Germany plans reforms to lower driver’s licence costs and insurance

Finanztip, an independent financial advice service, reports that supervised driving from age 17 can reduce car‑insurance premiums for young drivers by roughly 20 %. In a test using a VW Golf VIII, the cheapest policy for an 18‑year‑old with supervised driving was about €1,154 per year, compared with €1,513 for the same driver without such experience.

The German federal government has announced a comprehensive reform aimed at making the driver’s licence cheaper and more digital. Planned measures include allowing theory lessons to be taken online or via apps, removing fixed numbers of mandatory special‑drive lessons, and shrinking the theory‑exam question pool. The reform also proposes that, after passing the theory test, learners may gain additional practice driving with parents or close relatives. While the government expects lower overall costs, no specific savings figure has been given, and the changes will require parliamentary approval before possibly taking effect as early as 2027.