Insure your trailer: A must for safety and protection on the road
24 Apr 2025
12
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
Do you need to insure a trailer? The short answer is usually yes. Since 2002, there has been a legal requirement in Germany to insure most trailers to clarify liability issues and protect accident victims.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Since 2002, in Germany, there has been a legal requirement for most vehicle owners to have their own liability insurance to cover damages to third parties.
The cost of trailer liability insurance is often low (about €12-50 per year), and optional comprehensive coverage for your own damages is also available.
Exceptions from the insurance obligation exist for specific sports and agricultural trailers, but here too, voluntary liability insurance for when they are detached is usually advisable.
Understanding the legal obligation for trailer insurance
Since 2002, it has been a legal requirement in Germany for most trailer owners to have their own liability insurance. This regulation is found in the Compulsory Insurance Act (PflVG), with § 1 PflVG being particularly relevant. The introduction of this requirement aimed to simplify the often complicated claims settlement process for accidents involving trailers. Before this legislative change, trailers were often insured via the towing vehicle, which led to issues when damage was caused by parked trailers. Independent insurance ensures that the trailer owner is liable for the damages caused.
This insurance obligation applies to trailers used on public roads or areas. Without corresponding proof, usually in the form of an electronic insurance confirmation (eVB number), it is not possible to register the trailer. The necessity to insure a trailer is not optional but a legal requirement for most trailer users. There are only a few exceptions to this rule. We will clarify the exact regulations and which insurance is right for your trailer below.
Insurance options for trailers: From liability to comprehensive
For trailers, there are various types of insurance that cover different risks. The legally required basic cover is third-party liability insurance. This covers personal injury, property damage, and financial losses that you may cause to others with your trailer, up to the agreed cover amounts – often up to 100 million euros for property and financial damages and up to 15 million euros per person injured.
In addition to compulsory insurance, you can protect your trailer with comprehensive insurance. There are two types:
The partial comprehensive insurance covers damage to your own trailer, which may occur due to theft, fire, explosion, storms, hail, glass breakage, or a collision with wild animals. Partial comprehensive insurance is often available for an annual premium starting at about 75 euros.
The fully comprehensive insurance includes all the benefits of partial comprehensive insurance and goes further. It also covers damages caused by vandalism and accidents for which you are at fault with your own trailer. Even damage from tyre blowouts can be covered here. This more comprehensive cover is particularly recommended for new or high-value trailers and usually costs from 100 euros per year.
The choice of the right protection depends on your individual security needs and the value of your trailer. A comparison of comprehensive options is worthwhile. Next, we will take a closer look at the costs.
Keeping Costs in Mind: What Trailer Insurance Costs
The cost of trailer insurance is usually significantly lower compared to car insurance. A basic liability insurance for a trailer can often be obtained for an annual fee between 12 and 50 euros. For a trailer with a permissible total weight up to 750 kilograms, the liability costs range between 15 and 45 euros annually.
Several factors influence the premium amount:
Type of trailer and construction: Is it an open box, a box trailer, or a specialist transporter?
Permissible total weight: Heavier trailers can generally have higher premiums. The vehicle tax for a 750-kg trailer is, for example, around 29 euros annually.
Value of the trailer (new price/market value): This is particularly relevant for comprehensive insurance.
Type of use: Private use is often cheaper than commercial use.
Desired insurance coverage: Liability, partial comprehensive, or full comprehensive.
An important difference from car insurance is the absence of no-claims classes in trailer insurance. This means the premium is generally always calculated at 100 percent and does not increase after a claim. It is advisable to compare different offers to find the right protection at the best price. Now to the exceptions from the insurance obligation.
Exceptions prove the rule: When is no separate insurance necessary?
Although most trailers require their own insurance, there are some exceptions to this obligation. These mainly concern special types of trailers used for specific purposes. These often include:
Trailers for sports purposes, such as boat trailers, horse trailers for transporting competition horses, or glider trailers.
Certain trailers in agriculture and forestry, which for example are only allowed to travel at a maximum of 25 kilometres per hour and often have a green number plate.
For these trailers exempt from compulsory insurance, it is often the case that they are covered by the motor vehicle liability insurance of the towing vehicle as long as they are coupled. However, caution is advised: As soon as such a trailer is uncoupled and, for example, rolls away causing damage, the insurance cover of the towing vehicle may not apply. Therefore, experts often recommend taking out separate, albeit voluntary, liability insurance for these trailers to cover such risks. It is important to know that even trailers exempt from insurance require an official number plate to participate in road traffic. The misuse of a trailer actually exempt from insurance, such as using a competition horse trailer for a move, can result in insurance becoming mandatory. In the next section, we delve into specific legal issues and expert knowledge.
Expert knowledge: Legal intricacies and recent judgments
In the field of trailer insurance, there are some legal aspects and court rulings that are relevant for owners. The Compulsory Insurance Act (PflVG), particularly § 1, forms the basis of the insurance obligation. § 2a of the PflVG, however, lists certain exceptions to this obligation. An interesting development occurred in 2020 due to a change in the law regarding liability in accidents involving caravans. This aimed to clarify the allocation of liability, with the owner of the towing vehicle increasingly being held responsible again if the caravan is involved in an accident.
