Is driver protection insurance (Fahrerschutz) worth it? For many drivers yes, as it often costs only 20 to 40 euros a year. After an accident you caused, it pays you lost earnings, pain and suffering and a survivors' pension as if someone else were liable. Your own liability cover pays you nothing. It matters less if you rarely drive and already have strong accident and disability cover.
Published figures from consumer tests and the model terms.
Example
Typical range
Driver protection as an add-on
often 20 to 40 euros a year, about 10 percent surcharge
Sum insured per accident
8 or 12 million euros in many offers
Pain and suffering in capped policies
up to 100,000 euros
Lost earnings in capped policies
up to 2,000 euros a month
Household help in capped policies
up to 500 euros
Prices and limits from a published consumer test; policies change, so check the current offer.
The worked example is a guide value from our quoting practice, and we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Self-employed electrician, 3,000 euros net a month, causes an accident on an icy road
He is off work for four months. His health insurer pays for treatment, and he has no daily sickness benefit policy.
Lost earnings 4 × 3,000 euros
12,000 euros
Pain and suffering for a broken leg, guide value
about 4,000 to 8,000 euros
Household help
about 500 euros
Without driver protection he receives
0 euros
Premium for driver protection
about 30 euros a year
With driver protection he receives around 16,500 to 20,500 euros, unless his policy caps those items.
The gap driver protection closes
If you cause an accident, your car liability insurance pays the other side, including your passengers. You as the driver get nothing from it: no pain and suffering, no lost earnings. Your health insurer covers treatment, but statutory benefits often replace only part of lost income.
Driver protection puts you in the position you would be in if a third party had caused the crash. Under the German insurers' model terms, it replaces your accident-related personal loss under German damages law, such as lost earnings, survivors' pension and pain and suffering.
Who
Accident you caused, without driver protection
With driver protection
Passengers
your liability cover pays
your liability cover pays
Driver: treatment
health insurer
health insurer
Driver: lost earnings
statutory benefits only
the gap is replaced
Driver: pain and suffering
nothing
under damages law, often with limits
Survivors
statutory pensions
loss of maintenance is replaced
What it costs and who can get it
Driver protection is an add-on to your car insurance. The surcharge is often about 10 percent, frequently 20 to 40 euros a year. Some insurers only offer it with partial or comprehensive cover, or from a minimum age such as 23.
Many offers have total limits of 8 or 12 million euros. Some cap single items, for example pain and suffering at 100,000 euros or lost earnings at 2,000 euros a month. Those sub-limits matter more than the headline figure.
Where cover stops
Only the authorised driver is covered, and only while driving. Under the model terms, getting in and out or loading and unloading do not count. Intentional crimes, racing, psychological reactions without physical cause and disc damage not mainly caused by the accident are excluded.
Policies generally pay nothing if you drove under alcohol or drugs, were not wearing a seat belt or had no licence.
Who pays first
Driver protection only pays what others do not. Claims against a third party, your health insurer, pension fund, statutory accident fund or employer come first. If you cannot enforce a claim against a third party, the insurer steps in once you have claimed it in writing and assigned it.
A payout from driver protection itself does not cause a downgrade. If you caused the accident and your liability cover pays others, that cover is downgraded as usual.
Who benefits and who does not
It helps most the self-employed, sole earners, families with children, commuters and people who drive a lot. For them, a long absence after their own mistake leaves the biggest hole.
It matters less if you drive little and already have good private accident and disability insurance. Accident insurance also covers leisure time but costs considerably more. Driver protection does not replace it, it adds cover for the car.
Step by step
Check what your health insurer, pension and employer would pay after an accident.
Put your existing accident and disability policies next to it.
Read the sub-limits for pain and suffering and lost earnings.
Ask whether pain and suffering requires a hospital stay.
Compare the quote with and without driver protection.
Checklist
Damages under German law, not just flat sums
No low cap on lost earnings
Pain and suffering without minimum hospital stay
Survivors covered
Valid throughout Europe
Gross negligence covered
Common mistakes
Assuming your own liability cover also pays the driver
Looking only at the multi-million total and missing sub-limits
Driving without a seat belt and losing cover
Buying driver protection instead of disability insurance
Settling with a third party without the insurer's consent
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does it cover someone else driving my car?
Yes, the authorised driver is covered, meaning anyone driving with your knowledge and consent.
Does it pay for gross negligence?
Usually yes, for example if you miss a red light.
Not for alcohol, drugs or no seat belt.
Do I need it if the other driver was at fault?
Then their liability insurer pays.
Driver protection is for accidents you caused yourself.
Will a payout downgrade my no-claims class?
The driver protection payout does not.
If your liability cover pays others for the same accident, that cover is downgraded.
Does it replace accident insurance?
No.
It only applies while driving your car.
Accident insurance also covers sport and home.
How fast does the insurer pay?
Under the model terms it must respond within a month of receiving full documents and then pay
