What is covered by household contents insurance?

All movable inventory is insured: furniture, electronics, clothing, bicycles (often an add-on) and personal items. Covered risks include fire, burglary, water damage, storm and hail.

How do I calculate the right sum insured?

A rule of thumb is €650 per square metre of living space. For an 80 m² flat, that would be €52,000. High-value furnishings or expensive electronics should be set higher. Underinsurance leads to reduced benefits in the event of a claim.

Does household contents insurance also cover bicycles?

Bicycles are covered in many tariffs only for break-in to the basement, not for theft outdoors. For complete bicycle protection, an add-on "bicycle theft" module is recommended, which also covers the bike outside the home.

What does household contents insurance pay for water damage?

Household contents insurance covers damage from tap water (burst pipe, leaking washing machine). Flood damage from flooding is usually only covered with the additional natural hazard insurance module.

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Household contents insurance – known in Germany as Hausratversicherung – covers all your movable belongings inside your home: furniture, electronics, clothing, jewellery, sports equipment and personal items of all kinds. Although it is not legally required in Germany, it is widely regarded as one of the most practical voluntary insurance policies. A single burglary or apartment fire can destroy your entire household contents, with replacement costs quickly reaching tens of thousands of euros. Standard coverage includes five core risks: fire (including lightning strikes and explosions), burglary and vandalism, water damage from burst pipes or faulty household appliances, storm and hail from wind force 8 upwards, and – depending on the tariff – power surge damage. Payouts are always based on the replacement value: what it would cost to buy equivalent new items today, not the depreciated value of your existing possessions. One fundamental distinction worth noting: Hausratversicherung protects your belongings, not the building itself. Damage to walls, floors or heating systems falls under a separate residential buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung), normally taken out by the property owner. Natural disasters such as flooding, landslides or snow pressure are not part of standard coverage – these can be added through an optional natural hazards module (Elementarschäden). Bicycle theft when the bike is outside your home is also frequently excluded from basic policies and must be added separately. Technical defects and normal wear and tear are not covered at all. The sum insured must reflect the true replacement value of your household contents. A widely used rule of thumb in Germany is 650 to 700 euros per square metre of living space – for a 70 m² flat, this works out to approximately 45,000–49,000 euros. If you are underinsured (Unterversicherung), claims will be settled on a proportional basis only. Many tariffs include an underinsurance waiver, meaning the insurer will not apply this reduction if the sum was calculated using the standard formula. When comparing tariffs, consider: whether gross negligence is covered (for example, forgetting to close a window or blow out a candle), the sublimits that apply to cash and valuables, whether power surge damage is included, and the level of any voluntary excess. Anyone who regularly leaves a bicycle outdoors should look closely at the bicycle theft add-on. In areas with a higher flood risk, it is advisable to confirm early whether natural hazard cover is available for your specific address.

Household Contents Insurance

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