🚨 Car theft and loss of vehicle documents

What you must do immediately after a theft: police, insurer, deregistration, and what applies if documents are lost.

car theft report to police partial comprehensive cover deregistration registration certificate loss recovery

In brief

If your car is gone, first check whether it was towed. Then report it to the police. For that you need ID and the registration certificate Part I and II.

Report the theft to your comprehensive insurer immediately. Deregister the vehicle promptly (ADAC recommends 14 days), otherwise tax and insurance premiums may continue to accrue. If the car is found, check the deadlines with your insurer.

Step by step

Rule out towingAsk the police.
Report to the policeHave the report confirmed in writing.
Inform the insurerFill in the claim form and attach the confirmation of the report.
DeregisterContact the registration office and deregister the vehicle.

Deadlines

14 days (recommendation)

Deregistration at the registration office after theft; a recommendation, not a statutory deadline (according to ADAC)ADAC, Autodiebstahl

1 month

If the vehicle is found within one month of the insurer receiving the claim notice, it must be taken back; after that ownership passes to the insurer (contract clause, not statute; according to ADAC)ADAC, Autodiebstahl

without delay

Hand a recovered registration certificate in to the authority§ 13 FZV

Watch out – common mistakes

Partial comprehensive cover usually pays the replacement or market value for theft. A missing steering lock can reduce the payout (according to ADAC).
Report the theft to the insurer without delay. Check your contract terms.
According to ADAC: have a stolen phone and bank cards left in the car blocked.
The reporting deadlines in the insurance terms (AKB) were not checked in full text.

In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Report and insurance

ADAC: in case of theft, contact the police, bring ID and both parts of the registration certificate, and ask for a written confirmation of the report for the insurer. The comprehensive insurer receives the confirmation of the report and a completed claim form. Search hits also name: all keys, deregistration certificate, purchase receipts.

Deregistration

ADAC recommends deregistering the vehicle within 14 days (a recommendation, not a statutory deadline) to avoid further tax and insurance premiums if it is not found soon.

Recovery

According to ADAC, a vehicle found within one month must be taken back; under the AKB the one-month period runs from the insurer receiving the claim notice (contract clause, not statute). After that ownership passes to the insurer; under certain conditions it can be regained.

Documents

A recovered document must be handed in by the keeper to the registration authority without delay (§ 13 FZV). Procedure if the registration certificate and driving licence are lost: not checked in full text.

Who is responsible

Police
Your comprehensive insurer
Registration authority (deregistration)

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Car theft and loss of vehicle documents“?

What you must do immediately after a theft: police, insurer, deregistration, and what applies if documents are lost.

Which deadlines and figures matter?

14 days (recommendation): Deregistration at the registration office after theft; a recommendation, not a statutory deadline (according to ADAC) (ADAC, Autodiebstahl)
1 month: If the vehicle is found within one month of the insurer receiving the claim notice, it must be taken back; after that ownership passes to the insurer (contract clause, not statute; according to ADAC) (ADAC, Autodiebstahl)
without delay: Hand a recovered registration certificate in to the authority (§ 13 FZV)

What should I do first?

Rule out towing: Ask the police.
Report to the police: Have the report confirmed in writing.
Inform the insurer: Fill in the claim form and attach the confirmation of the report.

What do I need to watch out for?

Partial comprehensive cover usually pays the replacement or market value for theft. A missing steering lock can reduce the payout (according to ADAC).
Report the theft to the insurer without delay. Check your contract terms.
According to ADAC: have a stolen phone and bank cards left in the car blocked.

Evidence

ADAC, Auto gestohlen: Was Sie nun tun müssen, retrieved 20 September 2026
Bundesministerium der Justiz, FZV § 13, retrieved 20 September 2026
Autodiebstahl und Versicherung, search hits (Allianz, RUV, Zurich), retrieved 20 September 2026

As of

September 2026 · Sources and method

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