Insurance broker / Insurance questions / Car insurance

Is breakdown cover (Kfz-Schutzbrief) worth it in Germany?

In short

For most drivers yes. Breakdown cover added to your German car insurance (Kfz-Schutzbrief) usually costs EUR 10 to 30 a year, while a single tow can cost more. It covers your car whoever drives. You can skip it if you already belong to a motoring club with cover abroad or your new car still has a manufacturer mobility guarantee.

Request a quote +49 3375 29 12 77

Is breakdown cover (Kfz-Schutzbrief) worth it in Germany?

What it costs

Published prices for breakdown cover and club membership in Germany, 2026.

Example	Typical range
Schutzbrief as an add-on to car insurance	about EUR 10 to 30 a year
Motoring club, basic membership 2026	about EUR 54 a year, from 2027 about EUR 64
Motoring club with cover abroad 2026	about EUR 94 a year, from 2027 about EUR 114
Motoring club, top level for one person 2026	about EUR 139 a year, from 2027 about EUR 174

Guide values as of September 2026 from published prices. The towing, rental and hotel costs in the example are a guide value from our quoting practice. Limits differ by policy; we obtain the exact quote.

Worked example

Breakdown on holiday, 900 km from home

The car breaks down in northern Italy and the repair takes a week. This is how the costs add up.

Breakdown cover for one year	about EUR 10 to 30
Tow to a garage	about EUR 200 to 400
Rental car for three days	about EUR 150 to 300
Two hotel nights for the family	about EUR 200 to 400

Without cover you quickly pay EUR 550 to 1,100 yourself, with cover almost nothing within the limits. Guide values.

What breakdown cover pays

The Schutzbrief arranges and pays for help when your car cannot continue after a breakdown, accident or theft. That includes roadside help, towing to a garage, a rental car for a few days, hotel nights and onward or return travel.

It matters most abroad. If your car has to be brought back to Germany or you need medical transport home, costs can quickly reach thousands of euros.

Benefit	Typical limit
Roadside help	usually up to a fixed amount per call-out
Towing	often 100 to 150 km or to the nearest garage
Rental car	usually 3 to 5 days
Hotel	a few nights up to a maximum amount
Car brought home from abroad	if it cannot be repaired there
Medical transport home	if medically necessary

Insurance add-on or motoring club

The Schutzbrief belongs to the car. It helps anyone driving your car, but not you in a rental car, a friend's car or as a passenger. A club membership belongs to you as a person and covers those cases.

The add-on is much cheaper. One large German motoring club has raised its fees for 2027: the basic level goes from EUR 54 to 64, the level with cover abroad from EUR 94 to 114 a year. If you have one car and rarely drive others, the add-on is often enough.

When you do not need it

If you already have club membership with cover abroad, much of the Schutzbrief duplicates it. Many new cars also come with a mobility guarantee from the manufacturer, often tied to servicing at an authorised garage.

Check your credit card and lease contract too, as breakdown help is sometimes included. If you only drive in town and never take the car abroad, the costly foreign benefits are of little use.

Limits you should know

Many policies only pay for a rental car, hotel or transport home if the breakdown happens at least about 50 km from where you live. Near home you often get roadside help and towing only.

No breakdown cover pays for the repair or spare parts. It also ends with your car insurance, so add it again when you switch insurer.

Step by step

Check whether you already have club membership, a mobility guarantee or breakdown help through your credit card.
Think about whether you often drive other cars or only your own.
Read the distance rule and the limits for rental car and hotel.
Add the Schutzbrief to your car insurance if none of this applies.
Save the emergency number in your phone and glovebox.

Checklist

No double breakdown cover through club, manufacturer and insurer
Europe-wide cover if you travel by car
Car and medical transport home included
Distance rule understood
Emergency number to hand, ideally with English-speaking service

Common mistakes

Calling a tow truck yourself instead of the emergency number, which often means no payment
Paying for a club and an add-on without comparing benefits
Believing breakdown cover pays for the repair
Not adding it again after switching insurer

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

How much does a Kfz-Schutzbrief cost?

As an add-on to car insurance usually about EUR 10 to 30 a year.

Does it cover someone else driving my car?

Yes. It belongs to the insured car and helps any authorised driver.

Does it cover me in a rental car?

No, only the insured car. For other vehicles you need a personal club membership.

Will using it affect my no-claims class?

No. The Schutzbrief is a separate part of the policy, a call-out does not downgrade your no-claims class.

Can I get help in English?

Many insurers' emergency lines offer English. Ask before you sign and save the number.

Do I need it for a new car?

Often not at first if the manufacturer gives a mobility guarantee. Check how long it lasts and whether it depends on servicing.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request a quote: Car insurance

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?

Personal My company

2Which insurance?

Choose as many as you like. For each one, the details an insurer needs for a quote appear below.

Personal

Business

Please review all my existing policies

3Details

Car insurance in Germany (liability, partial and fully comprehensive)

Vehicle (make, model, power) * Most precise with the HSN and TSN codes from the registration document Year of first registration * Current no-claims class (liability) * Annual mileage * Who drives the car? * Cover required * Is the car kept in a garage overnight?

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