Who can drive my car? Tips on car insurance in Germany!

Who can drive my car? Tips on car insurance in Germany!

Many vehicle owners in Germany often lend their cars to friends, spouses or children. But the question that arises here is: Does the car insurance apply if someone other than the owner is driving? This problem affects many drivers who not only use their vehicle themselves, but also want to make it available to colleagues or friends. How ka-news.de reported, many insurance contracts have provisions that allow other close relatives such as spouses or children to drive the vehicle in addition to the owner.

However, vehicle owners should check their insurance contract carefully to clarify the number of additional drivers. Violations of the insurance conditions can have far-reaching financial consequences. For example, there is a risk of a contractual penalty of several hundred euros or even an additional payment of the difference in premiums if an unregistered driver is involved in an accident.

Opportunities to expand the circle of drivers

In the case of short-term opportunities, such as moving or vacation trips, it is often possible to temporarily expand the group of drivers. Finanztip.de explains that these extensions are usually cheaper than adding additional drivers permanently and are sometimes even offered free of charge. Drivers could also try to have their friends or acquaintances register as drivers in order to deal with unexpected situations in which they cannot drive themselves.

Depending on the insurance company, the conditions for expanding the circle of drivers may vary. Often these extensions are limited to a period of up to four weeks per year and the number of additional drivers could be limited. It is worth studying the insurance conditions in order to properly take advantage of the financial benefits.

Young drivers and their challenges

A particular focus is on young drivers, who often have to pay higher vehicle insurance premiums. How ADAC.de As explained above, contributions for people under 25 are generally significantly higher due to a common increased risk of accidents. However, adequate measures such as telematics tariffs offer an opportunity for cost-effective protection. These tariffs can enable savings of up to 30 percent of the annual fee.

Young drivers make up around 5% of the insurance portfolio at ADAC Autoversicherung. You are advised to use the “parent trick” where the vehicle is registered to a parent and their cheaper no-claims class. The use of safety training and contribution-reducing measures such as workshop loyalty can also help to reduce costs.

Changing and comparing insurance companies

A common mistake young drivers make is not adequately comparing the services and prices of different providers. The market offers a variety of options for reducing costs. Anyone who has been shown that better services and cheaper premiums are available should consider changing insurers. Statistics show that 54% of drivers have changed provider in the last five years, highlighting the relevance of price comparison.

Overall, it is clear that vehicle owners must be well informed in order to make the right decision regarding their driver group and their vehicle insurance. There are numerous options that can provide both security and financial benefits.