Ruheversicherung

Ruheversicherung is the dormant ("resting") insurance cover that a German motor insurer grants automatically when a registered vehicle is temporarily taken out of service in German vehicle registration. It keeps the car protected while it is not being driven. When you deregister a car (Außerbetriebsetzung) or lay it up over winter, most German comprehensive policies switch into Ruheversicherung at no extra premium, provided the interruption lasts at least a full month and the car is kept on private, enclosed ground — a garage or a locked hall, not a public street. Cover in the dormant phase is limited but meaningful: fire, theft, storm, hail, rodent damage and glass breakage generally remain insured under the Teilkasko portion, while liability and collision cover lapse because the car may not be driven. Ruheversicherung typically runs for up to 18 months; after that the insurer usually cancels the contract. Two practical consequences matter for non-resident owners. First, the no-claims class (Schadenfreiheitsklasse) is preserved during the dormant phase, so you do not lose years of discount. Second, if the car is stored in an enclosed indoor facility, the conditions for Ruheversicherung are usually satisfied automatically — one reason indoor storage is cheaper in total than a cheap outdoor space.