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Does partial cover pay for marten damage to my car in Germany?

In short

Yes. In Germany almost every partial cover policy (Teilkasko) pays for cables, hoses and insulation chewed by a marten, minus your deductible and without touching your no-claims class. In 2024 the average marten claim was about EUR 620. The catch is follow-on damage such as an overheated engine: many policies cap it at EUR 3,000 to 5,000, basic ones exclude it.

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Does partial cover pay for marten damage to my car in Germany?

What it costs

Published figures on marten damage to insured cars in Germany and typical policy limits.

Example	Typical range
Average marten claim, 2024	about EUR 620
Average marten claim, 2023	about EUR 550
Single cable or hose	often under EUR 150
Limit for follow-on damage in many policies	about EUR 3,000 to 5,000
Total paid by insurers for marten damage, 2024	about EUR 157 million

Figures from published insurance industry statistics and consumer guides as of September 2026. The amounts in the worked example are guide values from our quoting practice. We can check which follow-on damage limit your contract has.

Worked example

Compact car, chewed coolant hose, engine overheats

The bite is only noticed when the temperature gauge climbs. This is how the payout differs by policy.

New coolant hose fitted	about EUR 150
Follow-on engine damage	about EUR 4,000
Policy without follow-on damage, EUR 150 deductible	paid EUR 0, you carry about EUR 4,150
Policy with follow-on damage up to EUR 3,000	paid about EUR 3,000, you carry about EUR 1,150
Policy with unlimited follow-on damage	paid about EUR 4,000, you carry EUR 150

The gap between policies is about EUR 4,000 here. Calculation with guide values.

Why martens attack cars in Germany

Stone martens are common in German towns and like the warm, sheltered engine bay. In spring they mark it as their territory. When a car has picked up the scent of another marten, for example after parking in a different street, the next one bites whatever smells of the rival: ignition leads, coolant hoses, washer lines, insulation mats.

If you have moved from a country where this is rare, the first sign is often a warning light, a puddle of coolant or shredded insulation under the bonnet.

What partial cover pays

Partial cover pays for the parts the marten actually chewed plus the garage's labour, minus your deductible, often EUR 150. Because partial cover has no no-claims class, reporting the claim does not push up your premium through a downgrade.

If the bill is below your deductible, you receive nothing. Many small bites cost under EUR 150.

Damage	Basic policy	Good policy
Chewed ignition lead or hose	yes, minus deductible	yes, minus deductible
Chewed insulation mat	usually yes	yes
Engine damage after coolant loss	often no	yes, up to the agreed limit
Catalytic converter damaged by a chewed lead	often no	yes, up to the agreed limit
High-voltage cable on an electric car	bite yes, harness depends on the policy	usually yes, up to the limit

Follow-on damage is where it gets expensive

A chewed coolant hose is cheap. Keep driving and the engine can overheat, turning a small bite into a bill of several thousand euros. Many German policies do not cover this follow-on damage (Folgeschäden) or cap it, typically at EUR 3,000 to 5,000. Some pay without limit, older contracts often exclude it.

Look in your policy terms for the words Tierbiss or Marderbiss and the amount next to them. That number matters more than the premium difference between tariffs.

Electric cars are hit harder

A bitten high-voltage cable usually may not be patched for safety reasons, so the whole harness is replaced. If you drive an electric car and park outside, choose a policy with a high or unlimited limit for follow-on damage.

When you do not need special marten cover

If your car sleeps in a closed garage, the risk is low. For an older car of low value, paying extra for a premium tariff just for martens rarely makes sense, since the direct bite is included in almost every partial cover policy anyway.

With liability only, you always pay marten damage yourself. Taking out partial cover just for martens rarely pays off, but together with glass, hail, wildlife and theft it usually does.

Step by step

Stop driving if warning lights come on or coolant is missing.
Photograph the chewed parts, paw prints and droppings.
Report the claim to your insurer before the repair.
Ask the garage to note marten bite on the invoice.
Have the engine bay cleaned to remove the scent and consider a marten deterrent.

Checklist

Partial cover including animal or marten bites
Known limit for follow-on damage that fits your car
For an electric car: high-voltage cables and harness explicitly included
A deductible that suits small claims
Invoice marked as marten damage kept on file

Common mistakes

Driving on with a warning light and causing follow-on damage
Not cleaning the engine bay after the repair, so the next marten bites again
Reporting a claim below the deductible
Assuming partial cover pays every engine failure after a bite

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Will my premium go up after a marten claim?

Not through a downgrade, because partial cover has no no-claims class. General price increases still apply.

Does comprehensive cover pay more?

Usually not for the bite itself, as comprehensive cover includes partial cover. What counts is the follow-on damage limit in your policy.

How do I recognise a marten bite?

Chewed cables and hoses, torn insulation, paw prints on the bonnet or food scraps in the engine bay.

Does insurance pay for a marten deterrent?

Usually not. Ultrasonic devices, mesh or electric plates are at your own cost.

Do I have to report the damage straight away?

Report it before the repair, otherwise the insurer cannot inspect it and may pay less.

Is it worth switching policy for follow-on cover?

Often yes if you park outside or drive an electric car. The premium difference is usually small, the difference in a claim large.

Sources

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