Kasko Insurance Germany 2026
Kasko is the German word for insurance that pays for damage to your own car. There is no clean English equivalent, so it is best learned as it is. Kasko is an umbrella term that splits into Teilkasko (partial) and Vollkasko (full), and it sits next to the separate, mandatory Haftpflicht liability cover.
Key Takeaways
- Kasko = cover for damage to your own car. It is an umbrella over Teilkasko and Vollkasko.
- Only Haftpflicht (liability) is mandatory. All Kasko is voluntary, unless a lender or leasing firm requires Vollkasko.
- Teilkasko covers events outside your control (theft, weather, glass); Vollkasko adds self-caused damage and vandalism.
- The German words stay on English quotes because they map to fixed legal cover definitions (the AKB).
- The Selbstbeteiligung (deductible) is typically around 150 euros for Teilkasko, 300 euros for Vollkasko.
meinetarife24 Editorial Team
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Where the Word Kasko Comes From
If Kasko looks like no English word you know, that is because it is not one. The term reaches German insurance from the world of shipping, and once you see the link it stops feeling random.
Kasko comes from the same root as the Spanish and Italian word for a ship's hull, casco. In marine insurance, hull cover protected the vessel itself rather than the cargo or third parties. German motor insurance borrowed the idea: Kasko cover protects your own vehicle, the modern equivalent of the hull, as opposed to liability towards others. That is why English speakers sometimes meet the phrase “hull insurance” for cars, and why no everyday English word captures it cleanly.
The practical upshot: do not look for an English translation on your quote. Insurers, comparison portals and your contract all keep the German labels, because Kasko, Teilkasko and Vollkasko are tied to fixed cover definitions in the model policy conditions (Allgemeine Bedingungen fuer die Kfz-Versicherung, the AKB). Learn the three words once and every German car insurance quote becomes readable.
The Three Cover Words You Will See
German car insurance is built from three labels. Kasko is two of them. Here is the quick map, with a link to the full breakdown of each.
Haftpflicht
Liability · not Kasko
Mandatory for every registered car. Pays only for damage you cause to other people, their cars and property, never to your own vehicle.
Teilkasko
Partial Kasko
Covers damage from events outside your control: theft, fire, storm, hail, flood, glass breakage and collisions with animals.
Teilkasko in detailVollkasko
Full Kasko
Everything in Teilkasko, plus self-caused accidents, vandalism and hit-and-run damage. The broadest, most expensive level.
Vollkasko in detailOne-line rule: “Kasko” on its own means the family of own-damage cover. When a quote says Teilkasko it means the partial level; Vollkasko means the full level. For the full side-by-side of all three, see our types of car insurance guide.
When Does Adding Kasko Make Sense?
Because Kasko is optional, the real question for a newcomer is whether the extra premium is worth it for your car. A simple way to think about it.
New or high-value car
Vollkasko is usually worth it: a serious own-fault repair can cost more than years of premiums.
Financed or leased car
The lender almost always requires Vollkasko in the contract, so the choice is effectively made for you until the car is paid off.
Mid-life car (roughly 4 to 10 years)
Teilkasko is a common middle ground: theft and weather protection without paying for full self-caused cover.
Older, low-value car
Once the car is worth only a couple of thousand euros, Haftpflicht only, or Haftpflicht plus Teilkasko, is often enough; a Vollkasko premium can rival the car value over time.
On price: Vollkasko is typically more expensive than Teilkasko, though on a newer car the gap can be smaller than people expect. Rather than rely on a rule of thumb, compare both levels for your exact car, since each insurer calculates the premium individually. For the cost detail and GDV benchmarks, see the dedicated Teilkasko and Vollkasko guides.
Compare Teilkasko and Vollkasko
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Kasko Insurance Comparison
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Data Source & Transparency
The tariff data on this page is provided by CHECK24 and Tarifcheck. We do not alter prices, rankings, or how results are displayed.
Our role:
We provide editorial explanations and decision-making guidance. The actual tariff calculation and mediation is done by our partners.
What we do not cover:
Not all providers in the market are included in this comparison. Regional providers or specialized tariffs may be missing.
Common Questions About Kasko
What does Kasko mean in German car insurance?
Kasko is the German word for cover that pays for damage to your own car. There is no single English equivalent, so people often translate it loosely as comprehensive or hull cover. It is an umbrella term: it splits into Teilkasko (partial cover) and Vollkasko (full cover). Kasko is separate from Haftpflicht, the mandatory liability cover that only pays for damage you cause to others.
Is Kasko insurance mandatory in Germany?
No. Only Haftpflicht (liability) is required by law for every registered car. Kasko, whether Teilkasko or Vollkasko, is voluntary. The common exception is a financed or leased car: the bank or leasing company usually requires Vollkasko in the contract until the car is paid off.
What is the difference between Teilkasko and Vollkasko?
Teilkasko (partial Kasko) covers events outside your control, such as theft, fire, storm, hail, glass breakage and collisions with animals. Vollkasko (full Kasko) includes everything in Teilkasko and adds damage you cause yourself, vandalism and hit-and-run damage. Vollkasko is the broader, more expensive level.
Why is the word Kasko used in English-language quotes in Germany?
Even English-facing insurers and comparison sites keep the German terms Kasko, Teilkasko and Vollkasko because they map to fixed legal cover definitions in the model conditions (AKB). Translating them would create confusion, so the German words stay on quotes, contracts and your eVB confirmation. Learning the three words once makes every quote easier to read.
Do I need Kasko insurance for an older car?
It depends on the value. For a car worth only a couple of thousand euros, a yearly Vollkasko premium can approach the value of the car over a few years, so many drivers keep only Haftpflicht or add Teilkasko for theft and weather protection. For a newer or financed car, Vollkasko usually makes sense.
What is a Selbstbeteiligung in a Kasko policy?
The Selbstbeteiligung is the deductible, the amount you pay yourself before the insurer covers the rest of a Kasko claim. Common figures are around 150 euros for Teilkasko and 300 euros for Vollkasko. A higher deductible lowers your premium but means you pay more per claim.
Sources & Methodology
We explain the German insurance term Kasko in plain English and cross-check every cover definition against the legal model conditions and independent sources. We do not rank insurers ourselves, and the prices in the comparison come from our partners' live tariff data, not from us. Any cost figure is an orientation, never a guarantee, because each insurer calculates your premium individually.
- AKB (Allgemeine Bedingungen fuer die Kfz-Versicherung): the model conditions that define Teilkasko and Vollkasko cover.
- VVG (Versicherungsvertragsgesetz): the law governing the insurance contract, term and right to cancel.
- GDV (Gesamtverband der Versicherer): the Typklasse and Regionalklasse rating system and yearly cost figures.
- Finanztip and Stiftung Warentest: independent guidance on when Teilkasko or Vollkasko is worthwhile.
- BaFin: the supervisory framework for insurers in Germany.
- Live tariff data from our partners CHECK24 and Tarifcheck. We do not influence their prices or rankings.
Related Guides
Types of Car Insurance
Haftpflicht, Teilkasko and Vollkasko compared side by side.
Teilkasko (Partial)
What partial Kasko covers, what it costs and when it is enough.
Vollkasko (Full)
When full Kasko is worth the extra cost over Teilkasko.
Car Insurance Germany Hub
The full KFZ-Versicherung overview for newcomers.
How Comparison Sites Work
Why the portals are free and which insurers they miss.
Car Insurance for Expats
A focused guide for newcomers insuring a car in Germany.
Now You Know What Kasko Means
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