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Is insurance for e-bikes mandatory?

In short

No compulsory insurance is needed for a pedelec that assists up to 25 km/h with a motor of up to 250 watts, it counts as a bicycle. An S-pedelec assisting up to 45 km/h is a small moped and needs an insurance plate (Versicherungskennzeichen), from about EUR 20 to 110 a year. EU law does not require insurance for ordinary pedelecs either.

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What it costs

Published annual premiums for S-pedelecs, traffic year 2026/2027.

Example	Typical range
Pedelec up to 25 km/h	EUR 0 compulsory insurance
S-pedelec, liability, low-cost tariffs	from about EUR 19.50 to 30 a year
S-pedelec, liability, rider aged 26 or over	from about EUR 59 a year
S-pedelec, liability, rider under 26	from about EUR 86 to 110 a year
S-pedelec with partial cover	about EUR 70 to 105 a year and more

Publicly quoted starting premiums, September 2026. The traffic year runs from 1 March to the end of February, and a later start costs less. The amounts in the worked example are guide values from our quoting practice.

Worked example

Commuter, 40, S-pedelec worth EUR 5,000

What is mandatory and what is worth adding.

Insurance plate with liability, mandatory	about EUR 20 to 75 a year
Partial cover against theft, optional	about EUR 40 to 50 extra
Deductible in partial cover	usually EUR 150
For comparison: same bike as a 25 km/h pedelec	EUR 0 compulsory

With theft cover about EUR 60 to 125 a year. With a pedelec there is no duty, and theft cover comes through contents insurance or an e-bike policy. Worked example with guide values.

Pedelec, S-pedelec, e-bike: what counts

In everyday language almost every bike with a motor is called an e-bike. Legally three things matter: up to what speed the motor helps, how powerful it is and whether it moves without pedalling.

A pedelec only assists while you pedal, up to 25 km/h and with a continuous rated power of up to 250 watts. A push or start assist up to 6 km/h is allowed. It is a bicycle: no plate, no licence, no compulsory insurance.

An S-pedelec assists up to 45 km/h. It is a small moped (Kleinkraftrad) and needs an insurance plate, a class AM licence (included in a car licence) and a suitable helmet. S-pedelecs are not allowed on cycle paths. The same applies to bikes with a throttle that go faster than 6 km/h without pedalling.

Type	Assistance	Compulsory insurance	Plate
Bicycle without motor	none	no	no
Pedelec	up to 25 km/h, 250 watts, only when pedalling	no	no
S-pedelec	up to 45 km/h	yes, motor liability	yes, insurance plate
E-bike with throttle above 6 km/h	also without pedalling	yes	yes

What the EU directive changed

The EU motor insurance directive was updated by Directive (EU) 2021/2118, applicable since 23 December 2023. It covers motor vehicles with a maximum design speed above 25 km/h, or above 25 kg and 14 km/h. Cycles that only assist while you pedal are not included.

In October 2023 the European Court of Justice also confirmed that pedal-assisted cycles are not motor vehicles for this purpose. So there is no general duty to insure ordinary pedelecs, neither in Germany nor from Brussels. If you tune a pedelec to go faster, it loses that status.

No duty does not mean no risk

If you injure someone with your pedelec, you are liable for the damage, and personal injury claims can be large. Personal liability insurance pays for this if your policy treats pedelecs as bicycles, so check the terms. Many people new to Germany do not have this cover yet; it is common here and usually inexpensive.

No compulsory insurance pays for theft of or damage to your own bike. That needs household contents insurance with a bicycle add-on or a separate e-bike policy.

When you need nothing extra

If you ride an ordinary pedelec, have personal liability cover and keep the bike indoors or in a locked cellar, you do not need any further insurance. Insuring a cheap, older bike against theft is rarely worth it.

For an S-pedelec there is no way around the insurance plate. Riding without a valid plate means riding without compulsory insurance, which is a criminal offence in Germany.

Step by step

Check the spec sheet: assistance up to 25 or 45 km/h, power in watts.
For a pedelec, check that your personal liability policy includes pedelecs.
For an S-pedelec, get the insurance plate before the first ride.
Check your licence (AM or B) and get a suitable helmet.
Decide on theft cover by the bike's value and where you park it.

Checklist

Bike type identified from the spec sheet
Personal liability insurance covers pedelecs
S-pedelec plate valid for the current traffic year
No tuning that lifts the 25 km/h limit
Theft cover if the bike is expensive and parked outside

Common mistakes

Treating an S-pedelec like a bicycle and riding without a plate
Tuning a pedelec and losing both cover and its bicycle status
Forgetting the new plate on 1 March
Assuming compulsory insurance also pays for theft

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Do I need liability insurance for my pedelec?

Not by law. Personal liability insurance is still sensible, because in Germany your liability for harm to others has no upper limit.

How much is an insurance plate for an S-pedelec?

For liability only, from about EUR 20 to 110 a year depending on age and provider, more with partial cover.

How long is the insurance plate valid?

For the traffic year from 1 March to the end of February. After that you need a new plate in the new year's colour.

Will the EU make e-bike insurance compulsory?

No, not for pedelecs assisting up to 25 km/h. The current directive explicitly excludes them.

Does household contents insurance cover e-bike theft?

Only if the policy includes a bicycle add-on, and often only up to a set amount. Check the limit against what your bike is worth.

Is a tuned pedelec still insured?

Usually not. If the motor helps beyond 25 km/h, it is legally a motor vehicle without registration or compulsory cover, and personal liability insurance normally does not pay.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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