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Cancelling

Cancelling an insurance policy in Germany: template and dispatch

Liability, household, car: you don't cancel insurance casually. Miss the deadline and the contract runs for another year. Here are the deadlines, what the cancellation letter must look like and how to prove receipt.

Updated August 2026 · 5 minutes read

Insurance folder with a shield symbol beside a cancellation letter and an envelope

The deadlines at a glance

  • Ordinary cancellation: Usually three months before the contract end (§ 11 VVG). Many contracts end on 31 December — then the cancellation must reach the insurer by 30 September.
  • After the initial term: If the contract has run for over a year, a shorter period often applies — check your policy.
  • Special termination: After a premium increase or a claim you have an extraordinary termination right, usually within one month of notification (§ 92 VVG).
Insurance document with policy number beside a calendar with a circled key date
The key date is in the policy — the cancellation must have arrived at the insurer by then, not just been posted.

What the cancellation letter looks like

The cancellation needs text form (§ 11 VVG) — a letter is always safe. It should contain:

  1. your full name and address,
  2. the policy number,
  3. the clear sentence: "I hereby cancel the insurance contract named above with effect from the earliest possible date."
  4. a request for written confirmation stating the end date.

A ready-made sample is in the template Cancel an insurance policy — for car insurance there is the dedicated template Cancel car insurance.

Dispatch: proof is a must

Insurers like to dispute receipt. Send the cancellation by Einwurfeinschreiben or online via the letter editor with a dispatch confirmation. Keep the copy, mailing receipt and tracking record. Why this matters so much is explained in Send a cancellation by registered mail.

Common mistakes

  • Posted too late: What counts is receipt by the insurer, not the postmark. Allow two to three working days.
  • Wrong entity: In groups with several companies the cancellation must go to the right one — the address is in the policy.
  • Not waiting for confirmation: Without written confirmation you cannot be sure the cancellation arrived.

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