Partial insurance for your car: When is the protection really worth it for you?
8 May 2025
9
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
The question of when a partial coverage for your car makes sense concerns many vehicle owners. Is your car still new enough for comprehensive coverage, or is the basic liability protection sufficient? This article explores when partial coverage is worthwhile for you and how to optimally protect your vehicle.
The topic in brief and concise terms
A partial cover is often sensible for cars that are between five and seven years old and have a value of over 4,000 euros.
It covers damages caused by theft, fire, glass breakage, wildlife accidents, and certain natural events, but not self-inflicted accidents or vandalism.
The costs depend on factors such as the type of vehicle, regional class, and deductible; a downgrade in the event of a claim does not occur.
Quick Facts: Partial Comprehensive Insurance at a Glance
The partial comprehensive insurance is a voluntary supplementary insurance to third-party liability insurance. It covers damages to your own vehicle caused by external factors for which you, as the driver, are usually not responsible. Typical insured events include theft, fire, glass breakage, as well as damage from storms, hail, lightning, or floods. Unlike fully comprehensive insurance, self-inflicted accident damages or vandalism are generally not covered. A deductible, often 150 euros, is customary and can reduce the premium.
Practice Check: When is third-party, fire and theft insurance the right choice for your car?
The decision of when a partial coverage (Teil Kasko) for your car makes sense largely depends on the current value and age of your vehicle. A common rule of thumb is: For vehicles between five and seven years old, partial coverage can be a good option. If the vehicle's value is over 4,000 Euros, partial coverage is often advisable. If the value is significantly lower, the insurance costs might outweigh the potential benefits. Many experts advise considering switching from comprehensive to partial coverage after about three to five years. A basic understanding of partial coverage helps with this decision. Also, consider your individual situation: If you frequently drive in areas with a high risk of wildlife crossings, partial coverage can be worthwhile even for a slightly older vehicle, as animal collisions are covered. Annual costs for partial coverage can start at around 35 Euros but vary greatly.
Here are some typical scenarios where partial coverage is often the appropriate solution:
Your vehicle is older than four or five years but still has significant value.
You want to protect yourself against common risks such as glass damage (e.g., stone chips) or theft.
Your car is often parked outside and therefore more susceptible to weather damage or marten bites.
You live in a region with an increased risk of natural events or animal collisions.
The premium for a comprehensive insurance is no longer proportionate to the vehicle value.
Weighing these points leads to an informed decision for or against partial coverage.
Weighing up costs and benefits: What does partial coverage actually provide?
A comprehensive insurance covers the costs for a range of specific damages to your own vehicle. The core benefits include protection against theft of the vehicle or permanently installed parts. Damage caused by fire or explosion is also covered. A very common claim is glass breakage, for example, from stone chips on the windscreen; here, repairs or replacements are paid for. The costs for replacing a windscreen can quickly amount to several hundred euros. Furthermore, the comprehensive insurance covers damage caused by direct impact of natural forces such as storms (usually from wind force seven or eight), hail, lightning strike, and flooding. Collisions with wild animals (e.g., deer, wild boar) are also typically insured; many policies extend this coverage to animals of all kinds. Marder bites and their direct consequential damage to wiring are often included as well. A detailed explanation of comprehensive insurance benefits is helpful here. It's important to know that there are no claims-free discounts in comprehensive insurance and hence no downgrading in the event of a claim.
The costs of comprehensive insurance are influenced by various factors:
Vehicle type (type class) and model.
Regional class of your registration district.
Amount of the agreed deductible (150 euros is common).
Annual mileage.
Age and number of drivers.
An in-depth comparison of different types of insurance shows the differences in detail.
Expert Depth: Vehicle value, age, and the right time to switch
The depreciation of a car is highest in the first few years. A new car often loses about a quarter of its value in the first year. After approximately three to five years, the value often drops to a point where switching from comprehensive to third-party, fire and theft insurance becomes economically sensible. The question "When is comprehensive insurance no longer worthwhile?" is therefore closely linked to the vehicle's age and residual value. Third-party, fire and theft insurance is usually worth considering if the vehicle still has a value of at least €4,000. For vehicles older than ten years with only a low residual value, it may even be advisable to forgo any insurance coverage altogether, as repair costs could quickly exceed the vehicle's value. In such cases, the insurance would only reimburse the replacement value in the event of a total loss. Our expert tip: Review the current value of your vehicle annually and adjust your insurance coverage accordingly. Use online valuation portals or ask your dealer for an assessment. This helps you decide when switching from comprehensive to third-party, fire and theft insurance is optimal. Also, consider regional risks; in areas with frequent wildlife accidents, third-party, fire and theft insurance might make sense for longer. Every year there are around 265,000 wildlife accidents in Germany.
