Motor vehicle insurance
Certification of transparency and clarity of information regarding motor vehicle insurance
Quality and transparency
The price is not the only important thing if you are trying to find the right vehicle insurance. Because of the large number of optional restrictions and extra features, it is not always possible to compare different insurance contracts in a meaningful way.
However, when an insurance product has been granted the TÜV NORD "Approved Transparency" certificate, consumers know that it is quite easy to assess what is actually on offer. In order for the certificate to be granted, the extent of the insurance cover, the clarity and transparency of the information supplied to the customer, and also the product information sheet, are checked by TÜV NORD:
As nobody can assess the clarity and transparency of customer information better than consumers themselves, TÜV NORD carries out a focus group survey during the certification process. During the survey, insurance brochures are handed out on a random sample basis, and questions are asked regarding their clarity and transparency.
What is certified?
The following items are certified: scope of the insurance cover, transparency of the customer information, and the product information sheet describing the cover offered by a particular vehicle insurance (third-party liability, partial insurance cover or fully comprehensive). As the requirement for additional cover or less cover mostly depends on the situation of the individual consumer, the cover must be represented clearly and in understandable form in the customer information. For example, third-party liability vehicle insurance certified by TÜV NORD is characterised by minimum cover of at least 100 million euro for damage to persons and property, and minimum cover of 8 million euro per incident of damage to persons.
In the same way, the partial cover and fully comprehensive insurances certified by TÜV NORD include defined minimum cover - for example the following cover applies for fully comprehensive insurances: fire and explosion, natural hazards, vandalism, theft, glass breakage and animal bites. The customer is also free to select a workshop of his choice to perform repairs.
Certification procedure:
1. Provision of documents:
The insurance company supplies product information, customer information, the insurance application form, the vehicle insurance policy and the general conditions for vehicle insurance, and also provides a hold-harmless agreement for TÜV NORD.
2. Document review:
TÜV NORD reviews and assesses the documents provided according to fixed quality and transparency criteria. In addition to customer information and the general conditions for vehicle insurance, the information regarding vehicle insurance provided on the provider's website is considered in the review.
3. Clarity survey:
TÜV NORD performs a random sample focus group survey. The subject of the survey is the customer information provided by the vehicle insurance company and its ease of understanding. The results of the survey are included in the overall assessment.
4. Test report:
The results of the tests are summarised in a test report. If the findings conform with the TN Quality & Transparency standard, a certificate with a term of validity of one year is granted.
5. Continuous surveillance
The certificate can be extended by means of annual surveillance audits, provided the minimum criteria continue to be met. If the insurance company makes changes during the year or if there are changes in the law, an extraordinary audit takes place.
Disclaimer:
The certification does not make a statement with regard to the value for money offered by the policy or the service capability of the insurance company. The is no legal analysis of the general conditions of insurance on which the insurance to be certified is based.
The further obligations of the insurance company to offer suitable advice and of the agent (§§ 6, 61 German Insurance Contract Act - VVG) do not fall within the scope of the certification.
