# Motorhome insurance in Germany: vehicle, living space, contents and travel > A motorhome is a vehicle, a holiday home and a box of belongings at the same time, and German insurance treats each part differently. Liability is mandatory for registration, Kasko protects chassis and living area, and loose equipment usually needs its own contents cover. If you plan long trips abroad or want to rent the camper out, check the territory and the contract type first. Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-motorhome-insurance.php Updated: 2026-10-31 ## What insurance does my motorhome actually need in Germany? Only third-party liability is mandatory, without it the vehicle cannot be registered. For a vehicle of real value you add Kasko, usually Vollkasko (fully comprehensive) for newer or financed motorhomes. Loose items inside are generally not part of Kasko and need contents insurance. If you rent the motorhome out for money, you need a policy that expressly allows it. ## At a glance - **Mandatory?:** Yes, third-party liability under the Compulsory Insurance Act - **Legal minimum cover:** EUR 7.5m injury, EUR 1.3m property, EUR 50,000 financial loss per accident - **Driving licence:** category B up to 3.5 t gross weight, above that C1 - **Gas inspection:** mandatory again since 19 June 2025, the certificate also matters after a fire - **Loose equipment:** not in Kasko, and German household contents cover rarely extends to a motorhome - **Seasonal plates:** pay only for the season, the no-claims class still grows if the season is six months or more ## What Kasko covers on the vehicle itself Kasko insures the motorhome as a whole: chassis, living area and permanently fitted parts such as kitchen, heater, awning and solar panels. Many policies cap accessories and extras at a fixed amount. If you have retrofitted a lithium battery, satellite dish or inverter, add up their value and compare it with the cap in your contract. Moisture is a frequent point of dispute. Water entering after a storm or hailstorm is an insured event, a wall that rots slowly from a leaking seal usually is not. Regular leak tests protect you twice: against the damage itself and against the argument that it built up over time. ## Contents: why bikes and laptops need separate cover Anything not fixed to the vehicle sits outside Kasko: camping furniture, clothes, cameras, laptops and the bikes on the rear rack. German household contents insurance (Hausrat) rarely helps here because it protects items in buildings. The Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe ruled in 2018 that a motorhome is not a building in the sense of household contents terms. A dedicated contents policy fills the gap against burglary, fire, storm and accident. Check two things: the sum insured should match what you really carry, and the policy should say whether bikes are covered on an outside rack. Cash and jewellery are excluded or tightly capped in many terms. ## Abroad: Green Card, Turkey and the limits of Kasko Within the EU your liability cover applies automatically, but the Green Card is still useful proof at accidents and checkpoints. For countries such as Morocco or Turkey, ask your insurer before you leave whether it issues a card endorsed for that country. Kasko often covers a smaller territory than liability. Germany's Federal Court of Justice ruled in 2005 that the Green Card does not extend Kasko to the Asian part of Turkey. If you plan to go there or beyond Europe, get a written extension before departure. ## Renting your motorhome out Renting the camper to strangers for money changes the risk completely: different drivers each time, often without experience of large vehicles. A standard private policy normally excludes this. You need a self-drive rental policy with liability and Kasko, usually combined with registering the vehicle as a self-drive rental vehicle. Rental platforms usually bring their own insurance package for the rental period. Check how it interacts with your own policy, who pays the deductible and whether a renter's claim affects your no-claims class. Rental income is taxable in Germany, and at a certain scale you may need to register a business. ## What is covered - Liability: damage you cause to others with the motorhome, including when manoeuvring on a pitch - Teilkasko: theft of the vehicle and permanently fitted parts - Teilkasko: fire, explosion, storm, hail, lightning, flooding and glass breakage - Teilkasko: collision with game, in good policies with animals of any kind - Vollkasko: accidents you cause yourself, such as low bridges, branches or archways - Vollkasko: vandalism by unknown persons - Fitted equipment such as awning, solar and satellite dish up to the agreed limit - Contents cover: loose equipment against burglary, fire, storm and accident - Breakdown cover: