ADAC Reviews 6,518

I had a car breakdown and contacted ADAC for help. They generated a token promising assistance within 180 minutes. I waited. And waited. And waited.

Not only did no one show up within the promised time, but no one even bothered to call, update, or check on us. Absolute silence.

I was stranded in freezing temperatures with my 4-year-old son. Anyone with basic human decency would understand how dangerous and stressful that situation is. ADAC clearly did not care.

This was not just poor service — it was negligence. When you advertise roadside assistance, people trust you in vulnerable situations. ADAC completely failed that responsibility.

What followed was such a nightmare that it would take pages to describe. This experience destroyed any confidence I had in ADAC. I would strongly warn families and parents in particular: do not rely on them when it actually matters.

Extremely disappointed and angry.

Absurd schlecht behandelt total enttäuscht

Customer service is non-existing. They never answer any questions you send to them and repeat 3 times. I have waited for a month now, changed the language in messaging to German but still nothing but automatic BS replies.
Looks like there is no other option than cancel the membership, that has been valid over 20 years.

Expensive, unclear policy, not responsive.
I would recommend HanseMerker for Health Insurance cases instead.

We had engine problems on the way to Bonn and had to pull over and call for assistance. At 13:06 the report was confirmed and were told to wait, help is on the way in a maximum of 2 hours. Called again after 2.5 hours and he was very helpful said to call back in 20 minutes if nobody shows up. I called back after 1 hour and a girl answered, hung up on me when she heard I wasn’t a native German speaker. Tried again, another lady- again no help. Again, another lady- no help. Again, a nice man who tried to help but had no answers unfortunately. We’re a family of 4 with two small toddlers, on the side of the motorway. Imagine. Finally the assistance arrives, at 7pm. He was a very nice man, confused why we were waiting so much time. As were we. Anyway we’ll be cutting any ties with this company!

A week ago, my car broke down on the German highway. I immediately called ADAC because the SOS phone wasn't working. I had a problem because I only speak English, and several times the woman who could hear English would immediately hang up. Finally, someone who spoke some English answered and took the call. He asked for my details and location. He said we would be given priority because we had a child with us. An hour passed and nothing. Another hour passed and nothing. I started calling again and again with the same problem, trying to find someone who spoke English. A nice woman answered and said she would help us, but to no avail. I also called the emergency number several times to ask the police to protect us because it was getting dark, and here comes the surprise again. After four hours on the highway with my wife and daughter, no one helped us. I called Finally, I contacted a German-based college, and they said it's impossible in Germany. It should take no longer than 20 minutes. Unfortunately, we're very disappointed with what happened. My friend hired a private company, which arrived within 45 minutes and towed us to the garage. Looking at the reviews of ADAC customers, nothing surprises me. The company is incompetent and not worth recommending. To this day, I haven't received a single phone call with an apology. Imagine the fear of a child standing on the highway for four hours in the dark, with trucks driving by.

Vor einer Woche hatte ich auf der deutschen Autobahn eine Autopanne. Ich rief sofort den ADAC an, weil das SOS-Telefon nicht funktionierte. Ich hatte ein Problem, weil ich nur Englisch spreche, und die Frau, die Englisch hören konnte, legte mehrmals sofort auf. Schließlich meldete sich jemand, der etwas Englisch sprach, und nahm den Anruf entgegen. Er fragte nach meinen Daten und meinem Standort. Er sagte, wir würden Vorrang bekommen, weil wir ein Kind dabei hätten. Eine Stunde verging und nichts. Noch eine Stunde verging und nichts. Ich rief immer wieder an, mit demselben Problem, in der Hoffnung, jemanden zu erreichen, der Englisch sprach. Eine nette Frau antwortete und sagte, sie würde uns helfen, aber ohne Erfolg. Ich rief auch mehrmals die Notrufnummer an, um die Polizei um Schutz zu bitten, weil es dunkel wurde, und hier kam die Überraschung wieder. Nachdem wir vier Stunden mit meiner Frau und meiner Tochter auf der Autobahn unterwegs waren, half uns niemand. Ich rief an. Schließlich kontaktierte ich ein deutsches College und sie sagten, das sei in Deutschland unmöglich. Es sollte nicht länger als 20 Minuten dauern. Leider sind wir sehr enttäuscht über das, was passiert ist. Mein Freund beauftragte eine private Firma, die innerhalb von 45 Minuten vor Ort war und uns zur Werkstatt schleppte. Wenn ich mir die Bewertungen der ADAC-Kunden anschaue, überrascht mich nichts. Die Firma ist inkompetent und nicht empfehlenswert. Bis heute habe ich keinen einzigen Anruf mit einer Entschuldigung erhalten. Man stelle sich die Angst eines Kindes vor, das vier Stunden im Dunkeln auf der Autobahn steht, während LKWs vorbeifahren.

