Business –

It sounds so simple: Donate your used vehicle or boat to charity, avoid the hassles associated with selling it, and score a tax deduction at the same time. Everybody wins, right?

Not necessarily. As the saying goes, the road to h-e-double-hockey-sticks is paved with good intentions, and it can be surprisingly easy to fumble this well-meaning act.

Before you hand one of your biggest assets over to anyone, read the following tips to be sure you’re making the right moves.

1. Avoid middlemen. Numerous for-profit intermediary organizations advertise aggressively on TV, billboards and elsewhere, offering to help you donate your vehicle to charity. Here’s the catch: These organizations typically keep about 50 percent to 90 percent of the vehicle’s value for themselves, and the charities don’t get what they could have gotten. To prevent this, check directly with charities you admire and find out whether they accept car or boat donations.

2. Find a worthy charity. If the charities you normally support aren’t equipped to accept such donations, do some homework until you find a reputable charity that is. You can research charities’ track records online at this Better Business Bureau site and through Charity Navigator.

3. Check the math. If you still feel compelled to use an intermediary organization – possibly because you’re busy – at least ask the organization how much of the car or boat’s value will go to charity. If the organization simply gives charities flat fees — say, $100 for a used vehicle regardless of its value, or $2,000 a month — your donation may not be eligible for a tax deduction.

4. Know the status of your recipient. In order for you to qualify for a deduction, the charity that gets your donation must be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) organization. Your church, synagogue, mosque or temple likely qualifies. (Check first just to make sure.) You also can visit the Internal Revenue Service’s Web site and search for Publication 78 to find other qualifying non-profit organizations. (Just type “78” into the search field on the IRS home page and you’ll be directed to the right publication.)

5. Do the delivery yourself. Once you’ve identified a worthy charity, recognize that it will have to pay someone to pick up your car or boat for you. To help the charity maximize the benefit of your donation, drop the car or boat off yourself.

6. Transfer the vehicle with care. Want to eliminate all risk of running up parking tickets and other violations after you’ve said goodbye to your donated vehicle? Then formally re-title the vehicle to the charity, and report the transfer to your state’s department of motor vehicles or licensing. Never agree to leave the ownership space on the charity donation papers blank.

7. Your estimate of the donation’s value probably won’t cut it. If your car or boat is worth more than $500, the IRS is going to want to see evidence of how much the charity got for it. (Most charities that accept these donations turn around and sell them for cash.) You’ll need to get a receipt from the charity revealing exactly how much money it made.

8. Know when you can report the fair market value. You won’t need evidence of the sales price if the charity keeps the vehicle or vessel and uses it in its charitable work, or if your donation is worth less than $500. Then you can report its fair market value based on listings from Kelley Blue Book and similar sources.

9. Keep a thorough paper trail. If your donation is worth more than $500, you’ll have to attach IRS Form 8283 to your tax return. If it’s worth more than $5,000, your documentation must include an outside appraisal. You’ll also need proof of the donation, such as a receipt from the charity and a copy of the title change.

10. Be detail-oriented. This paper trail may seem cumbersome, but think about it: This may be one of the biggest charitable donations you ever make. By taking the time to dot the i’s, you can make sure that the charity gets the most benefit and you get the biggest possible deduction.

Car insurance is a necessary expense, but there are way to save on car insurance too. Don’t assume your current insurance company gives you the best rate. Shop around, check quotes from different companies. I shop around for auto insurance every year when my policy is about to expire and I have already switched between three different insurance companies in last five years. As a result, I pay less than a half of the insurance premium I paid few years ago. Insurance companies compete against each other, and we can use it to our benefit. It takes just a few minutes to get the quote online. Here are few websites where you can receive car insurance quote online:

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US Online Auto Insurance quotes:

• GEICO – according to their website, GEICO is the fourth-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. You can get an insurance quote online.

• Insurance.com – online insurance quotes from multiple providers.

• Allstate Auto Insurance

• 21st Century Insurance Company

• Electric Insurance Company

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Canada Auto Insurance quotes:

• TD Insurance – Free online quotes.

• BELAIRdirect – Online quote

• RBC Insurance – Get a home or auto insurance quote online.

