Car insurance class in GermanyType class, regional class and SF class explained
Your German car insurance premium is set by three different classes. This guide walks you through Typklasse, Regionalklasse and SF-Klasse so you can read your quote and find several hundred euros of savings each year.
Last updated: May 25, 2026 · meinetarife24 Editorial Team
German car insurance uses three separate classes: Typklasse for the vehicle (10 to 34), Regionalklasse for the registration district (1 to 12 in liability) and SF-Klasse for the driver's accident-free record (0 to 35+). Each class is set by a different body and updated on its own schedule. Together they decide what you pay each year.
Key takeaways
Three classes decide your German car insurance premium. The better each one, the lower your bill.
- Typklasse (10 to 34): rates your car model. Small city cars sit low, sports cars and luxury models sit high.
- Regionalklasse: follows your registration district. Cities pay more than rural areas. Scales differ for liability, partial and full cover.
- SF-Klasse (0 to 35+): rewards accident-free years. Each clean year moves you up one step.
- eVB number: a seven-character code from your insurer. You need it to register your car at the Zulassungsstelle.
- Tip: reach SF 10 or higher and your premium can drop by 55 percent compared with the starting level.
A note for newcomers
Most newcomers in Germany start in SF 0, the most expensive level. If you can show proof of accident-free driving in another EU country, many insurers will accept it and place you higher. Ask for a written confirmation from your previous insurer before you request quotes.
German terms you will see in your contract
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What is the German car insurance class?
German insurers split risk into three independent classes. Each one looks at a different question: how risky is your car, how risky is your area, and how risky are you as a driver.
The Typklasse describes how expensive your specific car model is for the insurer. Sports cars and luxury saloons sit in high classes, small city cars in low ones. The Regionalklasse follows your registration district and reflects the claim record of everyone driving there. The Schadenfreiheitsklasse is personal: every year you drive without a fault claim moves you to a better class, which lowers your premium.
The three classes work independently. A cheap car in a quiet town will still cost a lot of money if your SF-Klasse is low. The reverse is true as well. To get a really low premium, you need to do well on all three at once.
Why the classes matter most for newcomers
If you just arrived in Germany, you start in SF 0, the most expensive step. Your first year is always the most painful. The good news: each clean year drops your premium quickly, and the system is run by the GDV (German Insurance Association), so the rules are the same across every insurer.
Typklasse (10 to 34): the vehicle rating
How the rating is built
The Typklasse runs from 10 (cheapest) to 34 (most expensive). The lower the number, the lower your premium.
The GDV publishes new Typklassen every September. The calculation uses three years of claim data: repair costs, theft rates and the overall crash record of each model.
Three separate Typklassen
Every car carries three Typklassen, one per cover:
- HPLiability (Haftpflicht): classes 10 to 25
- TKPartial cover (Teilkasko): classes 10 to 33
- VKFull cover (Vollkasko): classes 10 to 34
| Typklasse | Example models | Typical rating |
|---|---|---|
10-12 | VW Polo, Toyota Yaris, Fiat Panda | Low premium, cheap to repair |
13-16 | VW Golf, Opel Astra, Ford Focus | Mid range, very common models |
17-22 | BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 | Higher repair bills, premium brands |
23-28 | BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, Porsche 911 | Expensive parts, powerful engines |
29-34 | Sports cars, luxury vehicles, supercars | Top rating, very high claim costs |
You can look up the Typklasse for any specific car at the GDV Typklassen lookup. Enter your vehicle identification number (FIN) and the system returns the rating. Useful if you are choosing between two models and want to factor insurance into the decision.
Regionalklasse: your district decides
The Regionalklasse follows the registration district where your car is registered. Districts with many crashes, thefts or weather claims push everyone's premium up, because the insurer has to cover more damage overall. The liability scale runs from 1 (cheapest) to 12 (most expensive).
Cheap districts (class 1 to 4)
- Celle, Lüneburg (Lower Saxony)
- Uckermark, Prignitz (Brandenburg)
- North Frisia (Schleswig-Holstein)
- Eifel region (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Expensive districts (class 9 to 12)
- Berlin Mitte, Berlin Charlottenburg
- Hamburg city centre
- Munich city centre
- Frankfurt am Main
Three separate Regionalklassen
The 1 to 12 scale applies to liability only. Partial and full cover use different scales:
- HPLiability: class 1 to 12
- TKPartial cover: class 1 to 16
- VKFull cover: class 1 to 9
Source: GDV
Regional update for 2026
Around 24.5 percent of insured drivers see a change in their liability Regionalklasse for 2026. About 5.3 million drivers in 51 districts move to a cheaper class. Around 5 million in 48 districts shift to a more expensive one. Germany has 413 registration districts in total.
Practical tips on the Regionalklasse
Moving to a cheaper district lowers your premium, but it's only one factor. Swap a small city car for a sports car and even the best district will not save you. The ADAC recommends running a new comparison whenever you change your address in Germany.
