# Moped and scooter insurance in Germany: your plate comes from the insurer

> In Germany, mopeds and scooters limited to 45 km/h are not registered with the vehicle office. Instead you buy liability insurance and the insurer hands you a small insurance plate that is valid for one insurance year only. If you have moved here with a scooter, or are buying one, this is the system you need to know.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-moped-insurance.php  
Updated: 2026-11-11

## What insurance does a moped need in Germany?

Motor liability insurance is compulsory. For mopeds, small scooters and Mofas up to 45 km/h it is proven by an insurance plate (Versicherungskennzeichen) issued by the insurer, not by a registration plate. The insurance year always runs from 1 March to the end of February, then you need a new plate in a new colour: black lettering since 1 March 2026, blue from March 2027. Partial cover (Teilkasko) for theft, fire and storm is optional. Riding without valid liability insurance is a criminal offence.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory?:** Yes, motor liability insurance shown by an insurance plate
- **Insurance year:** 1 March to end of February, a new plate every year
- **Plate colour:** changes yearly: black in 2026, blue from March 2027
- **Vehicles:** up to 45 km/h, up to 50 cc or 4 kW electric; Mofa up to 25 km/h
- **Licence:** class AM from age 15; Mofa with a test certificate from 15
- **Typical price:** liability roughly €40 to €100 per insurance year

## An insurance plate instead of registration

Newcomers often look for the registration office first. For a 50 cc scooter you do not need it. You take out liability insurance, give the insurer the details from the vehicle's type approval certificate, and receive the plate with the policy, in an agency, from a broker or by post.

Everyone shares the same insurance year. It starts on 1 March and the contract ends by itself on the last day of February, with no notice required. The lettering changes colour each year so that police can spot an expired plate at a glance: green in 2025, black since March 2026, blue from March 2027.

## What counts as a moped, and what does not

The plate system covers vehicles built for no more than 45 km/h with an engine of no more than 50 cc, or 4 kW for electric models. You need driving licence class AM, available from age 15. A Mofa is the slower version, limited to 25 km/h and ridden with a test certificate rather than a full licence.

Anything faster falls outside. A 125 cc scooter needs registration, an official number plate and motorcycle insurance. The same is true of a scooter that has been derestricted: legally it is a different vehicle, and the insurance plate no longer matches it.

## Is theft cover worth it?

Liability pays only for what you do to others. If your own scooter is stolen or burns, only Teilkasko pays. It usually costs little more than liability alone but nearly always carries an excess; €150 is common on the market, often €300 for theft.

That makes it a natural choice for a new scooter or an electric model with an expensive battery, and a poor one for an old Mofa worth a few hundred euros. Comprehensive cover for damage you cause to your own vehicle is rarely offered for this class.

## What is covered

- Injury, property damage and financial loss you cause to others with the vehicle
- Defence against unjustified claims after an accident
- Claims by a pillion passenger against the rider
- Trips to other European countries within the agreed territorial scope
- Teilkasko: theft of the vehicle and fitted parts, if agreed
- Teilkasko: fire, explosion, storm, hail, lightning and flood
- Teilkasko: collision with animals and broken glass, depending on the tariff

## What is not covered

- Damage to your own vehicle without Teilkasko
- Damage to your own scooter in a crash you caused, even with Teilkasko
- Riding a derestricted or modified vehicle, with possible recourse depending on the terms
- Riding without the required licence or test certificate
- Races and practice runs for them
- Your own injuries as the rider, which need rider protection or accident insurance

## Who needs it

- Anyone riding a moped, Mofa or scooter up to 45 km/h on public roads in Germany
- Parents whose children take the class AM licence at 15
- Commuters who leave a scooter at the station all day
- Riders of electric scooters and speed pedelecs up to 45 km/h

## Who does not need it

- Teilkasko for an old vehicle worth barely more than the excess
- An insurance plate for a 125 cc machine: it needs registration and motorcycle insurance

## What it costs

Moped insurance is among the cheapest motor policies in Germany. There is no no-claims scale with an insurance plate; you pay a flat premium for the insurance year. Age matters most: many insurers charge a separate, higher rate for riders under 23.

| Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- |
| Liability only, rider aged 23 or over | roughly €40 to €100 per insurance year |
| Liability plus Teilkasko with a €150 excess | from roughly €80 to €90 per insurance year |

**What drives the premium:**

- Liability only or with Teilkasko
- Age of the youngest rider, often with a threshold at 23
- Type of vehicle: Mofa, moped or scooter, petrol or electric
- Excess under Teilkasko
- Starting during the insurance year: many insurers charge only the remaining months

_Guide values for a full insurance year from comparisons and price lists published in 2026, without guarantee for any single insurer. Your premium is fixed only in the quote._

## The policy levels on the market

- **Liability only:** Meets the legal duty and comes with the plate. Enough for older vehicles of low value.
- **Liability with Teilkasko:** Adds theft, fire and natural hazards for your own vehicle, usually with an excess. For newer scooters and electric models.
- **With rider protection or breakdown cover:** Add-ons for your own injuries after a crash you caused and for roadside help, where the insurer offers them for this class.