• PC Financial Insurance – Get an online quote

• State Farm – Serving Alberta, New Brunswick and Ontario

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Auto insurance tips

- Before buying a car get the insurance quote for the model you want to buy; insurance costs may vary a lot between different cars and even between different models of the same car.
- Shop around, get quotes from as many insurance companies as you can, rates vary between different insurance companies.
- Consider higher deductible. A deductible is the amount you pay from your pocket before your insurance will pay should you have a claim.
- If you have a low-value vehicle, consider dropping comprehensive and (or) collision coverage; If you car worth just $1500 – $2000 it makes more sense to buy another vehicle rather than repair the old one.
- Ask for possible discounts – some insurance companies may offer you a discount if your car has certain safety features such as Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) or an anti-theft device, like an alarm system or an immobilizer.
- Some insurance companies offer discounts if you insure other things such as your house with the same company.
- Not all insurance companies offer the same level of service. Choose a reputable company, there is a web site where you can check ratings of various insurance companies. Follow this link A.M. Best – The Insurance Information Source. Ask your friend and relatives what is their experience with particular insurance company.
- Shop around for an insurance quote every time before your current policy is due for renewal – your current insurer not always offers you the best rate. It’s very possible that another insurance company will offer you lower rates if you switch.
- If you are planning to move, check the insurance quote for that location first, the insurance rates may vary depending on where you live and how far you drive to and from work every day.
- If you found another job that requires you to drive less to and from work, call your insurance company, they may offer you lower rates.
- Avoid traffic tickets, your insurance premium may increase substantially as a result.
- And finally, and most importantly, drive safely, so you will never have to use your insurance.

by Vlad Samarin

A car insurance quote reflects the annual premiums you will pay for a given amount of coverage with a particular insurer. Usually, the quote shows the premium you will pay on an annual basis, though some quotes may provide per-month estimates as well. The premium the insurer will quote you is determined from the individual premiums of a number of coverages. Each individual coverage has its own premium that contributes to the total amount you pay for auto insurance every year. The better you understand the different premiums that comprise your car insurance quote, the better equipped you will be to identify the best policies at the lowest rates. Read on for an explanation of the various coverages that comprise a standard car insurance policy.

Underinsured & Uninsured Driver Coverage

Your state may require you to also carry certain amounts of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage will pay for your medical expenses if you are injured in a collision with an uninsured or underinsured driver. In some states, this coverage can also help pay for property damage the uninsured driver caused. If your car insurance quote is too high, you might consider eliminating this coverage or reducing the coverage amount to the mandatory legal minimum, if applicable.

Paying for Your Injuries: Personal Injury Protection

A car insurance quote sometimes includes medical payments coverage, also know as personal injury protection (PIP). This coverage is designed to help pay for your medical expenses resulting from injuries sustained in a collision. PIP will also pay for the medical expenses of your injured passengers. If you or your passengers die in a collision, PIP will also pay for funeral expenses, burial, etc. Medical payments coverage is largely unnecessary if you have an adequate health insurance policy, but you may want to carry a small amount to help pay for your health insurance deductibles in the event of an accident.

Additional Coverage

The most common additional coverages included in car insurance quotes are rental reimbursement and towing or roadside assistance. Rental reimbursement will pay for a rental car in the event that your vehicle is incapacitated. Rental coverage is usually limited to a certain amount of money per day and a limited number of days. With towing assistance, your insurer will cover the cost of a tow truck if your vehicle is incapacitated. Some policies include general roadside assistance, which offers emergency services like towing, flat-tire changes, fuel delivery, etc.

Natives who beat drums to drive off evil spirits are objects of scorn to smart Americans who blow horns to break up traffic jams. ~Mary Ellen Kelly

Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead. ~Mac McCleary

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after. ~Peter De Vries

The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, «Self-Reliance,» 1841

It takes 8,460 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the road. ~Author Unknown

The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it. ~Dudley Moore

A pedestrian is someone who thought there were a couple of gallons left in the tank. ~Author Unknown

Leave sooner, drive slower, live longer. ~Author Unknown

It wasn’t the Exxon Valdez captain’s driving that caused the Alaskan oil spill. It was yours. ~Greenpeace advertisement, New York Times, 25 February 1990

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race. ~H.G. Wells

Your grandchildren will likely find it incredible – or even sinful – that you burned up a gallon of gasoline to fetch a pack of cigarettes! ~Dr. Paul MacCready, Jr.

