Car Insurance in Europe

[Quintin@USRT]

Man...so i just quoted the cost on my future B6 S4 both at home in DC and my overseas station in Bamberg, Germany..

DC: $104/mo (full coverage)
EU: $396/mo (full coverage)

Long story short OUCH.

This is through USAA.

Dont know any other insurance companies that offer overseas protection...

[Horror Business]

Is that similar to what a european citizen would pay or is it adjusted just for an american traveling there?

[Quintin@USRT]

Is that similar to what a european citizen would pay or is it adjusted just for an american traveling there?

German citizens get shafted when it comes to car things. Like just for them to get a license is at least $2000. They tell me the insurance is really high for them as well but i'm not sure specifics.

[John Y]

German citizens get shafted when it comes to car things. Like just for them to get a license is at least $2000. They tell me the insurance is really high for them as well but i'm not sure specifics.

I'm not a German citizen, but I live here and my premiums for my GTI that I shipped over with me are moderately lower here than they were in New York. Maybe you should try a German insurer once you get here.

[Quintin@USRT]

I'm not a German citizen, but I live here and my premiums for my GTI that I shipped over with me are moderately lower here than they were in New York. Maybe you should try a German insurer once you get here.

you military?

[powdercrazy]

the reason the insurance companies are charging more when you are stationed overseas, is because Americans have a difficult time driving, due to the smaller roads and faster speeds. Plus a lot of Americans bring over big SUV's and trucks, and due to all those points a vast majority of accidents around military installations, are caused my Americans. This is why insurance companies like USAA and Geico charge so much. You're lucky to be stationed in Germany, Italy's insurance premium are almost double of what they are in Germany.

[AIRider]

Isn't insurance premium based on engine displacement as well.

[Quintin@USRT]

the reason the insurance companies are charging more when you are stationed overseas, is because Americans have a difficult time driving, due to the smaller roads and faster speeds. Plus a lot of Americans bring over big SUV's and trucks, and due to all those points a vast majority of accidents around military installations, are caused my Americans. This is why insurance companies like USAA and Geico charge so much. You're lucky to be stationed in Germany, Italy's insurance premium are almost double of what they are in Germany.

I guess that depends on where in america you're from. Its kinda funny people love breakin the speed limit in the US and then they get somewhere there isnt a speed limit and they're just confused.

Me being a car guy had zero problems cruisin down the bahn at 105~115. Someone comes up behind me haulin ass i just move over. Some people i've road with dont understand the concept of monitoring how fast someone is approaching from behind and how to switch lanes accordingly. They also dont understand speeding up at a good rate when getting on highways or when its more prudent to speed up to get over vs slow down...
Boggles my mind.

[John Y]

you military?

Nope.

[Quintin@USRT]

Nope.

just talked to one of my friends, she's paying $200/mo for her car thru a german insurer but not sure what kind of car it is so that may have an effect.

[Shomegrown]

Man...so i just quoted the cost on my future B6 S4 both at home in DC and my overseas station in Bamberg, Germany..

DC: $104/mo (full coverage)
EU: $396/mo (full coverage)

Long story short OUCH.

This is through USAA.

Dont know any other insurance companies that offer overseas protection...

That sounds about right. I think I paid about 300/mo ten years ago when I brought my S4 over.

[A.Wilder]

Don't bring a german car to germany, that's DIW. Go find a decent 60's muscle/pony car for a decent price, have a friend ship over some good old american go-fast parts and sell that hunk of iron for a huge profit when you leave.

[John Y]

just talked to one of my friends, she's paying $200/mo for her car thru a german insurer but not sure what kind of car it is so that may have an effect.

Converted from EUR, I think my annual premium works out to $100-150 per month, but I can check.

[Son]

1. Germany is just a part of Europe.
2. You can't simply convert Euro prices in Germany to Dollars and have the whole truth.

[John Y]

1. Germany is just a part of Europe.
2. You can't simply convert Euro prices in Germany to Dollars and have the whole truth.

1. Yes, it is - and there are differences in insurance rates between those parts, so..???

2. What "whole truth" are you referring to? The discussion here focuses on whether insurance over here costs more or less than it does in the States, and what factors might influence the price he pays. If the OP were ultimately unable to find a quote that is less than 4x as much as what he now pays, I would say that is the "whole truth" as far as he is concerned - it would be much more expensive, right?

[K.Lagan]

1. Germany is just a part of Europe.

Thank you, there's no such thing as unified car insurances across Europe.

But HOLY HELL, I pay something like 50€/month for full coverage for my Volvo in Belgium and I consider it a rip-off compared to french insurrance costs. I didn't know it was that expensive in Germany.

[Shomegrown]

Thank you, there's no such thing as unified car insurances across Europe.

