My son turns 18: what changes with the insurance?

The essentials in summary:

• When you turn 18, many insurers switch to the adult rate.
• Check with your children whether all the necessary insurance is available and where it makes sense and is possible to adjust the rates.
• To save money, it often makes sense to insure your child through a family plan while they are still training. Please contact your respective insurer.

What insurance does my child need?

Private liability and health insurance are mandatory for everyone. Depending on your individual situation, household contents insurance and occupational or disability insurance are also recommended.

It often makes sense to insure your child as part of the family contract for as long as possible, for example with liability insurance, household goods or car insurance. It’s usually cheaper overall. Before your child’s 18th birthday, check which necessary insurance policies are available in the family contract. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing insurance coverage for your adult child.

You should also clarify with your child whether there is any unnecessary insurance that can be canceled. This includes, for example, luggage, laptop or cell phone insurance.

We have information on which insurance policies are important at the end of school here compiled in detail for you.

Can my child continue to be covered by statutory health insurance without paying contributions?

The so-called family health insurance also applies from the age of 18. For example, if children are still attending school, studying or completing a voluntary social year, they can continue to be covered by their parents’ health insurance without paying any contributions. However, certain requirements must be met, which you can request from your health insurance company.

Please note: If your adult child works between school and university, they often have their own health insurance. The offspring then fall back on the family insurance. Keep an eye on this together and check the correct insurance rate.

You can find more information about family health plans here.

What changes if my adult child already had private health insurance through me?

For children who were previously privately insured by their parents, turning 18 does not change their status. There is no automatic obligation to have your own insurance. When your child starts training or studying, he can usually decide whether he wants to Keep private insurance or switch to statutory health insurance to want.

When does my child have to take out their own liability insurance?

Personal liability insurance is mandatory! 18-year-olds can often still be protected by their parents’ contract, as these family rates generally apply until the end of the child’s primary education or until the child moves out. After that, your adult child will have to take care of their own policy.
The exact conditions vary depending on the insurance company. Please ask your provider about this! Consumer advice centers can also help you with this.

You will find the most important information about public liability insurance here.

When does occupational disability insurance become worthwhile?

It may now make sense for trainees and students to have a Occupational disability insurance to complete. Good professional disability insurance protects your child in the event of disability during their training or studies, if they are subsequently unable to pursue the career they want to pursue.

Taking out occupational disability insurance at a young age also has the advantage that age and health have a positive effect on the price. The insurance can even be taken out at the end of school.

Does my car liability insurance also apply to my son if he wants to use my car?

It’s not uncommon for people to say, “Can I have your car for a moment?” However, anyone who is registered as a solo driver on the contract will not be able to let other people drive without further ado.
There are 2 possibilities:

1. You specify your child as an additional driver in the vehicle insurance contract.
2. You record a short-term expansion of the driver pool. Note, however, that if young people are enrolled later, the contribution will increase.

Is passenger accident insurance necessary in addition to automobile liability insurance?

Passenger accident insurance is usually unnecessary because in the event of an accident caused by yourself, your passengers are covered by the driver’s liability insurance. The driver can benefit from his or her own health insurance and should be covered against occupational disability. In the event of an accident caused by someone else, all accident victims will be covered by the motor vehicle liability insurance of the person who caused the accident.

My son wants his own car. How can you save on your insurance premium?

Novice and young drivers pay this biggest contributions in car insurance. To keep premium costs within limits, the following tips can help:

• Participation in accompanied driving from the age of 17 reduces the premium for some providers.
• You can benefit from price advantages even if you don’t buy the “typical entry-level car.”
• It may also be worth registering your first car as your parents’ second car or receiving the parents’ no-claims bonus. Of course, you, as a parent, have to agree with this.

You can find more information about car insurance here here.

Should my child insure an expensive bike?

A special Bicycle insurance it’s only worth it if

• your child does not have household contents insurance that fully insures the bike or
• the bike is very expensive or is always left outside at night.