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How do I cancel my personal liability insurance in Germany?

In short

You can usually cancel personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) with three months' notice to the end of the insurance year. If the insurer raises the premium without better cover, you may cancel within one month of the notice. After a claim, both sides can cancel too. Take out the new policy first so there is no gap.

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How do I cancel my personal liability insurance in Germany?

What it costs

What a new policy costs, based on published examples.

Example	Typical range
Single, cover of EUR 10 to 50 million	about EUR 40 to 120 a year
Family with children	about EUR 60 to 180 a year
Very good family tariff without deductible	from about EUR 48 to 80 a year
Extensive tariff with EUR 250 to 300 deductible	about EUR 80 to 95 instead of EUR 120 to 145

Guide values as of September 2026 from publicly quoted tariff examples and test results. Your premium depends on the cover and deductible; we obtain the exact quote for you.

Worked example

Premium increase in autumn

Your insurer raises the premium from EUR 90 to EUR 110 and tells you on 1 October.

Notice received	1 October
Cancel by	31 October
New policy with similar cover	about EUR 60 to 90

You save up to EUR 50 a year if the new policy starts right after the old one ends.

Ways out of the contract

The normal case is cancelling at the end of the insurance year. The date is on your policy document (Versicherungsschein), and it is not always 1 January.

There are also special cancellation rights (Sonderkündigungsrecht) where you do not have to wait for the end of the year.

Reason	Deadline
End of the insurance year	usually three months before
Premium increase without better cover	one month after the notice
Claim	one month after payment or refusal
Moving in together or marriage	by agreement, avoid paying twice

What is different if you come from abroad

In the UK or US many policies run month to month or renew with a simple opt out. German contracts usually renew automatically for another year unless you cancel in time. Missing the deadline by one day means another full year.

If you move away from Germany for good, many insurers let you end the contract early on proof of your deregistration (Abmeldung). This is not a general legal right, so check your terms or ask the insurer. Until then the policy usually still covers you, often including trips abroad.

Your insurer may write to you only in German. You can cancel in English, but a short German sentence avoids delays: Hiermit kündige ich meinen Vertrag zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt.

How to cancel properly

Give your policy number, name and the date you want to leave, and ask for written confirmation. Contracts taken out online have had a cancel button on the insurer's website since 2022.

Keep the confirmation until your new policy is running.

The most important rule: no gap

A single day without liability cover can be enough to pay for an accident for the rest of your life. Take out the new policy first, then cancel the old one.

When a couple moves in together, one policy is often left over. You can usually cancel it at the end of the year, some insurers release you earlier.

Step by step

Find your policy document and check the end of the insurance year.
Get a new quote with the same or better cover.
Take out the new policy starting on the day the old one ends.
Cancel the old policy in text form and ask for confirmation.

Checklist

End date and deadline known
New policy starts without a gap
Cancellation sent with policy number
Confirmation received and filed
Proof of deregistration ready if you move abroad

Common mistakes

Cancelling first and looking for a new policy afterwards
Confusing the insurance year with the calendar year
Letting the one-month deadline after a price rise pass
Leaving Germany and forgetting that the contract keeps running

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Can I cancel at any time?

No, only at the end of the insurance year or with a special cancellation right.

Is an email enough?

Yes, text form is usually enough. Ask for a confirmation.

Can I cancel when I leave Germany?

Many insurers accept an early end on proof of deregistration. It is not guaranteed, so check your terms.

What happens with two policies after marriage?

One is enough. You can cancel the other at the end of its year, and many insurers end it earlier on proof.

Can the insurer cancel after a claim?

Yes, both sides have that right. It mainly happens after frequent claims.

What about contracts with a long term?

Contracts running longer than three years can be cancelled at the end of the third year.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request a quote: Personal liability

We compare several insurers and come back with a proposal. Free for you; the insurer pays our fee. You can write in English.

1Who is it for?

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2Which insurance?

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Please review all my existing policies

3Details

Personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht)

Who should be covered? * Year of birth of the oldest person * Do you work in the public sector? Liability claims in the last five years * What matters to you For example work keys, a drone, a small boat, documents in English

4Your current policy

Current insurer Policy ends on What matters more to you?

5How can we reach you?

Name * Email * Phone Postcode Town Preferred contact Anything else we should know