Specific cases of damage and what you should consider
The partial cover insurance covers a wide range of damages, but there are details you should be aware of. In the case of glass damage to the car, for example, caused by a stone chip, the partial cover usually covers the cost of repair or replacement of the screen. Often, the excess is even waived for a repair. In the case of hail damage, the partial cover takes care of the repair costs for dents and other damages. If an assessor determines a total loss, the replacement value is refunded. Damage caused by martens is another common problem. The partial cover covers direct damage caused by marten bites to cables and hoses. Importantly, some policies also cover expensive consequential damages, such as engine damage due to a bitten-through cooling water hose, up to a certain amount or even unlimited. Be sure to carefully check your policy conditions. Protection against marten damage is particularly relevant in rural areas. However, the partial cover does not cover damage caused by vandalism or self-inflicted accidents – for this, a fully comprehensive policy would be necessary. Pure wear and tear damages are also not covered. It's always wise to look at the details of your comprehensive insurance.
What the partial cover typically does not cover:
Self-inflicted accident damage to your own vehicle.
Damage caused by vandalism (wilful damage by others).
Pure operational or wear and tear damage.
Damage caused under the influence of alcohol or gross negligence (depending on policy clause).
Loss of items not permanently installed in the vehicle (e.g. mobile phone, laptop).
These distinctions clarify when partial cover provides benefits and when it does not.
Your individual situation counts: Consultation as the key to optimal protection
The question of when a partial insurance policy for the car is the right decision cannot be uniformly answered for every vehicle owner. In addition to the age and value of the vehicle, your personal circumstances and need for security play a crucial role. An annual review of your insurance cover is recommended to ensure that it still fits your current situation and vehicle. The experts at nextsure are happy to assist you in finding a tailored solution for your car insurance. We analyze your individual risk situation and comprehensively advise you on the different coverage options, ensuring that you are neither over- nor under-insured and enjoy optimal protection in the event of a claim. Good advice can help you save costs in the long term and travel with peace of mind.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation checked for free and receive concrete suggestions for optimization.
More useful links
Statista provides data on the inventory of partial comprehensive insurance contracts in Germany.
Statista delivers statistics on partial comprehensive insurance claims for cars in Germany, broken down by type of damage.
GDV provides statistics on partial comprehensive insurance for cars.
GDV offers comprehensive statistics on full and partial comprehensive car insurance.
DAT (Deutsche Automobil Treuhand) provides information about used vehicle values that are relevant for assessing insurance coverage.
The Die Versicherer portal by GDV enables the query of vehicle insurance type classes.
Wikipedia offers a detailed article on comprehensive insurance, with a specific section on partial comprehensive insurance.
FAQ
At what age of the vehicle should I consider partial coverage?
A partial coverage is often recommended for vehicles that are about five to seven years old. If comprehensive coverage no longer seems profitable due to the decreased vehicle value, but the risks for damages such as theft or glass breakage still exist, partial coverage is a good alternative.
What types of damage are typically covered by partial insurance?
Typical partial comprehensive insurance benefits include damage from theft, fire/explosion, glass breakage (e.g., stone chips), storms, hail, lightning strikes, flooding, and collisions with game (often also with animals of all kinds) as well as marten bites.
Does damage affect my premium in the partial coverage?
No, in the partial coverage insurance, there are no no-claims classes. Therefore, a reported claim does not result in an increase in premium or reclassification, as can be the case with comprehensive or liability insurance.
Is a deductible common in partial coverage?
Yes, an excess is very common in the partial coverage insurance. Often, an excess of 150 euros is chosen. By opting for a higher excess, you can reduce the insurance premium.
Does the partial coverage also cover damages abroad?
The scope of the partial cover is defined in the insurance terms and conditions; it usually applies within the geographic boundaries of Europe and the EU member states. For details, you should review your specific contract.
When is basic car liability insurance sufficient?
A basic car liability insurance may be sufficient if your vehicle has only a very low residual value (e.g. under 4,000 euros) and the costs for partial coverage no longer bear a reasonable relationship to the possible damage. This is often the case with vehicles that are older than ten to fourteen years.
