Has anyone in Germany had a similar experience with their car insurance and the Zulassungsstelle?

I'm in Brühl (50321) and have car insurance with ADAC.

I apparently missed a payment of 30€ or so because ADAC sent the notification/reminder through the CHECK24 app, which I don't have installed. As soon as I became aware of the missed payment, I paid the outstanding amount (hundreds of euros).

I then contacted ADAC by phone and, although I initially reached the emergency team rather than the insurance department, I was told that I was still insured. They were actually surprised by the situation.

However, I have now discovered that ADAC had informed the Rhein-Erft-Kreis that my insurance had ended on 10 August. The authorities then started compulsory deregistration proceedings.

Today I received confirmation from the Straßenverkehrsbehörde that my vehicle has now been zwangsweise außer Betrieb gesetzt, and the official seals on my number plates have been removed.

The authority says that if ADAC's notification was incorrect, I need to take the matter up with ADAC, including regarding the costs caused by the deregistration.

I've contacted ADAC urgently and asked them to send the electronic insurance confirmation/correction directly to the Zulassungsstelle, but I haven't yet managed to speak to someone from the insurance department who can explain what has happened.

I'm now trying to work out what I should do next.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

• Has ADAC ever incorrectly reported the end of your insurance to the Zulassungsstelle?
• If ADAC subsequently confirmed that you were insured, were you able to get the vehicle re-registered without having to start a completely new policy?
• Did ADAC cover the costs resulting from the deregistration?
• Is there anything specific I should ask ADAC or the Zulassungsstelle for?
• And if the vehicle is already deregistered, is there any reason I should not cancel the ADAC policy and arrange new insurance before re-registering?

Any experiences or advice would be very much appreciated, especially from anyone in NRW or who has dealt with the Rhein-Erft-Kreis Zulassungsstelle.

Thanks!