A city that outdistances man’s walking powers is a trap for man. ~Arnold Toynbee

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves. ~Albert Einstein

I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol. ~Author Unknown

Hug your kids at home, but belt them in the car. ~Author Unknown

A tree never hits an automobile except in self defense. ~American Proverb

Americans are broad-minded people. They’ll accept the fact that a person can be an alcoholic, a dope fiend, a wife beater, and even a newspaperman, but if a man doesn’t drive, there is something wrong with him. ~Art Buchwald, «How Un-American Can You Get?,» Have I Ever Lied to You?, 1966

Modern technology
Owes ecology
An apology.
~Alan M. Eddison

Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly. ~Author Unknown

When buying a used car, punch the buttons on the radio. If all the stations are rock and roll, there’s a good chance the transmission is shot. ~Larry Lujack

The car has become the carapace, the protective and aggressive shell, of urban and suburban man. ~Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media

Car sickness is the feeling you get when the monthly payment is due. ~Author Unknown

The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers. ~Dave Barry, «Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn»

The longest journey begins with a single step, not with a turn of the ignition key. ~Edward Abbey

I hooked up my accelerator pedal in my car to my brake lights. I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I’m gone. ~Steven Wright

The car has become a secular sanctuary for the individual, his shrine to the self, his mobile Walden Pond. ~Edward McDonagh

A commuter tie-up consists of you – and people who for some reason won’t use public transit. ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive. ~Author Unknown

Consider the man on horseback, and I have been a man on horseback for most of my life. Well, mostly he is a good man, but there is a change in him as soon as he mounts. Every man on horseback is an arrogant man, however gentle he may be on foot. The man in the automobile is one thousand times as dangerous. I tell you, it will engender absolute selfishness in mankind if the driving of automobiles becomes common. It will breed violence on a scale never seen before. It will mark the end of the family as we know it, the three or four generations living happily in one home. It will destroy the sense of neighborhood and the true sense of Nation. It will create giantized cankers of cities, false opulence of suburbs, ruinized countryside, and unhealthy conglomerations of specialized farming and manufacturing. It will make every man a tyrant. ~R.A. Lafferty, «Interurban Queen,» 1970, a short story set in the late 1800s (Thanks, Sam!)

Automobiles are not ferocious…. it is man who is to be feared. ~Robbins B. Stoeckel

No one should be able to enter a wilderness by mechanical means. ~Garrett Hardin, The Ecologist, February 1974

Our national flower is the concrete cloverleaf. ~Lewis Mumford

The shortest distance between two points is under construction. ~Noelie Altito

Road rage is the expression of the amateur sociopath in all of us, cured by running into a professional. ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

Driving a brand new car feels like driving around in an open billfold with the dollars flapping by your ears as they fly out the window. ~Grey Livingston

A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works. ~Bill Vaughan

Each year it seems to take less time to fly across the ocean and longer to drive to work. ~Author Unknown

If everything comes your way, you are in the wrong lane. ~Author Unknown

Anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac. ~Author Unknown

The elderly don’t drive that badly; they’re just the only ones with time to do the speed limit. ~Jason Love

What fools indeed we morals are
To lavish care upon a Car,
With ne’er a bit of time to see
About our own machinery!
~John Kendrick Bangs

I represent what is left of a vanishing race, and that is the pedestrian…. That I am still able to be here, I owe to a keen eye and a nimble pair of legs. But I know they’ll get me someday. ~Will Rogers

Recklessness is a species of crime and should be so regarded on our streets and highways. ~Marlen E. Pew

Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere! ~Author unknown, as seen on a shirt

Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car. ~E.B. White, One Man’s Meat, 1943

The greater part of my official time is spent on investigating collisions between propelled vehicles, each on its own side of the road, each sounding its horn, and each stationary. ~An English Lord Chief Justice, quoted in 2,715 One-Line Quotations for Speakers, Writers & Raconteurs by Edward F. Murphy

Life is too short for traffic. ~Dan Bellack

For every «Drive Safely» sign, shouldn’t there be a «Resume Normal Driving» sign? ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

Another way to solve the traffic problems of this country is to pass a law that only paid-for cars be allowed to use the highways. ~Will Rogers

What a lucky thing the wheel was invented before the automobile; otherwise can you imagine the awful screeching? ~Samuel Hoffenstein

