If a tree or branch falls on my car in a storm of force 8 or more, partial cover (Teilkasko) pays, with no loss of no claims bonus. If a rotten branch falls in calm weather, the tree's owner is liable if he failed to check it properly; for street trees that is the town. If you cannot prove that, only full cover (Vollkasko) helps, with a downgrade, often for damage of several thousand euros.
What a tree or branch can cost on a car in Germany.
Example
Typical range
Dent in the roof without paint damage, removed
about 150 to 500 euros
Windscreen with camera after a branch hit, by model
under 1,000 to over 2,400 euros
Roof, bonnet and windscreen after a heavy branch
about 3,000 to 8,000 euros
Partial cover deductible, typical
150 to 300 euros per claim
Windscreen prices from a motoring club survey, February 2026.
Other values are guide values from our quoting practice, October 2026; we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Branch on the bonnet, two scenarios
A branch damages the bonnet and windscreen of a compact car, repair 3,500 euros. The owner has full cover with a 300 euro and partial cover with a 150 euro deductible.
Storm of force 9: partial cover
3,350 euros, no downgrade
Calm, rotten branch from a town tree: official liability
3,500 euros if proof succeeds
Calm, healthy tree: full cover
3,200 euros, with downgrade
The same event costs nothing or a higher premium for several years, depending on the weather and the tree.
Storm: a case for partial cover
The German model terms AKB 2015 cover the direct effect of storm in partial cover, meaning wind of force 8 or more. Damage caused by objects the storm throws onto the vehicle is expressly included. A fallen tree or torn off branch in a storm is exactly that.
Partial cover pays the repair minus the deductible, and your no claims class (Schadenfreiheitsklasse) stays the same. Weather data for your location and time can show whether the wind reached force 8.
No storm: when the tree owner is liable
If a branch falls in calm weather, it is not storm damage. The tree's owner can then be liable under section 823 of the German Civil Code (BGB) if he failed to inspect the tree regularly and remove diseased parts. Street and park trees usually belong to the town, where official liability under section 839 BGB applies.
The catch: you must show the damage would have been visible with proper checks, such as a dead branch or a hollow trunk. A healthy tree that unexpectedly drops a branch usually does not lead to liability.
Situation
Who pays
Storm of force 8 or more
your partial cover
Rotten branch, no checks
tree owner or his liability insurance
Street tree with visible damage
town or municipality
Healthy tree, no storm
your full cover, otherwise you
Tree falls on a moving car
as above, plus accident cover in full cover
Secure evidence before the tree is gone
After damage, a fallen tree or branch is often sawn up and removed quickly. Photograph the car, the branch and the break point from close up and from further away, especially rotten wood or fungus on the trunk.
Note date, time and weather. Witnesses and a short report by police or fire brigade help if you later claim against an owner.
Partial cover first or the owner first?
In a storm, report the damage directly to your partial cover. Without a storm, a claim against the tree owner can be worth it, because his liability insurance pays without deductible and without downgrade.
If the owner refuses and you have full cover, it pays and your insurer can recover the money from the owner later. If the owner or his insurer repays your insurer in full, your policy counts as claim free under the model terms.
When comprehensive cover is not worth it
If your car is old and worth little, cover pays at most its replacement value. A branch hitting a car worth 1,500 euros can then mean a write off, and partial cover pays little.
If you park under old trees and drive a car of medium value, keep partial cover. It costs much less than full cover.
Step by step
Only move the car if it is safe, and take photos.
Document the break point and condition of the tree.
In a storm, report the damage to partial cover.
Without a storm, ask the tree owner in writing to pay for the damage.
Only if he refuses, use full cover.
Checklist
Partial cover with storm as an insured peril
Photos of branch, break point and trunk
Weather data for place and time
Name and address of the tree owner
Repair estimate from a garage
Common mistakes
Clearing the branch before the break point is photographed
Using full cover straight away in calm weather and forgetting the owner
Assuming the town pays for every street tree
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does partial cover pay when the car is parked?
Yes.
What matters is that the storm threw the tree or branch onto the car.
Will I lose my no claims bonus if a branch falls on my car?
Not in partial cover.
In full cover yes, unless the insurer recovers the full amount from the owner.
Is my neighbour liable for his tree?
If he ignored visible damage to the tree, yes.
His liability insurance then pays.
What if the wind was below force 8?
Then partial cover does not pay.
That leaves the owner, if at fault, and full cover.
What if I park under a tree with a warning sign?
You may be held partly responsible, and the owner pays less.
Does partial cover also pay for hail or snow from roofs?
Hail yes.
Snow sliding off roofs only if your policy includes it expressly.