## How to recognise a good policy

| Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Liability limit | statutory minimum sums | €100m overall, up to €15m per injured person | Serious injuries quickly cost more than the statutory minimum. |
| Rider age | tariff for riders aged 23 and over only | all authorised riders, including under 23 | If someone younger than agreed rides, you face a back payment or a contractual penalty. |
| Theft | whole vehicle only | parts and accessories too, without special lock rules | Scooters are stolen more often than damaged, and often only the battery or top case goes. |
| Teilkasko excess | €150, and €300 for theft | one low excess for every claim | On a €1,500 scooter a high excess eats much of the payout. |
| Battery on electric models | fixed battery only | removable battery, fire and short circuit included | The battery is the most expensive single part of an electric scooter. |
| Starting mid-year | full annual premium | pro rata by month | If you start in June you should not pay for March to May. |

## Insurers on the German market

Nearly every German motor insurer sells insurance plates for mopeds and scooters, through agencies, brokers and online. They differ most in the rate for young riders and in the Teilkasko terms. This is an overview of the market, not a statement about who we work with.

- **Allianz**: tied agents and brokers, plates also online
- **HUK-COBURG**: own sales force, does not work with brokers
- **DEVK**: mutual-led group with its own sales force
- **Die Bayerische**: Munich insurance group, agents and brokers
- **ADAC Autoversicherung**: insurer linked to the German automobile club ADAC, mainly direct
- **R+V**: insurer of the cooperative banks
- **AXA**: tied agents and brokers
- **WGV**: direct insurer from Stuttgart

98 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflicht). Source: BaFin company database, 2026-09-18; EU insurers without a German office excluded.

## Typical claims and who pays

- **Missed a right of way, dented a car** (roughly €1,500 to €5,000): Damage to the other car is paid by the liability cover behind every insurance plate.
- **Scooter stolen overnight** (value of the scooter, often €1,000 to €3,000): Liability never pays for your own vehicle. Only Teilkasko replaces a stolen scooter, less the excess.
- **Battery fire in the garage** (several hundred to over €1,000): Fire is a Teilkasko claim. Whether the battery of an electric scooter is expressly included is in the terms.
- **Riding on 3 March with the old plate** (criminal proceedings and the whole loss): The contract ends on the last day of February. Without a new one you are uninsured, however good last year's tariff was.
- **Your 16-year-old takes the scooter** (back payment or contractual penalty): If the tariff is for riders over 23 only, the injured party is still paid, but you pay extra. Strong tariffs include young riders.
- **Slipped on wet leaves, fairing broken** (roughly €300 to €1,200): A crash you caused yourself would need comprehensive cover, which is rarely offered for this class.

## Myth or truth

- „Last year's plate stays valid for a few days into March." ✘ No. The insurance year ends on the last day of February and there is no grace period. From 1 March you need the new plate.
- „There is no no-claims scale for mopeds in Germany." ✔ Correct. With an insurance plate everyone pays a flat premium for the insurance year, graded at most by age and vehicle type.
- „If I hit someone with my scooter, my personal liability insurance pays." ✘ Wrong. German personal liability policies exclude motor vehicles. Only the motor liability behind the insurance plate pays.
- „If you start in summer, you often pay only for the remaining months." ✔ True, many insurers charge pro rata. The contract still ends at the end of February.
- „Riding without insurance only costs a small fine." ✘ No. It is a criminal offence under the Compulsory Insurance Act, with a fine or up to one year in prison.

## Common mistakes

- Riding on 1 March with last year's plate
- Choosing the over-23 tariff although a 16-year-old in the family also rides
- Derestricting the scooter and keeping the insurance plate
- Relying on personal liability insurance, which excludes motor vehicles
- Bringing a scooter from abroad and assuming the foreign policy carries on indefinitely

## FAQ

### Where do I get the insurance plate?

From the insurer: in an agency, through a broker or online with delivery by post. You need the details from the vehicle's type approval certificate. No visit to the registration office is required.

### What happens on 1 March?

The old contract ends by itself on the last day of February and the old plate becomes invalid. To keep riding you need a new plate in the new year's colour from 1 March.

### Can I start in the middle of the year?

Yes. The contract then runs to the end of February, and many insurers charge only for the remaining months. Ask, because not all handle it the same way.

### Is there a no-claims bonus?

No. Insurance plates carry a flat premium for the insurance year, and a claim does not move you into a more expensive class.

### How old do I have to be?

Licence class AM for vehicles up to 45 km/h is available from age 15. A Mofa limited to 25 km/h may also be ridden from 15 with a test certificate.

### What if I ride without insurance?

Riding without liability insurance is a criminal offence under the German Compulsory Insurance Act, punishable by a fine or up to one year in prison. You are also personally liable for the damage.

### Does my electric moped use the same system?

Yes, if it is limited to 45 km/h and 4 kW. It carries the same insurance plate as a petrol scooter. Look closely at how the Teilkasko treats the battery.

## Legal basis and sources

- [Insurance Contract Act (VVG, German)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vvg_2008/)
- [BaFin company database (licensed insurers)](https://portal.mvp.bafin.de/database/InstInfo/)

## Request quotes

We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison, free of charge. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-moped-insurance.php#anfrage

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