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Is car insurance with a partner garage worth it in Germany?

In short

Often yes, if you drive a used car with comprehensive cover and a partner garage is nearby. This option (Werkstattbindung) cuts the total premium by about 11 percent on average and the own damage part by up to 20 percent. It rarely suits leased or new cars or rural areas, because repairs elsewhere are usually paid 15 to 20 percent lower.

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Is car insurance with a partner garage worth it in Germany?

What it costs

Publicly quoted averages and ranges for the discount and the cut, Germany.

ExampleTypical range
Average saving on the total premiumabout 11 percent
Discount on the own damage partup to 20 percent
Cut for repairs outside the partner garageusually 15 to 20 percent of repair costs
Example: fully comprehensive part EUR 350about EUR 50 to 70 saving a year

As of September 2026. The example with EUR 350 of fully comprehensive premium is a guide figure from quoting practice. Discount and cut are set out in the terms of each tariff; we obtain the exact quote for you.

Worked example

Compact car, eight years old, fully comprehensive, city

Total premium EUR 700, of which EUR 350 is fully comprehensive cover. A partner garage is 6 kilometres away.

Discount of 15 to 20 percent on EUR 350about EUR 50 to 70 a year
Saving over five years without a claimabout EUR 250 to 350
One EUR 5,000 claim at your own garagecut of about EUR 750 to 1,000
Same claim at the partner garageno cut, only the agreed deductible

The tariff pays off as long as you really use the partner garage after a claim. If you want to keep your own garage, a tariff without the tie is cheaper overall.

How the partner garage rule works

With a partner garage tariff you let your insurer choose the garage when you claim on your own comprehensive cover. The insurer sends your car to a body shop it has agreed fixed prices with and passes part of the saving on to you as a discount.

The rule only applies to repairs paid by your own partial or fully comprehensive cover. If someone else hits your car, their liability insurer pays and you choose any garage you like. Servicing and the roadworthiness test (TÜV) are not affected either.

SituationFree choice of garage?
Own damage claim, for example hitting a deer or an accident you causedno, partner garage
Someone else is at fault and their liability insurer paysyes
Servicing, oil change, TÜVyes
Accident abroadusually yes, check the terms
Leasing contract requires a dealer garageconflict, clarify first

What you actually save

Adverts with high percentages almost always refer to the own damage part only. Third party liability (Kfz-Haftpflicht), often the larger share of the premium, does not get cheaper. Across the whole premium the average saving is around 11 percent.

With a total premium of EUR 700, of which EUR 350 is fully comprehensive cover, a discount of 15 to 20 percent is worth about EUR 50 to 70 a year.

What it costs to ignore the rule

If you have the car repaired at your usual garage anyway, many insurers cut the payout by a fixed rate, usually 15 to 20 percent, or pay only what the partner garage would have charged. Some tariffs also raise your deductible (Selbstbeteiligung).

A single EUR 5,000 claim at the wrong garage can cost you EUR 750 to 1,000. That is the saving of ten years or more.

Who should not choose it

With a lease, the leasing company usually decides where the car is repaired. With a new car many people want to keep the dealer garage for warranty reasons. In the countryside the nearest partner garage can be far away, so check whether pick up and delivery are included.

If you only have liability cover, there is nothing to tie to a garage, so this option does not exist for you.

Tips if you are new to Germany

Policy terms and claim letters are usually in German, and the German wording counts. Before signing, ask for the clause on repairs outside the network in writing and have it explained.

If you plan to leave Germany within a year or two, the discount matters less than flexibility. A tariff without the tie is easier if you move the car abroad or sell it.

Step by step

  1. Check whether your car is leased or financed and what the contract says about repairs.
  2. Find out where the nearest partner garage is.
  3. Ask whether pick up, delivery and a courtesy car are included.
  4. Read how much is cut if you use another garage.
  5. Compare quotes with and without the tie for the same cover and look at the difference in euros.
  6. After a claim, call the insurer before the car goes to any garage.

Checklist

  • Partner garage within reasonable distance
  • Free pick up and delivery
  • Cut for other garages checked in the terms
  • No conflict with leasing or warranty
  • Rule for accidents abroad known

Common mistakes

  • Taking the advertised percentage for own damage as the saving on the whole premium
  • Having the car towed straight to your usual garage after an accident
  • Choosing the tie for a leased car without reading the leasing contract
  • Believing the rule applies when someone else caused the damage

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Can I still use my own garage?

Yes, but the insurer then usually pays 15 to 20 percent less or only the partner garage price. Agree any exception in writing before the repair.

Does it apply to windscreen damage?

That depends on the tariff. Some include glass repairs, others do not. Check the terms.

Is the repair quality worse?

Not as a rule. Partner garages work to manufacturer standards and usually guarantee the repair. With very new cars many people still prefer the dealer.

What about an accident outside Germany?

The tie usually does not apply there because there is no partner garage. Check your terms and call the insurer before repairing.

Is it worth it for new drivers?

Often yes, because comprehensive cover is expensive for them and the discount is worth more in euros. A partner garage nearby is the condition.

Can I drop the tie later?

Usually at the end of the insurance year. Your premium then rises by the discount you had.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker. Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated

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