Register outside the city
A rural address can mean a noticeable drop in premium.
Re-quote after every move
Your Regionalklasse changes automatically with your new address.
Check second residence rules
Some insurers accept a registered second address.
SF-Klasse (0 to 35+): your personal no-claims class
The SF-Klasse is the part you have most control over. The longer you drive without an at-fault claim, the better your class. You usually start in SF 0 or SF 1 and climb one step per clean year.
| SF class | Premium rate | Saving vs SF 0 |
|---|---|---|
SF 0 | 230 percent | Starting point |
SF 1 | 100 percent | 56 percent cheaper |
SF 2 | 85 percent | 63 percent cheaper |
SF 5 | 70 percent | 70 percent cheaper |
SF 10 | 45 percent | 80 percent cheaper |
SF 15 | 30 percent | 87 percent cheaper |
SF 35+ | 20 percent | 91 percent cheaper |
Indicative values. Exact rates differ per insurer (for example HUK, Allianz or Cosmos Direkt) and can deviate from this table. The numbers show the order of magnitude, not the exact tariff of a single provider.
Transfer your SF-Klasse: SF classes can be moved between people. Parents to children, between spouses, or as a second-car discount. That way you don't have to start at SF 0.
Demotion after a claim
After a fault claim you usually drop two or three SF steps. Wildlife collisions on the motorway and glass damage are normally treated as Teilkasko claims and don't affect your class. The Stiftung Warentest suggests paying small damages out of pocket so your class stays intact.
Improving your SF-Klasse faster
The simplest way to climb is to drive accident-free. Every clean year normally adds one step. There are a few shortcuts that can save you years of waiting.
One option is SF transfer. If you drove in another country for several years without a fault claim, many German insurers will recognise that record. You need a written confirmation from your previous insurer. This is the single biggest lever for newcomers.
Another option is a Telematik-Tarif. Your driving is tracked through an app or a small dongle. If your record is consistent, some insurers let you skip up to two SF steps faster. The Stiftung Warentest has tested several Telematik tariffs and finds the biggest savings for younger drivers.
Many insurers also offer a Fahranfängertarif for new drivers. Entry premiums are lower than the standard SF 0 rate, but the rules are stricter. A single claim can drop you straight to SF 0 or even below. Read the contract carefully before you sign.
Liability, Teilkasko or Vollkasko: which one fits?
Liability (Haftpflicht) is mandatory. You cannot register a car in Germany without it. The two optional layers, Teilkasko and Vollkasko, differ in what they cover and how much they cost.
Teilkasko (partial cover)
Covers risks you can rarely control yourself.
- Theft (including stolen parts)
- Fire damage
- Wildlife collisions (and marten bites)
- Glass damage
- Storm, hail and flood damage
Good for: cars up to roughly five years old that no longer match the new price.
Vollkasko (full cover)
Adds damage to your own car, including faults you cause yourself.
- Everything in Teilkasko
- At-fault accidents
- Vandalism by third parties
- Hit-and-run parking damage
- Towing on the motorway
Good for: new cars, lease cars, expensive models, anything you cannot easily replace.
The Verbraucherzentrale suggests a simple rule: if the replacement value of your car is less than twice the annual Vollkasko premium, Teilkasko is usually enough. For an 8,000 EUR car, that means: a Vollkasko premium above 4,000 EUR per year is no longer worth it.
eVB number: what newcomers need to know
The eVB number is a seven-character code you need to register your car at the Zulassungsstelle. eVB stands for elektronische Versicherungsbestätigung, which means electronic insurance confirmation. It proves to the registration office that you have valid liability cover.
Your insurer issues the eVB once you sign the contract, usually by email or post and sometimes directly on the confirmation page. The number is car-specific. If you buy a new vehicle, you need a new eVB even if you stay with the same insurer.
At the registration office you hand over the eVB number with your other documents. The office checks in real time that the cover is active. Without a valid eVB the registration cannot be completed. The same rule applies if you only want to transfer the registration to a new city.
How long is the eVB valid?
In most cases three months. Inside that window you can register the car. After it expires you request a new number from your insurer. It is free and usually quick.
Telematik tariffs: the new lever
Telematik tariffs are a fairly new option in the German car insurance market. Your driving is tracked through an app or a small device in the car. The insurer collects data on speed, braking and cornering style.
The idea is simple: drivers with a clean record should be rewarded. If your behaviour stays consistent over a set period, you can skip up to two SF steps faster than normal. New drivers find this especially useful because they don't have to wait years for a lower premium.
Data is usually only used to calculate the discount. The insurer cannot see where you drive, only how. Even so, read the data protection terms carefully before you sign. The Stiftung Warentest has reviewed several Telematik tariffs and finds the largest savings for younger drivers.
External authority sources
Frequently asked questions about the German car insurance class
Häufig gestellte Fragen
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