No-Claims Bonus Classes 2026:Table, Discounts & Calculation
Fully understand the German SF class system and optimize your discounts. With current table and comparison calculator for 2026.
The no-claims bonus class (SF-Klasse) is the discount factor in German car insurance: it shows how many years you have driven without an at-fault claim. Each claim-free year moves you up one class. By SF 35 the ADAC overview puts the rate at 20 percent of the base premium, and at 16 percent from SF 50, though your own insurer's table is what actually applies. After an at-fault claim you drop several classes at once and pay more for years. SF classes are tracked separately for liability and comprehensive cover, while partial coverage (Teilkasko) has no SF classes. How much your personal premium benefits depends on the provider, so a car insurance comparison with your current class is worthwhile.
Key Takeaways
- 1The SF class significantly determines your car insurance premium – up to 80 percent discount is possible with long-term claim-free driving.
- 2A claim-free year improves your class by one level, an at-fault accident leads to downgrading.
- 3SF classes can be transferred to family members under certain conditions.
- 4Liability and comprehensive have separate SF classes – partial coverage has none.
- 5Every insurer converts the SF class into a percentage differently – an annual comparison with your class reveals the savings potential.
The premium rates in this guide are reference values. Insurers publish binding tables themselves; a neutral overview is provided by the ADAC and the German Verbraucherzentrale.
1. SF Class Basics
The no-claims bonus class system (Schadenfreiheitsklassen) is the central element of premium calculation in German car insurance. The longer you drive without at-fault claims, the higher you rise in the SF class and the less you pay. What surprises many newcomers is that no law sets the rates: the classes themselves are an industry convention, and every insurer calculates its own premium percentages, which is why the same SF class produces different quotes at different companies. The ADAC publishes a market overview you can use as a yardstick.
Higher SF Class = More Discount
With each claim-free year, you advance one class. At SF 35, you only pay about 20-25% of the base premium.
Accident = Downgrading
After an at-fault accident, you are downgraded, often by several classes. This significantly increases your premium.
Where are SF Classes Tracked?
2. SF Class Table 2026
The following table shows typical premium rates based on no-claims bonus class. The exact percentages may vary by insurer.
Complete SF Class Table
| SF Class | Claim-Free Years | Premium Rate | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| SF 1 | 1 year | 58% | 42% |
| SF 2 | 2 years | 52% | 48% |
| SF 3 | 3 years | 48% | 52% |
| SF 5 | 5 years | 44% | 56% |
| SF 10 | 10 years | 37% | 63% |
| SF 15-16 | 15-16 years | 31% | 69% |
| SF 19-20 | 19-20 years | 29% | 71% |
| SF 25-26 | 25-26 years | 26% | 74% |
| SF 29-30 | 29-30 years | 24% | 76% |
| SF 35 | 35 years | 20% | 80% |
| SF 36-38 | 36-38 years | 19% | 81% |
| SF 50 | 50 years or more | 16% | 84% |
Premium rates for third-party liability cover according to the ADAC overview of SF classes (ADAC e.V., as of April 2024). Comprehensive cover uses its own, usually lower rates.
The special classes M, S, SF 0 and SF ½
These four sit outside the table above, and there are no standard rates for them. Finanztip puts new drivers in SF 0 at roughly 90 to 100 percent of the base premium, with the entry class SF ½ below that. The old rule of thumb that beginners pay more than double no longer holds: Finanztip points to Huk24, which charged 100 percent of the base premium even in malus class M (as of June 2025). Your own insurer's table is what decides.
Why your quote may still differ
The ADAC figures are a market reference, not a binding schedule. Every insurer publishes its own premium table, and the spread between companies for the same SF class is wide enough to be worth a comparison before you sign anything.
3. How the SF Class Is Calculated
Your SF class is built from your claim-free insurance years. Every calendar year in which you do not report an at-fault claim counts as one claim-free year. What matters is not the date of the damage, but whether the insurer had to make a payment during the year.
What counts as a claim-free year?
- +A full calendar year of cover without a settled claim moves you up one SF class.
- +Not-at-fault accidents, where the other party's insurer pays, do not affect your SF class.
- −Only at-fault claims in liability or comprehensive cover lead to a downgrade.
- 0Partial-coverage claims (glass, theft, animal collision, storm) do not change your SF class.
If you deregister your vehicle for a longer period, you usually keep your SF class for several years. The exact period is set by each insurer in its terms, often seven to ten years. When you register a new car after a break, your old SF class is normally recognised again. A second car also enters the SF system under fixed rules.
Special Case: Second Car
For a second car, many insurers do not start at SF 0 but grant a more favourable class – often SF ½ or better. This makes a second vehicle considerably cheaper than entering as a completely new customer.
4. Downgrading After an Accident
An at-fault accident leads to downgrading to a lower SF class. The downgrade can vary significantly between insurers.
Typical Downgrade Table
| Current SF Class | After 1st Claim | After 2nd Claim |
|---|---|---|
| SF 35 | → SF 14 - SF 18 | → SF 4 - SF 7 |
| SF 25 | → SF 10 - SF 13 | → SF 3 - SF 5 |
| SF 15 | → SF 6 - SF 8 | → SF 1 - SF 3 |
| SF 10 | → SF 4 - SF 5 | → SF 1 - SF 2 |
| SF 5 | → SF 1 - SF 2 | → SF 0 - SF ½ |
Tip: Pay for Damage Yourself?
For smaller damages, it may be cheaper to pay for the repair yourself rather than filing an insurance claim. Calculate the additional costs from the downgrade over several years and compare with the damage amount. The German consumer guide Finanztip provides a detailed example calculation. Many insurers give you several months to repay the amount and reverse the downgrade.
