Who is covered by family legal insurance in Germany?
In short
Under the German model conditions, family legal insurance covers your spouse or registered partner, a partner named in the policy, your minor children and unmarried adult children up to 25. Cover for adult children ends with their first permanent job with income. A family tariff often costs EUR 32 to 40 a month, about EUR 7 to 8 more than for singles.
Guide prices in Germany for legal insurance with family compared with a single tariff.
Example
Typical range
Single, age 30, four modules, EUR 300 deductible
about EUR 25 to 32 a month
Family, four modules
about EUR 32 to 40 a month
Family with two children, private, work, traffic, EUR 150 deductible
about EUR 251 to 978 a year
Guide prices, October 2026, from published tariff comparisons.
The surcharge in the example is a guide value from quoting practice.
Worked example
Unmarried couple with two children, 16 and 22
The mother took out the policy. The father is her partner, the daughter is at university, the son at school. The daughter drives her own car.
Father, partner
covered only if named in the policy schedule
Son, 16
covered
Daughter, 22, student
covered while unmarried and without a permanent job
Daughter's own car
not covered, own traffic legal cover needed
Family surcharge over single
about EUR 7 to 8 a month
With the partner named in the policy all four are protected in daily life. The daughter's car is not covered until she has her own traffic legal cover.
Who is covered under the model conditions
The German insurers' model conditions define a fixed circle for private and family legal cover: your spouse or registered partner, any other partner named in the policy schedule (Versicherungsschein), your minor children and your unmarried adult children until they turn 25. The children must not live in a registered or other partnership themselves.
Cover for adult children ends in any case once they first take up a permanent job and earn an income from it. Whether a paid apprenticeship already counts is set out in your policy conditions; ask before a dispute arises if in doubt.
Person
Covered?
Condition
Spouse, registered partner
yes
automatically
Partner you are not married to
yes
only if named in the policy schedule
Child under 18
yes
no further condition
Child over 18 at school or university
yes
unmarried, under 25, no permanent job with income yet
Child over 25 or in a first permanent job
no
needs a policy of their own
Parents or grandparents in the household
no
not provided for in the model conditions
Unmarried partners: only with a name in the policy
If you live together without being married, you must have your partner entered by name in the policy schedule. Otherwise they are not covered, even after years of living together. Check this after every move or when you start living together.
Disputes between unmarried partners with each other connected with the partnership are excluded, even after a separation. For spouses the general exclusion of family law has the same effect.
Adult children and their own car
Adult children are not covered for anything to do with their own vehicle: as owner, keeper, buyer, lessee, hirer or driver of a motor vehicle. A student who drives their own car needs separate traffic legal cover.
If your child drives your car registered in your name, they are protected as an authorised driver under your traffic legal cover. That applies to all authorised drivers and passengers of the insured vehicles.
What does not apply within the family
Disputes between you and covered persons, or between covered persons themselves, are not insured. So legal insurance does not pay if siblings argue over a car or an adult child sues you.
If a covered person asks for cover, you as policyholder can object. You cannot do so for your spouse or registered partner. Covered persons are bound by your policy in every respect, including waiting period and deductible.
When you do not need a family tariff
If your children already have a permanent job or are over 25, the family tariff brings them nothing. A tariff for couples or singles is then enough, and the children take out their own policies.
For singles without partner or children a family tariff is needlessly expensive. On the other hand the extra few euros a month are worth it as soon as a partner and children live with you.
Step by step
List everyone in the household with age, marital status and job.
Have an unmarried partner entered by name.
For adult children, check whether they already earn a permanent income.
Insure adult children's own cars separately.
Adjust the policy after marriage, separation or children moving out.
Checklist
Partner named in the policy schedule
Children under 25, unmarried, without a permanent job
Traffic legal cover for adult children's cars
Tariff reviewed after children move out
Deductible for all covered persons known
Waiting period after a tariff change noted
Common mistakes
Not naming an unmarried partner and hoping for cover
Assuming children are always covered until 25, even with a permanent job
Thinking an adult child's own car is covered
Keeping the family tariff after all children have left and earn
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Is my unmarried partner covered automatically?
No.
Under the model conditions only if named in the policy schedule.
Spouses and registered partners are included automatically.
Until when are children covered?
Minors always.
Adult children while they are unmarried, not in a partnership of their own,
under 25 and without a permanent job with income.
Are my parents covered if they live with me?
Not under the model conditions.
Some tariffs may differ, which would then be stated expressly in the policy.
Does the insurer pay if I have a dispute with my partner?
No.
Disputes between the policyholder and covered persons, and among covered persons, are excluded.
Are relatives in my home country covered?
No.
The model conditions cover only your partner and children as described above.
Parents, siblings and other relatives are not covered, wherever they live.