Phoned ADAC, said they would send someone. Nearly 3 hrs later they phoned to say no one is coming , by that time it was night and I was lucky we were 3 women and I wasn’t alone! ADAC offered me 50€ for a taxi one way, a taxi home would cost 150€ at least. Next morning ADAC phoned again and said they have no one to help me because I am on an island (I know that, I’m stuck on it). I’m lucky I wasn’t alone, and could afford to get home but this could have been a dangerous situation. ADAC know the problems with islands or wherever so why don’t they put this in big print in their policies?? No compensation, no voucher, no ANYTHING certainly no“gelbe Engel” in any form. I have to get back to my car €€,find a mechanic €€, pay for the repair€. So, to the ADAC centrale YOU WERE TOTALLY USELESS.

My car insurance rose by more than 400€. I called many times to try to reduce my insurance to a reasonable amount and no one would help me. Avoid this company!!

They came with ~30 minutes, fixed our tire really quickly, and the staff were super friendly and helpful.

Terrible insurance, I have insurance from this awful company, it started at €117 euros a month, now although I have never claimed it’s €178 a month, I tried to switch lol 😂 apparently I have a agreement until May 2026 not on my watch, I haven’t agreed to that, so ADAC stop ripping me off, I’m changing insurance companies

I want to give it a 0 but thats not possible so i have it a 1.

I had a terrible experience at an ADAC office. As a tourist who doesn’t speak German, I went in to buy a ticket and waited patiently for my turn. When I finally got to the counter, the staff member was incredibly rude and unhelpful. I tried to explain that I don’t speak German and asked politely in English if I could buy a ticket. Her response was dismissive, and she said something along the lines of “We speak Deutsch here,” refusing to help me any further.

I understand I’m in Germany, but this level of customer service is unacceptable especially from an organization that likely deals with international travelers. Very disappointing and unwelcoming experience. I will not be returning or recommending ADAC to anyone.

We are absolutely disappointed with ADAC road assistance.
Our tyre exploded 4km from Poland border near city Görlicz. We immediately contacted ADAC, they came to us in 30mins with a trailer. Loaded our car, drove us 7min (7km) to a tyre service Pneuhage Reifen und Autoservice Görlitz. Without asking to a shop employee if they can help us, he unloaded our car. We asked for a help in the shop, but unfortunately they did not have our tyre size. ADAC driver gave card register to pay 300€ and meanwhile I told him that they can’t help us. He shrugged he’s shoulders, and asked me to sign a paper where he didn’t write any info about him, even he’s name, gave one copy to me. He did not speak english even one word. On paper he wrote 35 min extra time what half of it he was giggling and talking with service employees and than without saying goodbye, headed to he’s trailer. I asked him in distance - so what can we do, it is not a help, please help, we are in middle of nowhere with destroyed tyre. He told me - ATU! (Later we found out that it is and auto service 6 away) and, than, he, with a pure smile on he’s face, said - viel Glück and left us without ANY road assistance after he just earned 300€ for 25 minutes with us. (On paper he wrote 15:30-16:30 but it was actually 15:40-16.05) so we drove 6 km on 20km/h with a wabbly flat tyre to an ATU auto service which also couldn’t help us. Stayed in hotel and next day Polish super good taxi driver ‘TAXI ANDRZEJ’ and a mechanic from ‘Okręgowa Stacja Kontroli Pojazdów REMICO’ helped us for not even a half of that price what we paid to ADAC for 25mins of “help”.
It happened in 11.07.2025 around 15:00 at Siedlerweg 1, 02923 Kodersdorf fuel station ARAL near to Görlitz.
I would ask for partial refund for such a bad service but I’ll let others to fight you..

Thank you, ADAC for this wonderful experience. I’ll give you a half ⭐️ for fast pick up.

