Cancelling Insurance After Moving in Germany – Free Template

Cancelling Insurance in Germany After a Move

Moving comes with a mountain of paperwork, and somewhere in that pile is the question of what happens to your insurance policies. Some you won’t need anymore at your new address; others just need updating. Here’s a ready-made cancellation letter in Duetch (in German, since your insurer needs it in that language) plus a clear breakdown of which policies actually qualify for early termination after a move.

Download MS Word Sample letter Cancelling Insurance in Germany

Download PDF Format of Cancelling Insurance in Germany

Duetch-Version dieses Artikels

Moving Alone Doesn’t Automatically Let You Cancel Everything

Here’s the important caveat: moving, by itself, doesn’t give you the right to cancel any insurance policy on the spot. The special termination right under §21 of the German Insurance Contract Act (Versicherungsvertragsgesetz, VVG) mainly applies when your insurer raises your premium or changes your terms because of the move — this is common with Wohngebäudeversicherung (building insurance) or Hausratversicherung (contents insurance), where your new address can change the risk assessment and therefore the price.

Some cases are clearer-cut. Building insurance, for example, automatically transfers to the new owner if you sell your house — as the previous policyholder, you get a special right to cancel regardless of whether the premium changes.

For car insurance, personal liability insurance, or contents insurance, check whether your premium actually changes because of the move. If it does, your insurer is required to notify you of the adjustment and your right to cancel.

Which Policies Are Actually Worth Checking After a Move

• Contents insurance (Hausratversicherung): Usually just continues at your new address, often with an adjusted premium. Cancelling makes sense mainly if you find a noticeably cheaper offer elsewhere.
• Building insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung): Only relevant if you own property and are selling or giving up the building.
• Car insurance (Kfz-Versicherung): If your move changes your Regionalklasse (regional risk zone), your premium can shift significantly — worth comparing offers.
• Liability and legal protection insurance (Haftpflicht, Rechtsschutz): Generally unaffected by your address, so cancelling because of a move usually isn’t necessary here.

The Template (Keep This in German)

[Dein Name] [Deine neue Adresse] [PLZ, Ort]

[Name der Versicherung] [Adresse der Versicherung] [PLZ, Ort]

[Ort], den [Datum]

Kündigung des Versicherungsvertrags, Versicherungsschein-Nr. [XXXXX], wegen Umzugs

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

ich bin zum [Datum des Umzugs] von [alte Adresse] nach [neue Adresse] umgezogen. Eine Kopie meiner Ummeldebestätigung füge ich diesem Schreiben bei.

Hiermit kündige ich meinen oben genannten Versicherungsvertrag unter Berufung auf mein Sonderkündigungsrecht gemäß §21 VVG zum [Datum, z. B. „nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt“].

Ich bitte Sie um eine schriftliche Bestätigung der Kündigung sowie um Mitteilung, ob und in welcher Höhe eine Beitragsrückerstattung erfolgt.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

[Unterschrift] [Name in Druckbuchstaben]

Quick translation for your reference (don’t send this part): This letter states your move date, old and new address, and invokes your special termination right under §21 VVG. It requests written confirmation of the cancellation and asks whether a partial premium refund applies.

Watch the Deadline

For the special termination right triggered by a premium increase after a move, the rule is generally: you must cancel within one month of receiving notice of the premium change. This deadline matters — miss it, and you’re usually stuck with the regular cancellation process at the next contract renewal. Don’t just file away the letter your insurer sends about the new premium; act on it promptly.

Attach Proof of Your Move

For your insurer to accept the cancellation, attach proof of your move — your Meldebescheinigung (registration confirmation from the local registration office) works well. If you sold a house, a copy of the purchase contract or a Grundbuch (land registry) extract serves the same purpose. Without proof, insurers can and do reject the early cancellation and insist on the standard notice period instead.

How to Send It

As with most German insurance contracts, cancel in writing. Einschreiben mit Rückschein (registered mail with return receipt) is the safest option, since it proves exactly when your letter arrived if there’s ever a dispute. More and more insurers also accept cancellation through their online customer portal or by email — check your policy documents or the insurer’s website.

What If No Special Right Applies?

If your move doesn’t change your premium or the insured risk meaningfully, you’re generally limited to the regular cancellation process at the end of your contract term. Depending on the type of insurance, notice periods typically range from one to three months before the renewal date — check your policy (Versicherungspolice) or the general terms (AVB) for specifics.

Avoid Paying Twice

A common mistake when moving: signing up for new insurance at your new address before actually cancelling the old policy — and ending up paying both for a while. Figure out when the old policy actually ends before committing to a new one. For some policies, like contents insurance, it can also make more sense to simply update your existing policy rather than switching entirely — especially if you’ve built up loyalty discounts over the years.

Confirmation and Refunds

After cancelling, you should receive written confirmation with the exact end date. If you’d prepaid for a longer period, you’re typically owed a partial refund for the unused time — assuming your cancellation was based on a valid special right. Check your bank statements over the following weeks to make sure the refund actually arrives; sometimes it takes a follow-up call.

Bottom Line

A move doesn’t give you a free pass to cancel every insurance policy on the spot — but in many cases, §21 VVG does give you a real special termination right, especially when your premium changes. Use the German template above, attach proof of your move, and don’t sit on that one-month deadline.