towing, repatriation of the vehicle and replacement accommodation ## What is not covered - Gradual damp and rot in the living area without an insured event - Wear and tear, brakes, tyres and engine failure without external cause - Loose items under Kasko alone, that is a matter for contents cover - Renting out for money unless the contract expressly allows it - Kasko claims outside the agreed territory, for example in the Asian part of Turkey - Driving under alcohol or drugs: Kasko reduces payment, liability recovers up to EUR 5,000 from you ## Who needs it - Every keeper of a registered motorhome, campervan or panel van conversion in Germany - Buyers of new or financed vehicles who need Vollkasko with new-value compensation - Anyone travelling with expensive kit: bikes, e-bikes, cameras, laptops - Anyone touring outside the EU or wintering in the south - Owners who rent the motorhome out privately or through a platform ## Who does not need it - Vollkasko on an old vehicle with little residual value if you could absorb a total loss - A second breakdown cover if your motoring club membership already covers motorhomes ## What it costs Premiums for motorhomes depend less on the model than for cars and more on vehicle value, weight, body type and how many months the vehicle is on the road. A panel van on seasonal plates and a year-round A-class motorhome are far apart, so we explain the levers instead of quoting figures. **What drives the premium:** - No-claims class, which can be transferred from a second vehicle - Vehicle value and body type: panel van, semi-integrated, A-class, coachbuilt - Gross vehicle weight, up to or above 3.5 t - Regional class of the registration district - Year-round registration or seasonal plates - Deductible in Teilkasko and Vollkasko - Contents cover, territory extension and rental as add-ons _We do not quote ranges because value and use vary more for motorhomes than for any car. Your premium is only fixed in the quote._ ## The policy levels on the market - **Basic:** Liability with EUR 100m combined and Teilkasko for theft, natural hazards and game. Low cap on accessories, cover in Europe. Suits older vehicles of moderate value. - **Standard:** Vollkasko with a waiver of the gross negligence defence, higher cap for fitted equipment, animals of any kind, breakdown cover with repatriation. The usual choice for vehicles up to about ten years old. - **Premium:** New-value or purchase-price compensation for several years, contents cover including bikes on the rack, wider territory and refund of holiday costs after a claim. Worth it for new and high-value vehicles. ## How to recognise a good policy | Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Liability limit | EUR 100m combined | EUR 100m with EUR 15m per injured person | A heavy vehicle causes particularly costly injury claims. | | Accessories and fittings | fixed lump sum | limit matched to real value, retrofits included | Battery, solar and awning easily add up to five figures. | | Gross negligence | waiver in Teilkasko | waiver in Teilkasko and Vollkasko | Misjudging a low entrance happens quickly and would otherwise mean a reduced payment. | | Kasko territory | geographical Europe | Europe plus Mediterranean countries, wider on request | Liability often reaches further than Kasko, and the gap only shows after a claim. | | Contents | burglary and fire | all risks, bikes included on the rack | Most thefts concern bikes and electronics, not the vehicle. | | Breakdown cover | roadside help and towing | repatriation from abroad, also above 3.5 t | Bringing a heavy motorhome back from southern Europe quickly costs four figures. | | Renting out | excluded, but clearly worded | included or available as an add-on | Without a clear rule a renter's claim can cost you the payment and the contract. | ## Insurers on the German market Almost every large German motor insurer covers motorhomes, alongside specialist camping schemes run by underwriting agencies. This is a market overview, not a statement about who we work with. - **Allianz**: tied agents and brokers - **HUK-COBURG**: own sales force, does not work with brokers - **R+V**: insurer of the cooperative banks - **VHV**: strong in broker distribution - **AXA**: tied agents and brokers - **Württembergische**: part of the W&W group, agents and brokers - **ADAC Autoversicherung**: insurer of the German motoring club, sold direct and through its offices - **Zurich**: subsidiary of the Swiss Zurich group, agents and brokers 106 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflicht, Kraftfahrzeug-Kasko). Source: BaFin company database, 2026-09-18; EU insurers without a German office excluded. ## Typical claims and who pays - **Branch tears off roof vent and awning** (several thousand euros on the living area): Hitting something yourself is