I've been a customer for more than 20 years and have never had a single issue. I used to drive a lot of classic cars, so I had to call them many many times for help starting the car or towing to the mechanic.

But my favorite product they offer is the travel insurance (Auslandskrankenschutz). Unlike many other insurance companies who make processing a claim a total headache, ADAC might ask one or two additional questions and then they will reimburse you for the claim. I will be booking their other insurance products very soon!

I recently moved to Germany and as I am still learning the language I find it difficult to navigate the Bureaucracy and the different types of Insurance that are recommended. As such I was looking for a provider or company where I could do everything in English and I was advised to go to the Frankfurter Ring Branch of ADAC as there is a member of staff who speaks English as a native language. I am so glad that I did.

I was advised by a Ms. Austin who was not only patient but did her job with a smile on her face which I appreciated as I had a lot of questions and her way of explaining and translating everything so that I could make an informed decision made my life so much easier.

Working in Hospitality I know that a lot of feedback focuses on the negatives however I am a firm believer in giving plaudits when I have a positive experience. Ms Austin deserves the plaudits for making the experience a good one and she is a credit to ADAC.

Horrifying experience. I had a "plus" membership. Two hours after we reported car failure it was towed away. We were abandoned at the gas station in the middle of nowhere for another 5 hours. No one could help us, they asked us to call their number again and again just to tell us they have nothing. The problem was not the lack of car. The problem is the way how they systemically try to push the work in your direction so you would give up. And we did. We managed to get 7km to the nearest village and from there find some transport in the middle of the night to get 200 km home.

The worst company to deal with, ignored emails, harassed me with debt collectors 6 months after my fees were paid.. but didn't pay my claims out!! Avoid, Avoid, Avoid the ADAC THEY ARE A DISGRACE!

My ADAC membership included legal advice. I asked for help last year, and never replied to me. Waste of money.

I received a letter on October 17, 2024, informing me that I must repay the amounts that I claimed from an injury that occurred while serving as a volunteer in Ukraine. ADAC said the claim was made 63 days after I entered the country.

I paid this money back to ADAC as requested on December 21 2024. But without the knowledge at the time the below details.

According to ADAC policy on page 1. Part 2. Heading “What is protected?” It states that “For overseas health insurance benefits according to §§ 24-34, insurance cover is provided for the first 92 days in other European countries and the first 63 days of each stay abroad outside Europe”

Both incidents that I claimed for were within 93 dates of arriving in Ukraine.

Ukraine is part of Europe. Nowhere in their policy does it say otherwise, and further communications with ADAC via telephone confirmed informed ADAC considers Ukraine as part of Europe.

I kindly asked ADAC to reimburse me for the insurance claims they originally paid to me. For the following reasons. However, they replied with a vague standard response in a letter dated Jan 30 2025 stating "You can find information about this in our insurance terms and conditions. Please understand that we cannot make an exception here."

ADAC accepted my claim, paid me money, and then ADAC requested the money back based on an "error". I paid it and then realized the error was there's.

However they are not willing to rectify their decision or give a clear explanation why not, even though it goes against their policy guidelines. A very disappointing experience and I would not recommend ADAC or will continue with my policy cover.

Rachael Wilcox

I had a burst tire on a motorway in Germany, limped in to the nearest garage, where perchance an ADAC car was parked. The wonderful chap (Thomas Scheid) sorted everything out for me from start to finish, and a couple of hours later I was taken with the car back home to pick up my winter tires, then on to my local garage. Excellent service. I've been a member since 2002, and had completely forgotten I was one! What a pleasant surprise when he typed my name in to the system. Everything happens for a reason.

I had an car accident in which all the responsibility was put on the other side by the policemen who closed the report about the accident.

In this case my "Kfz Selbstbeteiligung" had to be taken over by the insurance company of the other side, The other company wanted my insurer ADAC to request it by a letter. ADAC wanted that the other side send them a letter that ADAC can request "Kfz Selbstbeteiligung" amount from the other side (chicken-egg).

I was left in between ADAC and the other company without a solution by my insurer ADAC.

I paid 300 Euro instead of the guilty party because ADAC did not care about this.

Update :
They requested my contact info , and I delivered it.
its mid january 2025, yet they did not give a response. They did not take any reaction in spite of their contact request.