Insurance cover for foreign registered passenger cars in Germany

Motorists travelling on German roads need motor vehicle liability insurance. That includes cars visiting Germany from abroad. Without valid insurance coverage you are not allowed to drive in Germany. Depending on what country the car comes from, the legal requirement is either insurance taken out within the European Economic Area (EEA) as evidenced by the license plate, a Green Card or frontier insurance. We explain what to look out for with regard to insurance cover:

The “International Motor Insurance Card” is better known as Green Card. In all member countries of the Green Card system it is proof of third party cover, i.e. motor vehicle liability insurance, in accordance with the regulations in the respective country the car is travelling in. What's more, the Green Card contains important data on the vehicle, its keeper and their insurance. Since 1 July 2020 , the colour of the document has changed in Germany: while it used to be green it is now black and white.

Ukrainian refugees may obtain a digital Green Card from their Ukrainian motor insurance even if the vehicle is not currently in Ukraine.

The so-called license plate agreement applies in all EEA countries (i.e. all EU countries plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Croatia) as well as in Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Monaco, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland and in the UK; which means that for cars registered in one of those countries a valid license plate alone is proof of insurance. Therefore, such vehicles don't need a Green Card when travelling in EEA countries.

If a car is registered in a country that is a member of the Green Card system but not a member of the EEA (like for instance Ukraine), however, the driver does need to carry a Green Card when travelling in an EEA country.

You will obtain the Green Card from your motor insurance carrier. The keeper of a foreign registered car should get in touch with their (foreign) motor insurance carrier that will be able to provide further information on how the Green Card is issued and sent to the motorist.

There is an expiration date printed on the front of the Green Card.

Frontier insurance is motor vehicle liability insurance for cars registered in a non-EU country that do not have any other valid proof of motor vehicle liability insurance such as a Green Card provided by the foreign motor insurance carrier. If the driver of a car registered in a non-EU country wants to cross the border to an EU country without such valid proof of insurance, they must take out motor vehicle liability insurance when crossing the border; this is called frontier insurance.

Motor vehicle liability insurance ensures that victims of a traffic accident will be compensated. Motorists driving on public roads in Germany without motor vehicle liability insurance commit a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment or a fine. This applies even if the violation is the result of negligence rather than intent. What's more, motorists will be held liable for third-party damages they caused with their vehicle.

Also, vehicles travelling in Germany without valid motor vehicle liability insurance will be seized and prevented from continuing their journey by the authorities.

Frontier insurance can be taken out for up to one year. Details will need to be agreed with the carrier offering the frontier insurance policy. The insurance is valid within the geographical borders of Europe as well as non-European territories that are part of the European Union. If the insurance expires while the motorist is still in the area it was purchased for, it must be renewed ahead of time.

The driver is required to carry the insurance certificate issued by the motor insurance carrier, so that they can prove there is valid third-party cover for the vehicle. In accordance with current law, the insurance certificate must be presented in paper form when stopped by police. Therefore, if the insurer issues a digital insurance certificate, the driver is required to carry a printout of the digital document in the vehicle.

Frontier insurance is generally offered by motor insurance carriers in Germany.

If you drive a car registered in Ukraine and would like to get motor vehicle liability insurance for Germany, you can purchase a Green Card from your Ukrainian motor insurer (see above). This card gives you liability cover for Europe, which means you will be free to travel to any other European country, too. If you don't have a Green Card, you will need to take out frontier insurance at the EU border. Some of the refugees coming to Germany already have frontier insurance for their Ukrainian vehicle, purchased at a neighbouring country of Ukraine (Poland, Hungary, Moldova). If the frontier insurance expired or if none was purchased in an EU country bordering Ukraine, drivers of Ukrainian vehicles will be required to present proof of a valid frontier insurance policy in Germany from 1 June 2022. The motor insurers’ special initiative will end on 31 May 2022.

Motor insurance carriers can only sell “regular” motor vehicle liability insurance policies for cars registered in Germany. If the car was registered in Ukraine, frontier insurance is the only option. Keepers of Ukraine-registered cars who decide to register their vehicle in Germany, however, will need German motor vehicle liability insurance. In that case, the keeper of the vehicle can approach a German motor insurance provider prior to registering the car.