Breakdown cover in Germany
Breaking down is stressful enough – imagine if you don’t speak the language? Don’t head to the continent without breakdown cover in Germany.
Help is at hand 24/7 with our English-speaking helpline. We’ll always try to fix you at the roadside first. If your car can’t be fixed, we’ll get you to a garage and arrange alternative transport. We’ll even get you and your car back to the UK if needed. Make sure your holiday’s in safe hands with RAC European Breakdown Cover.
24/7 English-speaking helpline
European Roadside Assistance in 48 countries
5 Star Defaqto rated cover
Levels of breakdown cover in Germany
We offer two types of breakdown cover in Germany for you to choose from. Both levels offer Roadside Assistance, 24/7 English-speaking helplines and free European legal help, so you know your holiday’s in safe hands with the RAC.
Read how else they compare against each other below.
Comprehensive
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
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
What our members are saying
Have been a member for over 50 years covering the UK and Europe and have never been let down despite needing the service in France, Germany, Spain and the UK.
Mr Holmes
RAC said they would be there within the hour and they were. They gave me regular updates before their arrival, and, after fixing my puncture, phoned ahead to a local garage to check they had the correct tyre available. Excellent, friendly, efficient service. Thank you.
Christopher
Very honest and quick service from first taking my call, right through to recovery. Very polite and information was spot on. I have been with RAC for about 25 years and this is the first time I needed them, glad I renewed my membership.
J. Bohacz
What to do before your trip to Germany
In Germany, it’s important to have the right driving kit in your car. If you break down, you could receive a fine for not having the right items with you. Also, make sure you have the right kit if you’re driving through another country to get to your destination.
Before you set off, check what you need and follow the steps below to reduce the risk of a vehicle breakdown.
What do you have to carry in your vehicle?
When driving in Germany, it’s the law to carry certain items with you while you’re on the road. It’s worth knowing what you need to avoid a fine.
If you don’t have all the items below, take a look at our European Driving Kits, which include many of the items you’ll need when driving in Germany.
Read our guide to driving in Germany to find out more about the laws and requirements during your trip.
Documents
When driving in Germany, you’ll need to carry your full UK driving license, proof of ID (passport), motor insurance certificate, an emissions sticker and V5 registration document.
Reflective jackets
By law you’re required to carry a reflective jacket for each occupant in your vehicle. These need to be kept within reach.
Warning triangle
In Germany any vehicle with 4 wheels or more must carry a warning triangle. These are used to alert other drivers of upcoming hazards.
Headlamp beam deflectors
These will redirect your vehicle’s headlights so they don’t dazzle oncoming drivers. Depending on your vehicle, you will need deflector stickers or adjust the beam manually.
A UK sticker
If your vehicle doesn’t have a UK identifier on the registration plate, then you’ll have to display a UK sticker (previously known as GB sticker).
Winter tyres
If you’re driving in Germany during the winter, you’re required to have your vehicle fitted with winter tyres to help driving in difficult conditions.
Crash helmets
Crash helmets are compulsory for motorbike, moped, trike or quad bike riders in Germany. This is unless your vehicle is equipped with seatbelts. Motorcycles must always ride with their lights on, even during the day.
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.
Drive on the right and overtake on the left
You should drive on the right side of the road – the opposite to the UK – and overtake other cars on the left.
Drivers approaching on the right have right of way
In Germany, 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.
Seatbelts are compulsory
Seat belts must be worn by everyone in the car, or you face an on the spot fine.
Different legal alcohol level
The legal limit for drinking and driving is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood, maximum – which is less than the UK.
Speed limit differences
Speed limits vary according to the type of road. One third of the autobahn (German motorway system) has an 80mph speed limit, and the remainder has variable speed limits, so be mindful of your speed.
For more information on road rules in Germany, read our extensive guide.
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.
What to do if you break down in Germany
If you break down in Germany, having European breakdown cover makes it much easier to get the help you need. Here’s what to do if you break down, depending on whether or not you have breakdown cover in Germany.
If you have RAC European 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 try to fix your vehicle at the roadside
• If we can’t fix you there and then, we’ll tow you to the nearest garage for further repairs
• Depending on the 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 don’t have cover
• You’ll need to find a recovery company to come out to you
• That company will need to be able to tow you to a garage if needed
• If you need repairs at a garage, you’ll need to find a garage you can trust
• You’ll also have to pay all recovery and labour costs yourself
• If you did not buy European breakdown cover before leaving the UK, we will be unable to help you
Can you help if I break down on the motorway in Germany?
Motorways in many European countries are privately managed. If you’re on a private motorway and your vehicle breaks down, or you’re in a road traffic collision, you must use the roadside emergency telephones before contacting us.
They can tell you whether the RAC can attend, or if they need to send their own recovery vehicle. If your vehicle is recovered in Germany by the police or authorised motorway services, you may have to pay a charge on the spot.
We will reimburse these charges if the vehicle is towed to the recovery company’s depot. If they refuse to send a recovery vehicle, you should contact us.
You might also like
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).
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.
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: Simon Williams