Take most people, they’re crazy about cars. They worry if they get a little scratch on them, and they’re always talking about how many miles they get to a gallon, and if they get a brand-new car already they start thinking about trading it in for one that’s even newer. I don’t even like old cars. I mean they don’t even interest me. I’d rather have a goddam horse. A horse is at least human, for God’s sake. ~J.D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye

If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend. ~Doug Larson

Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three lefts do. ~Jason Love

Road sense is the offspring of courtesy and the parent of safety. ~Australian Traffic Rule, quoted in Quotations for Special Occasions by Maud van Buren

The automobile is technologically more sophisticated than the bundling board, but the human motives in their uses are sometimes the same. ~Charles M. Allen

The car has become… an article of dress without which we feel uncertain, unclad, and incomplete. ~Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media, 1964

And I, I took the road less traveled by. I was using a GPS system. ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

Walking isn’t a lost art – one must, by some means, get to the garage. ~Evan Esar

The speedway ends at the cemetery. ~Author Unknown

We are not proving ourselves spiritually worthy of our material progress. We have not been neighborly, courteous, and kind upon the highway. Our lack of decency toward our fellow men is a definite black mark against us. ~Cary T. Grayson

On the other hand, the Bible contains much that is relevant today, like Noah taking 40 days to find a place to park. ~Curtis McDougall

The automobile has not merely taken over the street, it has dissolved the living tissue of the city. Its appetite for space is absolutely insatiable; moving and parked, it devours urban land, leaving the buildings as mere islands of habitable space in a sea of dangerous and ugly traffic. ~James Marston Fitch, New York Times, 1 May 1960

Remember folks, street lights timed for 35 mph are also timed for 70 mph. ~Jim Samuels

I’m not sure… about automobiles…. With all their speed forward they may be a step backward in civilization – that is, in spiritual civilization. It may be that they will not add to the beauty of the world, nor to the life of men’s souls. I am not sure. But automobiles have come, and they bring a greater change in our life than most of us suspect. They are here, and almost all outward things are going to be different because of what they bring. They are going to alter war, and they are going to alter peace. I think men’s minds are going to be changed in subtle ways because of automobiles; just how, though, I could hardly guess. But you can’t have the immense outward changes that they will cause without some inward ones, and it may be that… the spiritual alteration will be bad for us. Perhaps, ten or twenty years from now, if we can see the inward change in men by that time, I shouldn’t be able to defend the gasoline engine, but would have to agree…that automobiles ‘had no business to be invented.’ ~Eugene, from Booth Tarkington’s The Magnificent Ambersons, 1918

Remember the street car cannot turn out. ~Charles M. Hayes

I feel like I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe. ~Author Unknown

You can’t see anything from a car; you’ve got to get out of the goddamn contraption and walk, better yet crawl, on hands and knees, over the sandstone and through the thornbrush and cactus. When traces of blood begin to mark your trail, you’ll see something, maybe. ~Edward Abbey

AOK

Leading insurance company operating in Germany.

Barmer Ersatzkasse

The Insurance Company serving in Germany.

Betriebskrankenkassen (BKK)

The Insurance Company serving in Germany.

Deutsche Angestellten Krankenkasse

The Insurance services provider in Germany.

Innungskrankenkasse

The Insurance services provider in Germany.

Technikerkrankenkasse, TK

Providing Insurance services to the people of Germany.

Central Krankenversicherung AG

The Private Insurance Company serving in Germany.

DBV Winterthur

The Private Insurance Company serving in Germany.

Deutsche Arzte-Versicherung

The Private Insurance Company providing insurance services in Germany.

Deutsche Krankenversicherung AG

The Private Insurance Company providing insurance services in Germany.

IDUNA / NOVA Versicherungen

The Private Insurance Company providing insurance services in Germany.

Vereinte Krankenversicherung AG

World leading insurance group providng its services in Germany.

Allianz Versicherung

World leading insurance group providng its services in Germany.

Axa-Colonia

The world poppular insurance orgnisation providing its srevices in Germany.

Munich Re

The poplular Reinsurance company operating in Germany.

Gerling Group

On 4 May 1904, Robert Gerling set up his first business undertaking in Cologne – the insurance agency Bureau für Versicherungswesen Robert Gerling & Co. mbH – thus laying the foundation of the Gerling Group.

