Quad insurance for leisure use: the practical guide for 2025
04.12.2025
6
Minutes
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
A quad bike promises freedom and adventure, but inadequate insurance cover can quickly put an end to the enjoyment. Many riders pay up to €500 a year, but do not know the key ways to save. This guide shows you how to find the right cover for your leisure use and avoid costly mistakes.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Motor vehicle liability insurance is legally required for every quad and covers damage you cause to third parties.
Partial and comprehensive insurance are optional additional insurances that cover damage to your own vehicle, such as theft, collisions with wildlife or vandalism.
The cost of the insurance depends heavily on the type of registration (LoF/VKP), the no-claims class and the usage (e.g. seasonal registration).
Liability insurance: the legal foundation for every quad rider
In Germany, motor third-party liability insurance is a legal requirement for every quad bike, without which approval for use on public roads is impossible. This insurance covers personal injury, property damage and financial loss that you cause to third parties with your vehicle. The sum insured should be at least 100 million euros to ensure you are protected even in serious accidents. A practical example shows why this matters: a brief moment of inattention led to property damage to another car amounting to 12,500 euros, which the liability insurance covered. Without this protection, the quad rider would have had to pay the entire cost out of pocket. Solid liability insurance is the basis for every journey. This cover is the first and most important step before you deal with additional protective measures.
Optimise comprehensive cover: How to protect the value of your own vehicle
While third-party liability covers damage to others, comprehensive insurance protects your own quad. Partial comprehensive insurance is often available for just a few euros extra per month and covers essential risks. These include theft, fire, damage caused by storms from wind force seven or above, or collisions with animals of any kind. A collision with wildlife can quickly cause damage of more than 1,350 euros, which is covered by partial comprehensive insurance. Fully comprehensive insurance goes one step further and also pays out in the event of accidents caused by you and vandalism. Particularly for new or high-value quads worth over 10,000 euros, a fully comprehensive insurance policy is a sensible investment. The choice of the right comprehensive cover depends directly on the vehicle value and your personal need for security.
Analysing cost factors: These 6 factors determine your insurance premium
The annual costs for quad insurance used for leisure activities vary considerably and are often between 100 and 500 euros. The exact premium depends on at least six key factors that you can actively influence. A precise understanding of these drivers enables you to save significantly. Here are the decisive points:
Vehicle type and performance: An ATV with 41 kW of power is classified differently from a small sport quad with 15 kW.
Type of registration: The insurance costs for an LoF registration may differ from those for a VKP registration.
No-claims bonus class (SF class): Drivers with many years of accident-free driving and a high SF class such as SF20 pay significantly less.
Usage and location: Purely private leisure use is cheaper than commercial use; in rural areas, premiums are often lower.
Seasonal licence plates: Anyone who only rides in the summer months from April to October can reduce costs by up to 50 per cent.
Excess: A higher excess in comprehensive cover, for example 300 euros, noticeably reduces the ongoing premium.
The right combination of these factors is the key to affordable yet high-performance quad insurance. Next, we look at the types of registration, which have a significant impact on performance and costs.
In-depth expert approval: LoF versus VKP and the implications for insurance cover
The type of registration has a major impact on quad insurance for leisure use. The most common options are registration as “agricultural or forestry tractor” (LoF) and as a “four-wheeled motor vehicle for passenger transport” (VKP). A LoF registration allows the quad to be driven legally with unrestricted engine output and without a speed limit, which is the main advantage for many riders. To do this, the vehicle must meet technical requirements, such as a tow hitch and a special lighting system. Taxation is based on weight, which is often cheaper than the engine-capacity-based tax for VKP registration. However, new registration as LoF for pure leisure vehicles has been heavily restricted since 2024, but grandfathering for vehicles already registered remains in place. The VKP registration (often as L7e) limits output to a maximum of 15 kW, which is still sufficient for many leisure quads. The choice of registration should therefore be made early and with a view to long-term use.
Case studies and their consequences: When protection decides in an emergency
Theoretical benefits only become tangible in the event of a claim. Imagine your newly purchased quad bike, bought for €8,000, being stolen from the garage. Without partial comprehensive insurance, this means a total loss of €8,000. With the right policy, the insurer will reimburse the replacement value. Another scenario: on an off-road tour, you damage your own vehicle due to an error while driving, and the damage amounts to €2,500. Only fully comprehensive insurance covers this self-inflicted damage and protects you from high repair costs. These examples from the travel & leisure sector show how crucial the chosen level of cover is. Our expert tip: check whether your policy also covers gross negligence, because a brief moment of distraction can be enough to lead to a claim. Analysing real cases helps you assess your own needs more accurately.
Optimisation strategies: Three expert tips for more affordable and better protection
In addition to choosing the right type of insurance, there are other levers to optimise your policy. With three targeted measures, you can save on premiums while also improving your cover. These tips can often be put into practice with just a few clicks or a phone call. Here are our recommendations:
Use the second-vehicle rule: If you already have a car insured, many insurers offer a more favourable classification for the quad as a second vehicle. This can secure you a better no-claims bonus class from the outset.
Specify the usage precisely: Define the usage clearly as a recreational vehicle. Mixed use for agricultural or commercial purposes requires different and often more expensive cover.
Check cover for accessories and modifications: High-quality add-ons such as cases, winches or specialist suspension systems are often not automatically included in the cover. Check with your insurer whether accessories up to a value of, for example, 1,000 euros are included free of charge.
An annual review of your policy ensures that the cover still matches your vehicle and your usage. A well-considered configuration of your Auto & Mobility insurance is the final step towards a carefree driving experience. You are now ready to tailor your individual cover.
More useful links
The Federal Motor Transport Authority provides statistics on new vehicle registrations, including quads.
The Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport provides information on internet-based vehicle registration (i-Kfz).
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) provides comprehensive statistics on road traffic accidents.
The ADAC provides information and legal guidance on quads in road traffic.
Via the platform of the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Road Traffic Act (StVG) can be viewed as the statutory basis.
The German Motor Trade (ZDK) provides information on issues affecting the motor vehicle sector.
FAQ
What insurance do I need for a quad up to 50 cc?
For small quads with an engine capacity of up to 50 cubic centimetres and a maximum speed of 45 km/h, you do not need standard motor vehicle insurance. Here, moped insurance with an insurance number plate is sufficient and legally required.
Does my quad insurance also apply abroad?
Yes, the cover provided by your quad liability insurance generally applies within the geographical limits of Europe as well as in non-European territories that fall within the scope of the EU. For comprehensive cover, you should check the exact terms in your policy.
How can I save on quad insurance?
You can save money by using a seasonal registration for the months in which you actually drive. In addition, a higher excess in comprehensive insurance lowers the premium. Compare offers and make use of any no-claims discount you may have from another vehicle.
What is the difference between a quad and an ATV?
Quads are often lighter and designed to be more sporty, and are primarily intended for leisure and sports use. ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles) are more robustly built, often have all-wheel drive, and are designed both for agricultural work and for demanding off-road riding. From an insurance perspective, they are often treated similarly.
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