accident damage and only covered by Vollkasko. Teilkasko pays only if a storm brought the branch down. - **E-bikes stolen from the rear rack** (around EUR 3,000 to 8,000 for two bikes): Kasko does not pay because bikes are not vehicle parts. Contents cover pays if it includes bikes on the rack, often with conditions such as a lock. - **Hail smashes a roof window** (a few hundred to several thousand euros): Hail is a classic Teilkasko claim. If water then gets in, the follow-on damage belongs to the same event. - **Break-in on a campsite** (laptop, camera and cash, easily four figures): Teilkasko pays for the forced door. Stolen belongings need contents cover, and cash is usually excluded or tightly capped. - **Accident in Asian Turkey** (repair or total loss of your own vehicle): Without a written extension Kasko does not apply there. Strong policies offer the extension on request, rarely automatically. - **Damp rots a wall in the cabin** (around EUR 2,000 to 10,000 to repair): Water seeping in slowly without storm, hail or accident is not an insured event. Only regular leak tests help. ## Myth or truth - „My household contents insurance pays if things are stolen from the motorhome." ✘ Mostly false. German household contents cover protects items in buildings, and a motorhome is not one. You need separate contents cover. - „With seasonal plates my no-claims class still goes up." ✔ True if the season covers at least six months. With shorter seasons the class does not improve every year. - „The Green Card extends my Kasko to every country listed on it." ✘ False. The Green Card is proof of liability cover. Kasko applies only within the territory in your contract, as Germany's Federal Court of Justice confirmed for Asian Turkey. - „An overloaded motorhome can cost me my Kasko payment after an accident." ✔ True. If the overload contributed to the accident, the insurer may reduce payment for gross negligence. Fines and a ban on continuing the journey can come on top. - „Lending my motorhome to friends for a fee needs no extra insurance." ✘ False once money changes hands. Lending free of charge is covered by liability, renting out for payment must be allowed by the contract. ## Common mistakes - Not declaring retrofitted equipment and hitting the accessories cap after a claim - Relying on household contents cover, which usually does not apply in a motorhome - Driving to Morocco or Turkey without checking the Kasko territory - Driving overloaded and risking a reduced payment after an accident - Renting to friends for money although the contract excludes renting out - Letting the gas inspection lapse and having no certificate after a fire ## FAQ ### Are bikes on the rear rack insured? Usually not under Kasko, because a bike is not part of the vehicle. Contents insurance can cover them, often only when they are inside. Good terms name the bike rack explicitly. ### Does my household contents insurance pay after a break-in? Normally not. German household contents cover protects items in buildings, and courts do not treat a motorhome as one. That is what motorhome contents insurance is for. ### Can I use seasonal plates for a motorhome? Yes. You pay tax and insurance only for the months you choose. If the season is at least six months, your no-claims class still improves every year. ### Do I need a special driving licence? Category B covers vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross weight. Heavier motorhomes need C1. If you drive without the right licence, you lose Kasko cover. ### Is the gas inspection mandatory? Yes, again since 19 June 2025. The certificate also helps with the insurer if the cause of a fire is disputed. ### Can I rent my motorhome out privately? Yes, but not on a standard private policy. You need cover that allows renting out, or a platform that insures the rental period. The income is taxable in Germany. ### Am I covered in Morocco and Turkey? That depends on your contract. Many Kasko policies apply only in geographical Europe, and the Asian part of Turkey or North Africa need an explicit extension. Confirm it in writing before you leave. ### Can I use my foreign no-claims record? Some German insurers recognise a no-claims history from abroad if you can document it, ideally in a letter from your previous insurer. It is a decision of each insurer, not a legal right, so it is worth asking several. ## 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-motorhome-insurance.php#anfrage --- Your broker: Norman Nammert, trading as NAMMERT. Insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act. Broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH is a separate company. It does not arrange your contract. NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, 15711 Königs Wusterhausen, +49 3375 29 12 77, info@nammert.com. Wikidata: Q141141479.