position. Read your conditions for a clause like this before you sign.
Substitute proof that works in practice
The frame number is the strongest single piece of evidence because it identifies the stolen bike. Without it, you build your proof from several parts.
Evidence
What it shows
Where to find it
Bank or credit card statement
date, shop, amount
online banking, ask your bank
Order confirmation, customer account, finance agreement
exact model and price
email, shop account
Bike passport or police bike passport app
frame number, make, features
papers, phone
Coding certificate
unique marking
from the coding appointment
Photos with the bike
ownership, equipment, condition
phone, cloud, holiday pictures
Service book, workshop invoice
model, often frame number
dealer, workshop
Finding the frame number afterwards
Many dealers record the frame number at sale or first service. Ask them even if the receipt is gone. Workshop invoices, manufacturer warranty cards and coding certificates often contain it too.
For a bike from company bike leasing (Dienstrad), the leasing company has the data; for a bike bought on credit, the lender. Without the frame number the police can hardly match a recovered bike, so proving model and price another way matters even more.
Contents insurance or stand-alone bike insurance
Under contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) the general rules on proof apply, and it pays the replacement value up to the bike limit in your contract. Almost half of the roughly 27 million contents policies in Germany include the bicycle clause.
Stand-alone bike policies are often stricter on proof because they list a specific bike with its value. In return they often also pay for accidents and vandalism.
When it really gets tight without proof
A second-hand bike bought privately with no contract, no photos and no frame number is almost impossible to prove. The same goes for expensive upgrades that were never documented. Prevention is the only remedy: secure photos, contract and frame number on the day you buy.
Step by step
Report the theft to the police immediately and give every known feature.
Ask the dealer, workshop or lender for the frame number and purchase details.
Search bank statements, emails and shop accounts for the purchase.
Find photos of the bike on your phone and in the cloud.
Report the claim to the insurer with all substitute evidence.
If refused, ask for written reasons and submit further proof.
Checklist
Frame number noted and photographed
Receipt saved digitally
Bike passport filled in or police app used
Bike coded where possible
Photos of the bike with its equipment
Conditions checked for dealer receipt clauses
Common mistakes
Not reporting the theft because the receipt is missing
Estimating values you cannot prove
Buying privately without a written contract
Looking for the frame number only after the theft
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Where do I find the frame number?
Usually stamped into the frame under the bottom bracket.
Without the bike, ask the dealer, the workshop or check a bike passport.
Is a photo of the bike enough proof?
Rarely on its own, but together with a bank statement or order email it often is.
Does insurance pay for a second-hand bike bought privately?
With a written sales contract usually yes.
Some conditions expressly exclude bikes without a dealer invoice or private sales contract.
Can the dealer issue a copy of the receipt?
Often yes, especially if you had a customer account.
Ask early, as shops do not keep old data forever.
Does coding help with the insurer?
Yes, some conditions expressly accept professional coding as a marking alongside the frame number.