Our expert tip: Confirm with your insurer whether the towing vehicle and trailer need to be insured with the same provider. Some insurers require this as a condition, while others allow free choice.
A ruling by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) on 15 March 2023 (Ref. VI ZR 87/22) highlights the owner's liability. Even if a parked trailer is bumped by a third party (e.g., another vehicle) and damage occurs, the trailer's owner can be liable. This underscores the importance of trailer insurance, as the operating risk of the trailer can exist even when stationary. The coverage amounts should be chosen to be sufficiently high; the statutory minimum coverage sums are 7.5 million euros for personal injuries and 1.22 million euros for property damage. However, many rates today offer considerably higher amounts, such as 100 million euros overall. These details are set out in the General Terms and Conditions for Motor Insurance (AKB) of your contract. The question of whether a trailer must be insured can therefore be answered with a clear yes in most cases.
Green license plates and the insurance obligation: A common misconception
A common misconception concerns trailers with a green license plate. Many believe that these are generally exempt from insurance obligations. However, the green license plate primarily signals an exemption from vehicle tax, not automatically from insurance obligations. The tax exemption is granted for trailers used for specific purposes, such as in agriculture and forestry or for special sports equipment.
Although some of these trailers (e.g., for sport horses or boats) can indeed be exempt from the obligation of having their own trailer insurance and are covered by the towing vehicle when they are hitched, this is not the case for all trailers with a green license plate. The insurance obligation according to the Compulsory Insurance Act remains for many registration-obligated trailers even with a green license plate. Even if an exception from the insurance obligation applies, it is strongly recommended to have voluntary liability insurance for the unhitched state, as significant liability risks may arise here. Damage caused by a runaway trailer can quickly amount to several thousand euros. Therefore, always clarify the status of your trailer with a green license plate precisely with your registration office and insurance. Securing your mobility should be a priority here.
Claim: Who pays when, and what should be considered?
If damage occurs involving a trailer combination, the question of liability and cost coverage is crucial. The basic principle is: If the trailer is securely connected to the towing vehicle and the combination is part of traffic, the motor vehicle liability insurance of the towing vehicle generally covers the damage caused to a third party by the combination. This was further clarified by a legislative amendment in 2020, which tends to place greater liability on the towing vehicle.
However, if an uncoupled trailer causes damage – for example, if it rolls away and damages another vehicle – the separate liability insurance of the trailer applies. This was one of the main reasons for the introduction of independent trailer insurance in 2002. With damage to your own trailer, the chosen comprehensive cover is decisive. Partial comprehensive insurance covers, for example, theft or storm damage, while full comprehensive insurance also covers self-inflicted accident damage or vandalism to the trailer. An interesting aspect is mutual damage between towing vehicle and trailer, such as during maneuvering. If the towing vehicle has comprehensive insurance, such damage is often covered, provided there was no external influence.Document every damage incident carefully with photos and witness statements to ease the claim process with insurers. A stable premium rate is common in trailer insurance, as there are no no-claims discounts.
Conclusion: The right trailer insurance as essential protection
More useful links
Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) offers statistics on the vehicle fleet in Germany.
Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) provides information on traffic accidents.
German Road Safety Council (DVR) offers publications for businesses and public institutions.
On the platform Gesetze im Internet you can find the Compulsory Insurance Act (PflVG), which forms the basis of the motor vehicle insurance obligation.
Another publication by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) deals with accidents involving goods vehicles.
The Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) provides information on commercial transport and market access procedures.
FAQ
Do I need to insure my private car trailer?
Yes, in Germany, almost all private car trailers used on public roads have been required to have their own motor liability insurance since 2002. This obligation serves to clearly regulate liability issues in the event of damage.
What damages does the trailer liability insurance cover?
Trailer liability insurance covers personal, property, and financial damages that you cause to third parties with your trailer. The coverage amounts are contractually agreed, often up to 100 million euros.
Is it worth getting third-party, fire and theft insurance or comprehensive insurance for my trailer?
A partial comprehensive insurance (against theft, storm, etc.) makes sense if the trailer is used regularly or has a certain value. Fully comprehensive insurance (additionally covers vandalism, self-inflicted damage) is recommended for new or very expensive trailers.
Are there no-claims bonuses for trailer insurance?
No, with trailer insurance, there are generally no no-claims classes like with car insurance. The premium is usually calculated at 100 percent and does not increase after a claim.
What should be considered regarding insurance for trailers with a green license plate?
A green number plate means tax exemption, but not automatically exemption from insurance. Many trailers with a green number plate still require their own liability insurance. Always clarify this individually.
Where can I take out trailer insurance?
Trailer insurance is offered by most car insurers. As a digital insurance portal, nextsure helps you find suitable offers and finalize a tailored solution.
