Breakdown cover in Germany
If you’re driving to Germany, having European breakdown cover can make it much easier to get the help you need. For example, if you get a flat battery while you’re away, you can call our English-speaking helpline and we’ll arrange assistance for you. Plus, if you have breakdown cover in Germany, you’ll be covered for the cost of roadside assistance in Germany and get a contribution towards labour costs at the garage.
You should keep in mind that UK breakdown cover doesn’t usually cover you in Europe (unless you’ve bought European breakdown cover as an add-on). You’ll need to buy a separate European policy to make sure you have breakdown cover in Germany.
24/7 English-speaking helpline
European roadside assistance in 48 countries
Five Star Defaqto rated cover
Levels of European breakdown cover in Germany
We offer two types of European breakdown cover for you to choose – read how they compare against each other below.
Comprehensive
For £4.17 a day
Roadside Assistance in Europe
We’ll pay up to £150 towards garage labour costs. Provided repairs are completed on the same working day
Get up to £500 accommodation expenses or up to £1,500 to continue your journey
We’ll pay up to the market value of your vehicle to get it back to the UK, providing it’s not beyond economical repair
If your vehicle can’t be fixed before you’re due to return, we’ll help get you and any passenger's home up to £1,500
Get 2 days’ UK Roadside Assistance before you depart, for all breakdowns over a ¼ of a mile from home
24/7 English-speaking helpline
FREE European Legal Care
Replacement train/ferry ticket for up to 1 missed connection, if the delay is caused by a breakdown
Comprehensive Plus
For £6.83 a day
Roadside Assistance in Europe
We'll pay up to £1,000 towards garage labour costs. Provided repairs are completed within 7 working hours
Up to £1,200 accommodation expenses and/or up to £3,000 to continue your journey
We’ll cover all costs to get your vehicle to get it back to the UK, providing it’s not beyond economical repair
If your vehicle can’t be fixed before you’re due to return, we’ll help get you and any passenger's home up to £3,000
Get 7 days’ UK Roadside Assistance before you depart, for all breakdowns over a ¼ of a mile from home
24/7 English-speaking helpline
FREE European Legal Care
Replacement train/ferry tickets for up to 3 missed connections, if the delay is caused by a breakdown
Above prices are based on European breakdown cover for a 14 day trip, in a vehicle up to 1 year old, travelling in zone 1.
What happens if I break down in Germany?
If you break down in Germany, what you do next depends on whether or not you have European breakdown cover.
If you have RAC European Breakdown Cover:
- Call the RAC’s English-speaking helpline on 0033 472 4352 44 – lines are open 24/7
- Our team will arrange roadside assistance for you
- When help arrives, they’ll fix your vehicle at the roadside or tow you to the nearest garage for further repairs
- Depending on what level of cover you have, we’ll also pay towards garage labour costs, onward travel expenses and accommodation fees while your car’s being fixed
If you break down on the motorway (‘Autobahn’) in Germany, you need to call the Autobahn Administration first. Find out more.
If you don’t have European breakdown cover:
- You’ll need to find a recovery company to come out to you and tow you to a garage if needed
- If your car needs repairs at a garage, you’ll have to find a garage nearby
- In addition, you’ll have to pay all recovery and labour costs yourself
What to do if you break down on the motorway in Germany
If you break down on the motorway (‘Autobahn’) in Germany, call the Autobahn Administration first using one of the emergency telephones at the roadside. These are positioned along the Autobahn – just follow the arrows on guideposts, which will direct you to the nearest one. The phone number for emergency services is 110
Here’s a step-by-step guide for what to do if you break down on the motorway in Germany:
- Don’t call the RAC – instead, use one of the emergency phones at the roadside
- If you can’t get to an emergency phone, call the emergency services on 110
- The emergency services will send help and you’ll be towed to safety
- Once you’ve been towed to a designated safe area, call the RAC on 0033 472 4352 44
- We’ll send assistance and talk you through next steps
Important contact numbersIf you’re driving to Germany, keep important phone numbers stored in your contacts, including:
RAC European Breakdown from anywhere in Europe
British Embassy in Berlin
British Consulate Munich
British Consulate Dusseldorf
British Consulate Hamburg
Emergency Services
Here's a really important bit of information. You can dial 112 from anywhere in Europe and an operator will connect you to an emergency service in the country you're visiting. Operators can answer your call in their native language, English, and French.
You should also store contact details of your accommodation and onward destinations. Then if your plans change because of a breakdown, or you know you’ll be delayed for a long time, you can call ahead and let people know.
Preparing for your visit to Germany
In Europe, it’s important to have the right driving kit in your car. You could be fined up to €530 for not having the right items with you. Before you set off, check what you need and buy a European Driving Kit from us to make sure you don’t run into trouble.
Even though you have breakdown cover, you can reduce the risk of a vehicle breakdown or needing roadside assistance in Germany by following these easy steps:
Check the condition of your tyres
This is one of the most important maintenance tasks you can carry out on your car. Look for any signs of wear and tear. Check the depth of the tyre’s tread. Worn tyres are dangerous – so if any are in poor condition, get them replaced.
Check oil and coolant levels
Check the levels of coolant, oil and screenwash in your car. Also carry extra to top up levels during your journey, especially if you’re driving long distances or over a longer period of time.
