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Why is motor vehicle liability insurance compulsory in Austria?

Reading time 6 Min.

Recently updated on September 23, 2023 at 05:50 am

Why is motor vehicle liability insurance compulsory in Austria?

Similar to Germany, motor vehicle liability insurance is a prerequisite in Austria if a vehicle is to be registered with the registration office. We will show you here when motor vehicle liability insurance kicks in and what the insurance policies cover.

Motor vehicle liability insurance is compulsory in Austria

Liability insurance is mandatory in Austria if you want to register a car. It doesn't matter whether it's a used or new vehicle, or a tuned or unmodified vehicle. Without an insurance confirmation, which serves as provisional coverage for the liability insurance, the registration of the car will be refused at the registration office and you will not receive a license plate.

Why is motor vehicle liability insurance compulsory in Austria?

The reason for compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance is to cover possible damage to third parties by drivers instead of by the general public. With the policy, personal injury, property damage or financial losses are paid out by the insurance company. Minimum sums insured are prescribed by law for motor vehicle insurance. Since hardly anyone can pay for possible millions of euros in damage in major accidents with their private assets, the general public would be responsible in many cases without compulsory insurance, or victims would not receive any compensation for property damage or personal injury.

How do you take out motor vehicle liability insurance?

When taking out car insurance, liability is mandatory by law, while the policyholder is free to forego comprehensive insurance completely. This can be useful if the car is older and has a low time value owns. If you register your car in Austria, liability insurance is included in all policies.

Differences can be seen in the details of the available motor vehicle liability insurance. That's how she scores Grawe motor vehicle liability insurance for example with a bonus benefit if you register more than one vehicle with the insurer. In addition, thanks to internal bonus levels, there is even the possibility that a claim does not lead to a premium increase. This can save you a lot of money and you are very well secured on the road. Motor vehicle liability insurance also covers the defense of unjustified claims by third parties.

What is covered in detail in the liability insurance for the car?

The exact conditions of motor vehicle liability insurance are regulated in your individual policy, so that you have a largely free hand when selecting the coverage amounts, for example. However, in order to fulfill the purpose of motor vehicle liability insurance, namely replacing damage to other people or vehicles, the legislature has set minimum insurance amounts. The minimum is in Austria Sum insured for a car according to the Association of Insurance Companies Austria (VVO) at 7,790 million euros. The sum is broken down into possible property damage/personal injury and has been increased in recent years to also cover the risk of multiple collisions. However, it does not have to stay with the minimum sum insured and you can take out a policy with higher amounts.

A list of the other general conditions of motor vehicle liability insurance is available on the website of the insurance association. This allows you to check to what extent your policy differs from the standard clauses. For example, the insurance cover for most contracts is limited to Europe or states that transport via ferry is also covered by the policy.

Why is motor vehicle liability insurance compulsory in Austria?

In the case of damage caused by simple negligence, the costs are fully covered by the vehicle liability insurance. However, in the case of gross negligence, for example an accident caused under the influence of alcohol, there may be differences that should be recorded in the policy. In this case, the insurance company can take recourse against the polluter if there is gross negligence.

What is not covered by insurance in Austria?

A rare case in which motor vehicle liability insurance only covers part of the costs is exceeding the coverage amount. With a minimum coverage of almost 8 million euros, this should hardly ever happen in the event of accidents, but lifelong damage to the health of several people could exceed this amount. In this case, the person who caused the damage must pay for the difference.

There can also be problems if you don't bring your vehicle to the workshop in time for the next vehicle inspection and the "sticker" has expired. In this case, the insurance cover by the liability insurance does not lapse completely, but a defect that would have been noticed in the workshop can lead to a reduction in the insurance cover. In addition, the insurance cover according to § 152 of the Insurance Contract Act (VersVG) does not apply "... if the policyholder intentionally caused the fact to occur [...] unlawfully". If, for example, personal injury caused by the car is intentionally added, the liability insurance does not have to pay for the costs according to § 152 VersVG.

In which countries is motor vehicle liability insurance valid?

In all countries of the European Union from Andorra to Cyprus you are protected with motor vehicle liability insurance in the event of accidents, so that the insurance cover is not just limited to Austria. However, the exact details may vary depending on the insurance policy. While proof of motor vehicle liability insurance was previously required when entering many countries, this is no longer necessary in the countries of the European Union (EU). However, an international insurance card (IVK), formerly known as a green card, is still required by some non-EU countries.

You will usually receive the international insurance card together with the policy after you have taken out car insurance. If the IVK has been lost or you have not received the card, you can order a replacement from your insurance company. Make sure to do this in good time before an upcoming trip to countries with an IVK obligation to cushion possible waiting times.

Does the vehicle liability insurance have to be proven?

Motor vehicle liability insurance is mandatory in Austria, but special proof is not required, for example for traffic checks. The reason for this is the vehicle registration process, where you have to present an insurance certificate to register a car. This automatically assumes that every registered vehicle has current insurance cover.

Why is motor vehicle liability insurance compulsory in Austria?

This also applies to the remaining countries of the European Union, where existing liability insurance is assumed when the vehicle is registered. However, there are some exceptions where the international insurance card is mandatory. According to the Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club (ÖAMTC), this is currently the case in Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. However, in the Czech Republic, Serbia or Italy, some police officers may still require you to show your IVK.

Isn't private liability insurance enough?

No, motor vehicle liability insurance and private liability insurance are two different policies. Motor vehicle liability insurance is mandatory insurance that must be presented each time a vehicle is registered. It covers possible personal injury, property damage and financial loss, which can quickly reach millions in the event of an accident. Only damage caused by the car is part of the motor vehicle liability insurance.

Private liability insurance, on the other hand, is not compulsory and can be taken out as an option. Since this is not a mandatory policy, the insurance company can cancel you if there are too many claims. Private liability insurance is recommended in addition to motor vehicle liability to cover risks such as causing an accident as a pedestrian.

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About Thomas Wachsmuth

Thomas Wachsmuth - He has been an integral part of tuningblog.eu since 2013. His passion for cars is so intense that he invests every available penny in them. While he dreams of a BMW E31 850CSI and a Hennessey 6x6 Ford F-150, he currently drives a rather inconspicuous BMW 540i (G31/LCI). His collection of books, magazines and brochures on the subject of car tuning has now reached such proportions that he himself has become a walking reference work for the tuning scene.  More about Thomas

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