Hannover RE

Hannover Re, with a gross premium of around 9 billion euro, is one of the leading reinsurance groups in the world.It transacts all lines of non-life and life and health reinsurance. It maintains business relations with more than 5,000 insurance companies in about 150 countries.

AGF Insurance

Introduction

EFU General Insurance Ltd

The Company was incorporated as a Public Limited Company on September 2, 1932 and is engaged in general insurance business comprising of fire, marine, motor and engineering etc.

Pacific Prime

The German healthcare network is able to provide patients an extremely high quality of treatment, and while German nationals will receive treatment at an extremely subsidized cost, the same is not true for newly arrived expatriates, or foreign national living in the country on a permanent basis.

Zurich Financila Services

We are an insurance-based financial services provider with headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Our core business is insurance – General and Life. Our global network focuses on our key markets in North America and Europe.

Germany Travel Insurance from Atlas Direct

At Atlas we champion one thing above everything else, a top quality Cover with the Worlds top insurance companies at a rate that nobody can beat. If you see a lower price offered for a like-for-like policy from one of our competitors, we will beat that quote by £1 without quibble. No other insurance company is offering this exceptional price guarantee.

German Mutual Insurance Company

German Mutual offers a wide variety of Property and Casualty Insurance Products designed to meet the different insurance needs of individuals and organizations. We believe each customer’s insurance policy should fit their needs.

Hamburg-Mannheimer Insurance Company

Providing insurance services in Germany.

Albingia

World leading insurance group providing its services in Germany.

Buying a new or used car in Germany can be a challenge, but there’s plenty of help — if you know where to look for it.

The car-buying experience in Germany can be both exciting and daunting. It can be exciting because there is a very wide number of manufacturers to choose from. It can be daunting because car prices tend to be higher and the whole thing has to be handled in a strange language. But take heart. It is not really that much different from buying a car at home and there are special programs designed with expatriates in mind.

New or Used. Whether you buy a new or used car depends on your circumstances. How long will you be over here? How much money do you want to spend? How many kilometers do you drive? What sort of driving do you do (more autobahn than city driving)?

New cars. There are plenty of sources to help you decide what car you wish to buy, including, among others, television commercials, newspapers and auto magazines. You can usually find someone at the showroom who speaks English, and German law generally prohibits the freewheeling bargaining that is so common in other countries. So, in theory, what you see on the sticker is what you should have to pay for the car.

There are still some ways of getting the price down. Dealers sometimes give discounts for payment in cash. Some dealers register cars for a day and then immediately deregister them. This turns them into «used cars», giving flexibility in pricing. There is also room for negotiation when it comes to the «extras»; sunroof, air conditioning, sound system and other accessories. Another way to lower the cost of a new car is to make sure the dealer gives you a very good price for your trade-in.

If you don’t pay cash for a new car (and not many people do) then you will have to finance it. Many manufacturers offer internal finance programs, usually at a slightly better interest rate than a bank. But it pays to check out both possibilities. Interest rates may be better with the manufacturer but the loan may have to be paid back in three years, and you probably can’t expect financing for a car that is discounted in any way. Depending on the price, financing can range from 24 to 60 months. The best interest rates are offered when a 20 percent down payment is made.

Used Cars can be a good value if you shop carefully. If you buy a used car through a dealer you can normally expect some sort of limited guarantee. Some banks and even some dealers may finance used cars, but this is not as easy as with a new cars. Factors such as mileage, age and value are involved.

Good deals can be found if you check into buying a Jahreswagen or a demo model (Vorführwagen). Employees of car manufacturers are allowed to buy cars at a discount and can resell them after keeping them a year (hence the term Jahreswagen.) Normally these cars are in quite good condition and a good value for the money. A Vorführwagen has usually been displayed in the showroom and used for test drives. It’s usually in good condition and has low mileage.

If you’re adventurous and want to buy a used car from a private owner, the newspapers are full of ads. The key things to look for in the ads are mileage, date of the next inspection (TÜV), date of first registration (Erstezulassung or EZ), model year, type of catalytic converter and number of owners. It is wise to observe the normal precautions when buying a used car privately. In general, though, Germans take good care of their cars and you may find what you want for a good price. It is always good to get a contract when you buy a car. There are boilerplate contracts available.

