Imported Car: Is It More Expensive to Insure? (2026)

It's a question people ask just before buying: will a car imported from Germany cost more to insure? The short answer is no, not simply because of where it comes from. But importing creates a few moments where you need to be careful: the trip home, getting your no-claims bonus recognised, and the settlement basis. Here's what really matters.

The short answer: origin doesn't change the price

Car insurance pricing in France rests on criteria set out in the French Insurance Code: the vehicle, the area where it's driven or parked, its use or mileage, the driver, then their bonus-malus coefficient (from 0.50 to 3.50). The country of purchase isn't one of them.

The SRA classification: same version, same price

French insurers rely on the SRA classification (Sécurité et Réparation Automobiles) of each version: a group linked to how dangerous it is, a price class based on the new value, and a repair class based on the cost of parts. This classification depends on the vehicle's design, not its origin: a BMW M3 bought in Munich is classified like a BMW M3 bought in Lyon.

The logical consequence: the discount obtained in Germany doesn't lower the premium, since the price class follows the new value, not the price paid. The saving is made at purchase.

One real trap: declare the exact version. A quote based on a similar version can be wrong, and a policy that doesn't match the actual vehicle exposes you to a refused claim. For a rare configuration or one that's uncommon in France, have the quote done using the chassis number (VIN) and the certificate of conformity.

Insuring the car during the import

This is where people most often go wrong. Insurance is compulsory as soon as the car is on the road, and driving uninsured is a criminal offence in France (a fine of up to €3,750).

• To drive it home, the usual solution is the German export plate (Ausfuhrkennzeichen): an official German registration, issued with dedicated third-party liability insurance. Expect something in the order of €150 for around ten days, plates and insurance included, according to the European Consumer Centre.
• German short-term plates (Kurzzeitkennzeichen) won't do: they're reserved for Germany and don't allow you to leave the country.
• Transport on a flatbed avoids the question: the car isn't driven, and the carrier's insurance covers the journey.

The repatriation options and their costs are detailed in our guide to how much an import really costs.

During registration in France

• WW phase: since 1 January 2026, the temporary registration certificate (WW) for a vehicle bought abroad is valid for 4 months. The car must be insured throughout that period, like any vehicle on the road.
• End of the green card: since 1 April 2024, French insurance windscreen stickers no longer exist. A French-registered vehicle is presumed insured if it appears in the Insured Vehicles File (Fichier des véhicules assurés), which the insurer must update within 72 hours. The "Mémo véhicule assuré" issued on signing serves as proof for 15 days.
• A simple habit: as soon as the final registration certificate arrives, give the new registration number to your insurer.

Is your foreign no-claims bonus recognised?

Often, but it isn't compulsory. A French insurer can take into account the claims history statement from a German or Swiss insurer, which counts as a "document equivalent" to the French one. Since 24 July 2025, the French claims history statement follows a common European template, which makes things easier. There is, however, no official conversion table between the German no-claims class (Schadenfreiheitsklasse) and the French coefficient.

In practice: ask your former insurer for a claims history statement covering at least 5 years, and compare several insurers, since not all of them value it the same way.

If you're refused

An insurer is free to refuse a policy, and insurers generally refuse to cover a vehicle still on foreign plates. For third-party insurance, which is compulsory, there's a remedy: the Bureau central de tarification (BCT).

1. Apply for insurance by registered letter to the insurer's head office.
2. A refusal, or more than 15 days of silence, opens the remedy.
3. Refer the matter to the BCT within 15 days: it sets the premium the insurer will have to apply.

The BCT only covers third-party liability: theft, fire or comprehensive cover remain at the insurer's discretion.

Settlement: the clauses to check

• Theft or total loss: unless the policy says otherwise, the payout is the expert-assessed value, based on the used-car market. If you want to be paid on another basis, look at new-value options (often 6 months to 2 years) or an agreed value.
• Theft without break-in: a policy can exclude it, and you generally have to prove a break-in or hold all the keys. A crucial point on keyless models, heavily targeted by relay theft: see our article on importing a Range Rover.
• Protection requirements: the insurer can require an alarm, an immobiliser or a locked garage at night on exposed models.

And in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, no plates without insurance: the Swiss insurer sends the insurance certificate electronically to the vehicle registration office, as a precondition for issuing plates. In the canton of Bern, for example, an imported vehicle must be registered at the latest 30 days after import.

How Auto M Import makes insurance easier

Before purchase, we send you the exact version, the chassis number and the certificate of conformity so your quote is accurate. We organise an insured trip home (export plate or flatbed transport), then the French registration, so the car is never on the road without cover.

In summary

• An imported car doesn't cost more to insure simply because of its origin.
• The premium depends on the exact version (SRA classification), the location, the use, the driver and the bonus-malus.
• The German discount doesn't lower the premium: the price class follows the new value.
• Insure the car as soon as it's on the road, the trip home and the WW phase included.
• A foreign no-claims bonus is often recognised, without obligation: compare insurers.
• Check the settlement basis and the theft-without-break-in clause.

A question about insuring your future car? Write to us: we'll give you everything you need for an accurate quote. The analysis is free.