Teilkasko Explanation: Your comprehensive guide for optimal protection and cost savings
21 Jun 2025
3
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
A partial coverage insurance protects your vehicle against many unforeseen damages. But what exactly is covered, and when is this protection truly worthwhile for you? This article provides a clear explanation of partial coverage and helps you make the right decision for your car.
The topic in brief and concise terms
The partial cover protects against damage to your own vehicle caused by external factors such as theft, natural disasters, glass breakage, and wildlife collisions, but not against self-inflicted damage or vandalism.
An excess of typically one hundred and fifty euros reduces the premium for partial coverage, which is especially worthwhile for vehicles valued at over four thousand euros and aged between five and fourteen years.
Unlike fully comprehensive insurance, there are no no-claims bonus classes in third-party, fire and theft insurance; the premium is determined, among other factors, by the type class, regional class, and chosen excess.
The Partial Coverage Explained Quickly: Core Benefits at a Glance
Partial coverage insurance offers financial protection against damage to your own vehicle. It applies to events that you generally cannot influence yourself. The most frequently covered damages include theft of the vehicle or permanently installed parts.
Natural events such as storms from wind force seven, hail, or flooding are also typical instances of coverage. Glass breakage, for example from stone chips, is also covered by the partial coverage, often even without a deductible when repaired. Collisions with wild animals like deer or wild boar are another important aspect of the protection.
Many policies extend protection to include animals of all kinds, which represents a significant added value. Partial coverage is thus an important complement to motor vehicle liability insurance. This solid knowledge base helps better assess the necessity of partial coverage.
Practical Insights: When Does Partial Coverage Pay and When Doesn't It?
To make the explanation of partial coverage more tangible, let's consider specific scenarios. If your car is stolen, partial coverage usually replaces the purchase value. For new cars, within the first few months, often up to 24 months, there may even be compensation at the new price.
A common case is marten damage: if a marten bites cables or hoses, partial coverage covers the repair costs. Make sure that consequential damage from marten bites up to a certain amount, such as three thousand euros, is also covered.
Here is a list of typical claims:
Fire and explosion damage to the vehicle.
Short-circuit damage to the wiring.
Damage caused by storms (usually from wind force seven), hail, lightning, or flooding.
Glass breakage, for example, on the windscreen.
Theft of the entire vehicle or permanently installed parts such as navigation systems.
Collision with wild animals (e.g., deer, wild boars); many policies also cover collisions with other animals.
However, partial coverage does not pay for self-inflicted accident damage or vandalism. A comprehensive insurance policy would be necessary for such cases. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for choosing the right cover.
Weighing Costs and Benefits: Who Benefits from Partial Coverage?
The decision to opt for a third-party, fire and theft insurance largely depends on the age and value of your vehicle. Generally, a third-party, fire and theft policy is sensible for vehicles that are between five and fourteen years old and still hold some value, for example, over four thousand euros. For new cars or very young used cars under five years, fully comprehensive insurance is usually recommended.
If your vehicle is already very old and has only a low resale value, then motor liability insurance may suffice under certain circumstances. However, keep in mind that even an older vehicle can incur costs of two thousand euros quickly due to hail damage. The premiums for third-party, fire and theft insurance are often only marginally higher than for basic liability, but offer significantly expanded coverage.
The costs of a third-party, fire and theft insurance policy are influenced by several factors:
Vehicle classification: Reflects the claims and accident history of the model.
Regional classification: Considers the frequency of claims at the registration location.
Amount of excess: A higher excess reduces the premium.
Annual mileage and parking space (e.g., garage).
Unlike fully comprehensive insurance, there are no no-claims discounts in third-party, fire and theft insurance. This means that your premium does not increase after a claim. These aspects help you to better answer the question "When is fully comprehensive insurance no longer worthwhile?" Choosing the right amount of excess is another important point.
Optimise the Deductible: How to Save on Premiums
A deductible in the partial coverage means that in the event of a claim, you bear an agreed amount yourself. Amounts starting at one hundred and fifty euros are common. By choosing a deductible, you can noticeably reduce your insurance premium – the higher the deductible, the lower the contribution.
According to Stiftung Warentest, policyholders with a one hundred and fifty euro deductible in partial coverage often save between ten and thirty percent on the premium compared to a plan without a deductible. Consider what amount you could easily cover yourself in the event of a claim. A common recommendation for partial coverage is a deductible of one hundred and fifty euros.
In the case of glass damage, such as a stone chip in the windscreen, many insurers waive the deductible if the glass is repaired and not replaced. This is an important advantage, as glass damage is among the most common partial coverage claims – over two million cases were reported in 2023. Choosing the right deductible is a central aspect of the partial coverage explanation and directly influences your annual costs. Next, we will consider the subtle differences and distinctions from other forms of coverage.
