Here you can find out everything you need to know about the no-claims bonus for second cars. When you take out car insurance for a second car, there are many insurance companies where you can get a higher no-claims bonus for the second car right out of the gate. We tell you which discounts you can count on for a second car.
Nowadays, most households in Germany own not only one car, but even two or more vehicles. Insurance must then also be taken out for each car. Because a vehicle without motor vehicle liability insurance may not participate in road traffic. When you buy new insurance for a vehicle, you usually start with the low no-claims class ½. This makes automobile insurance very expensive to begin with.
Special ratings for second cars
Fortunately, many insurance companies offer special ratings for second cars. In this context, one also speaks of the so-called second car insurance. Insurance companies offer their customers the option of starting with a higher no-claims bonus for their second vehicle. For the policyholder, this has the advantage that the insurance for the second vehicle is significantly cheaper from the start. The exact rules, with which no-claims class the second vehicle is classified at the beginning, however, can vary from insurance company to insurance company.
With the second vehicle directly in more favorable no-claims class enter
If a new car insurance policy is taken out for a first vehicle without special classifications, it usually starts with the expensive SF class ½. With the second car, on the other hand, the insured person can start directly with the higher SF classes 2 – 4 with many insurance companies. In these no-claims classes, the premium rate you pay is much lower than in SF class ½. The policyholder thus saves the two to four years it would otherwise take to reach the more favorable no-claims class through the special classification for the second car. Provided, of course, that he remains accident-free during this time.
The following table illustrates how much money can be saved on car insurance through a high no-claims bonus and the associated lower premium rate.
No-claims bonus for second car like first car
With some insurance companies, customers even have the option of taking over the no-claims bonus of the first car with the second car. The second car starts at the beginning of the insurance with the same no-claims bonus as the first car. Of course, this advantage of second car insurance is especially important if the policyholder has already achieved a very high no-claims bonus with the first car.
Most insurance companies, however, set certain conditions so that they classify the second car directly in the same no-claims class as the first car. For example, some insurance companies expect that one has remained accident-free within the last twelve months, and all drivers of the branch car are at least 24 years old. Other car insurers, on the other hand, require that at least SF class 4 has been reached with the first car.
Second car insurance for novice drivers
As a novice driver, one initially enters the car insurance with a very unfavorable no-claims class, which makes the car insurance for novice drivers very expensive. It may therefore be worthwhile to insure the novice driver's car as a second vehicle through the parents in order to benefit from the advantages of second car insurance. The disadvantage of this is that the beginner cannot obtain a higher no-claims bonus for himself as long as his vehicle is insured as a second car through his parents. However, almost all car insurers now offer the possibility to have the no-claims bonus transferred from the parents after a few years.