Inspect windscreen wipers
If your windscreen wipers have any tears in them, they won’t operate properly and will affect your driving. Check the blades for any damage and replace prior to travelling, if necessary.
Fill the tank up with fuel
Fill your vehicle up with fuel before leaving the UK. There are service stations in Germany, however filling up your tank before travelling means one less thing to worry about.
Book your vehicle in for a service
Before you travel, book your vehicle in for a service – a professional can check for any issues and fix them ahead of your trip to Germany. Find your nearest RAC approved garage today.
Read more about driving in Germany with our country guide here.
What our members are saying
What are the driving rules in Germany?
In Germany, the rules of the road are different. Certainly in comparison to the UK anyway, if not the rest of Europe. It’s every motorist’s responsibility to be aware of these regulations and laws before driving, so that you understand and abide by them.
Such rules include:
- You should drive on the right side of the road – the opposite to the UK – and overtake other cars on the left.
- Vehicles coming to an intersection from the right have right of way unless stated otherwise. This means you should give way to vehicles approaching from the right.
- Seat belts must be worn by everyone in the car, or you face an on the spot fine.
- The legal limit for drinking and driving is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood, maximum – which is less than the UK.
- Speed limits vary according to the type of road – and they are in place on the autobahn, contrary to urban myth. Only about one-eighth of the autobahn has unrestricted speed. One-third has an 80mph speed limit, and the rest has variable speed limits, so be mindful of your speed on the autobahn.
You can read more about driving in Germany and specific speed limits here.
Things to carry in your vehicle
Vehicles in Germany are required by law to carry the following items. You could be issued a hefty on-the-spot fine for not carrying specific items.
Cars:
- Reflective jackets
- Warning triangle (Compulsory for vehicles registered in Germany)
- Headlamp beam deflectors (Depending on your car, you will either need deflector stickers or have to adjust the beam manually)
- First aid kit (Compulsory for four-wheeled vehicles registered in Germany)
Our European driving kit has all the essentials for people driving in Germany.
Motorbikes:
- Safety helmets are compulsory for drivers and passengers of mopeds and motorcycles
- Motorcycles and mopeds must always be ridden with their passing lights on, even in daylight
Make sure you are insured before travelling to Germany
You might have the driving side of your holiday covered, but before you head off to Germany it’s important to be prepared in other areas too.
Before going aboard, it’s important to have travel insurance in place. RAC offers travel insurance across a range of destinations, giving you complete peace of mind while you’re away. Your travel insurance must cover the dates of your travel and any specifics of your holiday. You should declare if you’re going to be involved in any adventure sports or planning to ski, for example.
Stay prepared all year round with European breakdown cover.
Driving in Germany FAQs
When driving in Germany, make sure you’ve got your:
- Passport or ID card
- Driving license
- Motor insurance certificate
- V5 registration document
- UK sticker
- Reflective jackets
- Warning triangle
- Headlamp beam deflectors
During a traffic check, they may inspect for the following items in your car, so be prepared:
Reflective jackets
- A warning triangle
If you’re driving in wintry conditions, you’ll need winter or all-season tyres, and if your car’s registered in Germany, you’ll also need to carry a first aid kit.
Our European driving kit has most of the essentials you need (except winter tyres).
Having a European driving kit helps make sure you’ve got everything you need when you’re driving in Germany. You legally need to carry a warning triangle, reflective jacket and headlamp beam deflectors if yours can’t be adjusted manually. And a UK sticker if your numberplate doesn’t say UK on it. An RAC European driving kit includes all of this, and other important things like a first aid kit.
You can still drive in Germany after Brexit, you’ll just need to have the right insurance as well as your driving license, passport and V5 registration form. It’s also worth getting European breakdown cover so you can get help if you need roadside assistance.
Yes – as long as you’ve got another form of ID (like your passport), your insurance documents and a V5 registration document. If you're from the UK and move to Germany, you can use your UK driving license for 6 months. After that, it's not valid anymore. But you can swap it for a German license.
You need a UK sticker when driving in Germany if your number plate says GB on it. But if it already says UK, you don’t need one.
This depends on your level of cover and where you’re intending to drive. RAC European Breakdown Cover in Germany covers Zone 1 in Europe, so unless your policy also covers countries in Zone 2, you’ll be restricted as to where you can drive – and still be covered in the event of a breakdown. You’ll be able to drive over to Zone 1 countries France, Luxembourg and Belgium. But Italy and Spain are in Zone 2.
You can keep a car in Germany for up to 6 months in a year with your UK license plates and registration.
Learn more about driving in Germany.
You don’t need a green card to drive in Germany – a UK driving license is fine. But remember to bring another form of ID (like your passport), your insurance certificate and V5 registration document.
Speed limits vary depending on what type of road you’re driving on. The speed limit on much of the autobahn is 80mph.
For more information, please refer to our speed limits in Germany article.
Germany Breakdown Cover FAQs
No, breakdown cover isn’t a legal requirement but it’s worth having European breakdown cover in case your car breaks down and you need roadside assistance.
Some European breakdown cover packages include the use of a replacement vehicle. RAC Comprehensive European Breakdown provides a hire car for up to six days, while RAC Comprehensive Plus European Breakdown Cover provides a hire car for up to 23 days. Terms and conditions apply.
Page reviewed by: Andy Baker