When you buy a car from a dealer, whether new or used, you can expect help in the registration and insurance areas. If you buy a car privately you will have to do these things yourself. You’ll need proof of insurance and proof of ownership of the car (Kfz-Brief). You’ll have to take these to the local motor vehicle department (Kfz-Zulassungstelle), and if everything is in order you’ll be given your license plates.

Buying a car Online is becoming more and more popular – as well as easier. The advantages of doing this are obvious. You don’t have to go to a dealership, the selection is vast and it’s possible to search for a car according to a large number of different criteria. The website http://eng.autoscout24.com/index.asp?language=ger offers the online user the opportunity to search for cars in Germany in English.

If you need german insurance for a car, make sure, that you have a paper from your previous insurance (from the country you lived before!), that says, how many years you were driving without any damage (e.g. accident) caused by you. This letter will save you several hundert Euro per year. Here is how it works:

In Germany, the rates for car insurances may be influenced by many factors: by the brand name and the model of the car, by your milage per year, by questions like «Is a garage available for parking?» etc.

However, the most important parameter for your insurance bills is your conduct in traffic. Insurances honor every «good year» meaning they honor every year without an accident caused by you. you will get a reduction for every «good year»!

Insurance have a basic rate – the so-called 100% rate. For every «good year» (without any accident caused by you) you drop in this percent-rating. After one «good year» you only pay 85%, after two years you only pay 70%. For each following «good year» you drop by 5% untill you reach a lowest rate of 30%. Isn’t that something? However, here is the flip side of the coin: Beginner represent a much higher risk for insurances and therefore they are rated with at least 125%.

Without anything in writing, a german insurance company will rate you as a beginner! However, if you present a letter from your previous insurance – telling how many years from your last accident caused by you till now – then these years will be accepted by german insurances and will result in a better rating. If you had insurance with different companies, get a letter from every company. The only thing that counts is to prove how many years without accidents – caused by you – you have up to today.

Here are a few examples:
No such letter and the insurance company will rate you as a beginner. Your insurance rate will be at least 125%.

Your car was insured for the past three years and you had NO accident in that time: With a letter from this insurance you will be rated with 70%.

Even better: In the five years before that last example, your car was insured at some other companies. You never had an accident caused by you in that time: You never had an accident in the past eight years. With some letters from these insurance companies you will be rated as 8 «good years» and pay only 45% of the standard rate!

The difference can easily be 500 Euro per year!

Other example: For 20 years you drove without problems, only in 1995 you caused once an accident. So: All the time before 1995 does not count. The years from 1995 to now count as «good years»: With a letter, your rating would drop from 125% (for beginner) to 70%!

Important Note: Accidents do NOT count, if it was not your fault. We also could make this definition: «good year» means a year in which you paid your insurance bills, but you did not cause any costs to your insurance.

Note: The rating will drop for liablilty as well as for full coverage insurances!!

If the german insurance of your first choice does not want to accept your letters for your «good years», I would immediately turn around and look for an other company – the other one will accept it!

If you have already an insurance contract at a high percentage: Still, get that letter from home. Most insurance companies will mark down their rating as soon as they have such a letter

Here you see a list with typical «good year» ratings. By the way: If you have an accident, you do not start all over. You go up to the category listed on the right.

The following is only an example, I copied it from my own insurance company. Other companies may have sligthly different ratings! If you have a car insurance contract, the bill or contract should show the present rating (SF-category) and the percentage of your rating. Check it!

«good years»:
calendar years of no accident caused by you	category	Percent	One accident you go up to:
0	0	125
1	SF1	100
2	SF2	85	SF1
3	SF3	70	SF2
4	SF4	65	SF2
5	SF5	60	SF3
6	SF6	55	SF3
7	SF7	50	SF4
8	SF8	45	SF4
9	SF9	45	SF5
10	SF10	40	SF5
11	SF11	40	SF5
12	SF12	40	SF6
13	SF13	35	SF6
14	SF14	35	SF7
15	SF15	35	SF9
16	SF16	35	SF9
17	SF17	35	SF9
18 and more	SF18	30	SF9

Stop! One more hint: If you live in a larger city such as Stuttgart you should learn about the public transportation system and how to get to and from work with the S-Bahn or streetcar. Thus you might save all the costs for a second car. Many of my students did so. It is at least worth a thought….