But HOLY HELL, I pay something like 50€/month for full coverage for my Volvo in Belgium and I consider it a rip-off compared to french insurrance costs. I didn't know it was that expensive in Germany.

You're comparing a 1.6L diesel to a V8 S4. Anything that bombs down the Autobahn at 250 km/h in Germany won't be cheap to insure.

[GoLfUnV]

are you insuring it through US policy or Euro? Back home (not Germany) registration is included in your insurance, and what drives the cost is size of the engine. Try getting a quote for VW polo with 1l engine, i am willing to bet it will be less than 1/3 of what you were quoted for B6.

[K.Lagan]

You're comparing a 1.6L diesel to a V8 S4. Anything that bombs down the Autobahn at 250 km/h in Germany won't be cheap to insure.

Sure! But can it still explain such a difference? I mean ... That's more than 6 times what I'm paying right now.

[Shomegrown]

Sure! But can it still explain such a difference? I mean ... That's more than 6 times what I'm paying right now.

You're 6 times more likely to crash at 250 km/h than at 180 or whatever your diesel tops out at.

[usafstud]

Italy's liability coverage requirement is much higher than US. I'm sure it is the same with rest of EU.

[duffmanh06]

Don't bring a german car to germany, that's DIW. Go find a decent 60's muscle/pony car for a decent price, have a friend ship over some good old american go-fast parts and sell that hunk of iron for a huge profit when you leave.

Thiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssss

[Shomegrown]

Italy's liability coverage requirement is much higher than US. I'm sure it is the same with rest of EU.

This. I think I had 30 mil coverage in Europe - only 1 mil in the US.

[Quintin@USRT]

Ok just got a reply back from Mirascon and it cost:

115EUR/mo or roughly 145USD/mo which is alot better.

[AE2058]

I pay $230 per month for full coverage on a 05 VW Passat V6 & 08 Passat 2.0t from USAA.

[Tommi]

Price depends on risk - that is what insurance is about.

When I lived in Belgium (2005-2008) Audi A4 2.0T Quattro cost me 1600€/year. I had more than 10 year non collision history, had alarm and garage. I was over 35. Same time my wife's coworker 25 year old guy who just got license and bought first car (2500€ POS, no garage, etc.) paid 3000€/ year.

Now in Finland insurance with same coverage costs a bit less than 1000€/year. If I lived outside Helsinki region price would drop about 100€/year.

Our system allows 60% bonus for mandatory basic insurance (covers innocent parts damage, it takes 12 years to gain max bonus - complex system) and 70% for voluntary that covers your own stupidity etc. (insurance companies give maximum bonus immediately to get customers.)

Out of curiosity I checked what new MY 2012 A4 would cost me: Mandatory insurance 811€/year (no bonus) and with best voluntary insurance (includes 70% bonus) 1905€/year. I would get several discounts: my other insurances are in the same company 230€, I have other cars (clean history) in this company 80€/year, I was making order via Internet - campaign -20% 299€/year. Total for me (41 year old man) would have been a bit under 1300€ /year.

This insurance would have been valid in whole Europe expect voluntary part (car theft, vandalism, own stupidity) wouldn't have been valid in certain parts of eastern Europe.

[BartVW]

You're 6 times more likely to crash at 250 km/h than at 180 or whatever your diesel tops out at.

I don't think the topspeed of a car has anything to do with the likelihood of crashing. I don't know much about foreign car-insurance. I do know that in Holland the premium depends on, age of the driver, years of driving experience (calculated as years having a license ) and the car you drive.
For each car, insurance companies keep track of the number of accidents by agegroup and number of times they get stolen. So if you're 18 and would like to drive an e30 320i, be prepared to pay top money, since you are in a (somewhat) risky car and are an inexperienced driver. I looked into it at age 20 and had to pay 120€ a month for a basic liability insurance for one, as compared to only €40 a month for the Golf Mk2 diesel (no-turbo) I had back then.

[Shomegrown]

I don't think the topspeed of a car has anything to do with the likelihood of crashing. I don't know much about foreign car-insurance. I do know that in Holland the premium depends on, age of the driver, years of driving experience (calculated as years having a license ) and the car you drive.
For each car, insurance companies keep track of the number of accidents by agegroup and number of times they get stolen. So if you're 18 and would like to drive an e30 320i, be prepared to pay top money, since you are in a (somewhat) risky car and are an inexperienced driver. I looked into it at age 20 and had to pay 120€ a month for a basic liability insurance for one, as compared to only €40 a month for the Golf Mk2 diesel (no-turbo) I had back then.

In Germany the performance of the car definitely factors into the risk.

Fast/Cheap cars are the worst combination. When the Subaru STI's first came out, the insurance rate in Germany was over 10,000 Euro per year because it was a fast track oriented car that younger people could buy (and crash).