Expert Depth: Understanding Legal Aspects and Special Services
Partial coverage is a voluntary insurance, unlike the legally required motor liability insurance. Its benefits are defined in the General Terms and Conditions for Motor Vehicles (AKB) of the respective insurer. It is important to know that partial coverage typically reimburses the replacement value of the vehicle at the time of damage. For new vehicles, there is often a new price compensation for a period of up to 36 months.
An important aspect is dealing with gross negligence. Many modern policies include the "waiver of defense for gross negligence." This means the insurance does not reduce the benefit if, for example, a damage is caused by running a red light (within certain limits). Our Expert Tip: Pay attention to this clause in your contract, it can be crucial in an emergency. Damage from marten bites is a common problem; here, you should also consider the coverage for consequential damage, which can often amount to up to three thousand euros.
Here are some points that delve into expert depth:
Total loss: Partial coverage usually reimburses the replacement value or, for newer vehicles, the new or purchase price.
Theft of car parts: Fixed components such as radios or navigation systems are usually covered.
Abroad protection: Partial coverage typically applies within the geographical boundaries of Europe and often also in Mediterranean countries, as noted on the Green Insurance Card.
Suspension insurance: If you temporarily decommission your vehicle, there is often a premium-free suspension insurance coverage in partial coverage, e.g., against theft, when the vehicle is securely parked.
Having a precise knowledge of these details, as found in a comprehensive casco insurance explanation, helps you to make full use of your coverage. Now, let's summarize the key insights.
Summary and Next Steps: Finding Your Optimal Partial Coverage
The third-party, fire and theft insurance explanation shows: This insurance cover is a valuable protection against many unforeseeable risks for your vehicle. It covers damages from theft, natural hazards such as storms and hail, glass breakage, and collisions with wildlife. Especially for vehicles that are a few years old but still hold significant value—often from around four thousand euros—it is a sensible investment.
Choosing the right excess, usually one hundred and fifty euros, can significantly reduce your premium. Pay attention to additional coverages such as protection against collisions with animals of all kinds or the co-insurance of consequential damage from a marten bite. A careful review of the terms and conditions and a comparison of different offers are essential.
Remember that third-party, fire and theft insurance does not cover accidents caused by your own fault or vandalism—for that, comprehensive insurance is responsible. The switch from comprehensive to third-party, fire and theft insurance can be considered from a vehicle age of about five years. With the knowledge from this explanation of third-party, fire and theft insurance, you are well equipped to choose the right protection for your vehicle.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Get your insurance situation reviewed for free and receive concrete optimisation suggestions.
More useful links
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive article on comprehensive insurance that examines the various aspects of this coverage.
The GDV (German Insurance Association) provides current statistics on partial car insurance, offering insights into claims development.
On the Die Versicherer website, you can find information on car insurance type classes that are relevant for premium calculations.
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) provides comprehensive data and analyses on road traffic accidents in Germany.
A detailed table with data on road traffic accidents in Germany is also available on the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) website.
The Consumer Advice Centre provides valuable tips on how you can save hundreds of euros on your car insurance.
Information about the compulsory car insurance requirement for all vehicle owners can also be found at the Consumer Advice Centre.
FAQ
What exactly does a partial cover explanation include?
A third-party, fire and theft insurance explanation outlines coverage for damage to one's own vehicle caused by external influences. This typically includes theft, fire, explosion, storm, hail, lightning, flooding, glass breakage, and damage caused by wildlife. It does not cover self-inflicted accidents or vandalism.
How does the deductible affect my partial coverage premium?
A higher deductible results in a lower insurance premium. For example, if you choose a deductible of one hundred and fifty euros, you will pay this amount yourself in the event of a claim but benefit from lower ongoing costs for your comprehensive insurance.
Is there a downgrade in the no-claims class after a partial coverage claim?
No, there are no no-claims classes in partial cover insurance, and thus no downgrade after a claim incident. The premiums remain unaffected, unlike comprehensive insurance or motor third-party liability insurance.
What role does the replacement value play in partial coverage?
The replacement value is the amount you would need to spend to purchase an equivalent vehicle on the day of the damage. In the event of a total loss or theft, the partial insurance usually reimburses this value, minus any agreed excess.
Are damages caused by marten bites always covered by partial comprehensive insurance?
Damage caused by marten bites is included in many partially comprehensive insurance policies. However, it's important to check the exact conditions, especially whether consequential damages from the bite (e.g., to the engine) are covered up to a certain amount.
What happens if my car is damaged by hail while abroad?
The partial coverage usually applies within the geographical boundaries of Europe, and often in other countries as outlined in your insurance policy (Green Card). Therefore, a hail damage abroad would typically be covered, minus your deductible.
