Does car insurance in Germany get more expensive with age?
In short
Yes, car insurance in Germany usually gets more expensive with age, typically from 65 to 70. According to the insurance industry association, drivers aged 75 pay on average around 48 percent more than at 55. Many hardly notice because a high no claims class (Schadenfreiheitsklasse) partly hides the surcharge. Insurers differ a lot, so comparing every year from 65 pays off.
Average surcharges according to the industry association and guide values, compared with a 55 year old reference driver.
Example
Typical range
Driver aged 75
on average around 48 percent more
Drivers over 80, claims costs
around 50 percent above the average driver
Driver aged 70
about 15 to 30 percent more
Driver aged 80 and older
often 70 to over 100 percent more
The figures for 75 and over 80 come from the industry association,
as presented in a consumer analysis dated June 2026.
The ranges for 65, 70 and 80, the table and the example are guide figures from quoting practice.
Your premium depends on the insurer; we obtain the exact offer.
Worked example
Retired driver, compact car, no claims class 35
How the premium develops with the same car and address when only age changes.
At 55
EUR 600 a year
At 65, guide value plus about 8 percent
around EUR 650
At 75, plus about 48 percent
around EUR 890
After comparing at 75
often EUR 150 to 300 less
At 75 the age surcharge costs around EUR 290 a year here. Part of it can be won back by switching, honest mileage and fewer named drivers. Amounts are guide figures from quoting practice.
At what age premiums rise
The German insurance industry association recommends surcharges from age 68. Insurers do not have to follow this: some charge more from 65, others later. Between 55 and 60 some policies also drop a discount for middle aged drivers, which feels like a first surcharge.
The increase comes in steps. Up to the mid 60s it is small, from about 75 it becomes noticeable, and above 80 the base premium can more than double compared with a 55 year old.
Age
Surcharge compared with age 55
Comment
60
often 0 to 5 percent
many policies still treat you like a 50 to 55 year old
65
guide value about 5 to 10 percent
first step with many insurers
70
about 15 to 30 percent
association recommendation applies
75
on average around 48 percent
clear jump
80 and older
often 70 to over 100 percent
big differences between insurers
Why insurers price by age
Insurers point to their claims statistics. According to the industry association, claim frequency rises clearly from about 75, and drivers over 80 cause around 50 percent higher costs than the average driver.
Official accident figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) point the same way from a different angle: in 2023 police gave 76.7 percent of car drivers aged 75 and over involved in injury accidents the main blame, the highest share of any age group. At the same time older people are involved in fewer accidents relative to their share of the population because they drive less.
Is an age surcharge discrimination?
Not legally. Section 20 (2) of the General Equal Treatment Act (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz) allows private insurers to treat people differently by age if this rests on recognised principles of risk based calculation using statistics. The financial supervisor BaFin reviewed age based pricing in 2020 and considered it lawful.
So a court is unlikely to remove the surcharge. Your lever is the market: because each insurer calculates differently, the gap between the dearest and the cheapest offer for the same 75 year old is often several hundred euros.
Why many drivers do not notice
Decades of claim free driving put you in a high no claims class paying 20 to 30 percent of the base premium. The discount applies to the base premium, and it is the base premium that rises with age. The final amount often looks stable even though another policy could be cheaper.
If you moved to Germany later in life and could not transfer your no claims history, the age surcharge hits you more directly. Ask whether an insurer will recognise a no claims record from your previous country.
How to keep the age surcharge down
Compare every year from 65 before 30 November, the usual cancellation deadline. State your annual mileage honestly and realistically, retirees often drive far less than they used to. Limit the named drivers to those who actually drive.
Some families insure the car through a younger relative. This only works if that person really becomes the policyholder and all driver details are correct; a younger keeper on paper only can cost you your cover. A telematics policy (Telematiktarif) can also reward careful drivers.
When you can leave things as they are
If an honest comparison shows your premium in the cheapest third, stay. Switching for EUR 20 is rarely worth it if you are happy with service and claims handling.
If you hardly drive any more, do the maths once: insurance, tax, depreciation and repairs for 3,000 kilometres a year can cost more than taxis and trains.
Step by step
From 65 compare each premium notice with the previous year.
Adjust mileage and named drivers to how you use the car today.
Get several like for like offers before 30 November.
Check the excess on comprehensive cover if you can pay small damage yourself.
Switch only if cover and repair rules are equivalent.
Checklist
Annual mileage stated realistically
Named drivers limited to actual drivers
Offers compared every year from 65
Comprehensive cover for older cars questioned
Foreign no claims history raised with the insurer
Common mistakes
Assuming a stable premium means a good deal
Registering a younger relative as keeper on paper only
Leaving mileage from working years unchanged
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does car insurance get more expensive from 60?
Usually not yet.
Many policies treat 60 year olds like 50 to 55 year olds;
surcharges usually start between 65 and 70.
Are there insurers without an age surcharge?
Almost all adjust premiums with age, but to very different degrees.
That is why comparing works.
Does the surcharge also apply to partial cover?
Mainly to liability and comprehensive cover, where accidents you cause count.
Age usually plays a smaller role in partial cover (Teilkasko).
Do I have to take a driving test at a certain age?
Not in Germany.
A voluntary check with a doctor or driving school can still be worthwhile.