5. Transferring SF Classes
Under certain conditions, you can transfer your SF class to family members. This is especially interesting for new drivers.
Transfer Possible
- •From parents to children
- •Between spouses
- •From grandparents to grandchildren
- •In case of inheritance
Limitations
- •Maximum years = years with license
- •Only possible once
- •Not all insurers accept transfers
- •Original loses their SF class
Transfer Example
A parent with SF 20 can transfer a maximum of SF 5 to their child who has had their license for 5 years. The child then starts with SF 5 instead of SF 0 or SF ½ – a significant savings on insurance premiums.
Bringing a no-claims record from another country
Most English-language guides skip this, and it is usually the reason people end up on a page like this one. If you were insured somewhere in the European Economic Area before you moved, your claim-free years are not a favour a German insurer may grant or withhold. The law puts them on the same footing as a German record.
Section 5c(3) of the Compulsory Insurance Act (Pflichtversicherungsgesetz) requires an insurer to treat a certificate issued in another EEA state the same way it treats one issued in Germany when it sets your premium, discounts included. The same provision forbids the company from treating you differently because of your nationality or your former country of residence within the EEA, and from charging a surcharge for it.
One distinction is worth holding on to. Equal treatment is not a guaranteed SF class. The law makes the insurer weigh your foreign record on the same terms as a domestic one; where that lands you in the table is still the company's own calculation.
The paperwork is easier than people expect, because the duty sits with your old insurer. Under section 5c(1) they must issue a claims-history certificate (Bescheinigung über den Schadenverlauf) within 15 days of your request, and again when the policy ends. It follows a template set at EU level and lists the third-party claims reported against you, each with its date. Ask for it before you cancel rather than after.
Coming from outside the EEA, the picture changes. Section 5c covers EEA certificates only, so no equivalent obligation exists and each company decides for itself whether to count those years. Ask before you apply instead of assuming.
Legal basis: section 5c Pflichtversicherungsgesetz (claims-history certificate), which implements Article 16 of Directive 2009/103/EC.
6. Tips for New Drivers
1. Start as Second Driver
First, have yourself registered as a second driver with your parents. This way, you gain driving experience and can later start with SF ½ instead of SF 0.
2. Accompanied Driving (BF17)
Those who started with "Accompanied Driving from 17" can start with better conditions at many insurers, as statistically fewer accidents occur.
3. Have SF Class Transferred
Check if parents or grandparents can transfer SF years to you. A maximum of as many years can be transferred as you have held your license.
4. Use Telematics Rates
With telematics rates, your driving behavior is recorded via app or OBD plug. Careful drivers can earn additional discounts.
5. Compare Insurance
Rates for new drivers vary significantly between insurers. A comparison can save several hundred euros per year.
7. Bonus Protection (Rabattschutz)
Bonus protection is an add-on option that prevents you from being downgraded after the first claim in an insurance year.
Advantages
- No downgrading for first claim
- Especially useful for high SF classes
- Protection from higher costs over years
Disadvantages
- Raises the premium by 15 to 30 percent according to the ADAC, not a flat euro amount
- Often only for first claim per year
- Not always transferred when switching
8. How to Save With Your SF Class
The SF class is only one of many factors. Insurers combine it with the regional class, vehicle type class, annual mileage and your location to calculate the final premium. That is why two drivers with the same SF class often pay very different amounts. These steps help you get the most out of your class.
Compare annually instead of auto-renewing
Existing customers often pay more than new customers. Before 30 November – the usual cancellation deadline – check whether a switch with the same SF class is cheaper. See our car insurance comparison guide.
Check workshop binding and deductible
A moderate deductible in your comprehensive cover and a workshop binding noticeably reduce the premium – without affecting your SF class.
Finance your car purchase wisely
If you buy a new car, you often combine insurance with financing. Compare the interest rates first – our car loan comparison and general loan comparison show how much you can save on financing.
Rule of thumb
The higher your SF class, the greater the absolute euro benefit of a switch. From SF 10, the difference between an expensive and a cheap tariff is often several hundred euros per year.
9. Car Insurance Comparison Calculator
Use our comparison calculator to find the cheapest car insurance for your SF class. The comparison is free and non-binding.
AdvertisingThis comparison calculator is provided by our partner. If a contract is concluded through it, we receive a commission.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
What is a no-claims bonus class (SF-Klasse)?
How does downgrading after an accident work?
Can I transfer my SF class to another person?
How do I start as a new driver?
Are there differences in SF classes between liability and comprehensive insurance?
What is the maximum discount at SF 35?
What happens to my SF class when I switch insurers?
Is no-claims bonus protection (Rabattschutz) worth it?
Can I bring my no-claims record from another country to Germany?
Does my SF class stay if I deregister my car?
Does a partial-coverage (Teilkasko) claim affect my SF class?
Conclusion: Optimize Your SF Classes
The no-claims bonus class is the most important lever for affordable car insurance premiums. Drive carefully, check transfer options, and regularly compare rates from different providers.
New Drivers
Use SF transfer and telematics
Experienced Drivers
Check bonus protection, compare annually
After Accident
Calculate self-payment vs. downgrade
Related Guides
Car Insurance 2026: Liability, Partial & Comprehensive
Differences between Haftpflicht, Teilkasko and Vollkasko — and which you need.
Car Insurance in Germany
Types of car insurance, prices and how to compare for free.
Car Insurance Comparison 2026
Compare tariffs from leading insurers and find your best rate.
Legal Notice
The information on this page is for general information purposes only. The stated SF classes and premium rates are approximate values and may vary significantly by insurer. For binding information, please contact your insurer directly. Last updated: January 2026.