01
Basic
Fire, water, storm and hail at rebuild cost, with tight limits on extra costs and only partial gross negligence cover.
Home / Insurance broker / Personal
Buildings insurance in Germany: what homeowners and buyers need to know
Wohngebäudeversicherung covers the structure of your house against fire, burst pipes, storm and hail, normally at full rebuild cost. It is not required by law, but every mortgage lender will insist on it. Flooding and heavy rain are excluded unless you add natural hazards cover.
The question almost everyone asks first
Is buildings insurance mandatory in Germany?
No, there is no legal obligation. In practice you need it anyway: a bank will not grant a mortgage without it, and when you buy a house the seller's existing policy transfers to you automatically. Owners of a flat in a multi-unit building are usually covered by the owners' association policy. A compulsory element for natural hazards is being discussed politically, but as of September 2026 no law has been passed.
The strange 1914 value, explained
German insurers often express a house's rebuild cost in marks at 1914 prices. That base figure never changes. Each year it is multiplied by an index that tracks building costs and wages, 27.8 for 2026, so the cover and the premium rise with construction prices without anyone recalculating.
The alternative is a floor area model: you state living space, construction and fittings, and the insurer waives any underinsurance deduction. Whichever model you use, report extensions such as a converted loft, otherwise the waiver can be lost.
Buying a house: you inherit the policy
Under § 95 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG), the seller's buildings policy passes to the buyer when ownership changes. You can cancel it within one month of the land register entry, and the insurer can also cancel within a month of learning about the sale (§ 96 VVG).
That is useful, because the house is never uninsured, but it also means you may take over an outdated policy without flood cover and with a low sum insured. Ask the seller for the policy before completion and have it checked.
Water, not fire, is the everyday risk
Most claims come from escaping water: burst pipes, frost, leaking connections. Good policies also cover supply and drain pipes outside the building on your plot, where tree roots are a common cause. Houses with a history of water claims often only get cover with an excess, or not at all.
Heavy rain is different. Water that comes in from outside or backs up from the sewer is not a burst pipe claim. According to the German insurers' association GDV, around 59 percent of homes had natural hazards cover in 2025, so four in ten would not be paid for a flood.
Renting out, owning a flat, and outbuildings
If you let the property, a buildings policy can also cover lost rent while it is being repaired. As a landlord you may pass the premium on to tenants through the service charges. If you own a flat, the building is normally insured through the owners' association and paid via the monthly house money.
Garages, carports, garden sheds, solar panels and jetties need to be declared. A boathouse is an outbuilding and belongs on the buildings policy; the boat inside does not, and that is where we act as an underwriting agency rather than a broker.
What is covered
- Fire, lightning and explosion
- Escaping water, burst and frozen pipes
- Storm from wind force 8 and hail
- Clearing, demolition and disposal costs
- Lost rent on let properties, for a limited time
- Power surge from lightning, in most policies
- Declared outbuildings and roof solar panels
- Flooding, heavy rain and backflow, only with the natural hazards add-on
What is not covered
- Flooding and heavy rain without the natural hazards add-on
- Storm surge on the coast, usually excluded even with the add-on
- Wear and tear, construction defects and poor maintenance
- Your furniture and belongings, which need contents insurance
- Damage during construction, which needs builders' risk cover
- Undeclared extensions and outbuildings
Who needs it
- Anyone who owns a house in Germany
- Every buyer with a mortgage, since the lender requires it
- Landlords who want lost rent covered as well
- New owners who inherited the previous owner's policy
Who can do without
- Owners of a flat whose building is insured by the owners' association
- Tenants, as the landlord insures the building
Wheel of misfortune
Spin the wheel of bad luck
Six things that really happen. The wheel picks yours and shows who pays.
Cost:
Budget policy
Strong policy
See all six cases
- Pipe bursts behind the bathroom tiles, around €3,000 to €15,000. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. Escaping water is a basic peril. The policy pays for finding the leak, opening walls, repairs and drying.
- Tree roots crack the drain in the garden, around €2,000 to €8,000. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Drain pipes outside the house are often excluded in basic policies. Stronger ones include them anywhere on your plot.
- Woodpecker drills into the insulation, around €1,000 to €6,000. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays in part. Animal damage is not in the model conditions. Some strong policies pay for woodpeckers and martens up to a limit.
- North Sea storm surge floods the house, easily five figures. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Storm surge is excluded even with natural hazards cover. On the coast, dykes do that job, not insurance.
- Hail cracks the roof tiles, around €3,000 to €20,000. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. Hail is a basic peril in every German buildings policy. Rain that then gets in through the damage is covered too.
- Hidden leak: €1,500 water bill, around €200 to €2,000. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays in part. Lost water is not physical damage. Strong policies reimburse the extra consumption after a burst pipe up to a set amount.
What it costs
Buildings insurance in Germany has become noticeably more expensive, driven by construction costs and weather claims. The annual index passes rising building prices straight into your premium. We do not give sample prices, because location, age and past claims matter more than the insurer.
What drives the premium
- 1914 value or living space and fittings
- Year of construction and age of pipes, roof and wiring
- Construction type and roof covering
- Postcode, storm zone and flood hazard class
- Natural hazards add-on and excess
- Water claims in recent years
No sample prices, because they vary widely from house to house. Your premium is only fixed in the quote.
The policy levels on the market
02
Standard
Gross negligence waived, drain pipes on the plot covered, higher limits for clearing costs and power surge.
03
Premium
Broader all-risks elements, a guarantee to match better market standards, solar panels and outbuildings included.
How to recognise a good policy
| Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebuild cost basis | gleitender Neuwert agreed | with underinsurance waived | Only then does cover keep pace with building prices. |
| Gross negligence | waived up to €5,000 | waived up to the sum insured | A candle or barbecue left unattended is a classic reason for a reduced payout. |
| Drain pipes | inside the building | also on the plot and beyond | Root damage to drains is common and expensive to dig out. |
| Clearing costs | limited to a percentage | up to the sum insured | Disposal after a fire can be a large share of the claim. |
| Natural hazards | available as add-on | available in all hazard zones | Heavy rain also hits houses far from any river. |
| Lost rent | 12 months | 24 months | Rebuilding after a major loss often takes more than a year. |
| Solar panels | covered for the same perils as the house | all risks including lost feed-in income | Panels are a significant value on the roof. |
Insurers on the German market
Many German property insurers write buildings cover, including regional public insurers. Some accept houses with past claims or in high flood zones only with restrictions. This list is a market overview.
| Insurer | Background |
|---|---|
| Allianz | nationwide, agents and brokers |
| HUK-COBURG | own sales network only, does not work with brokers |
| R+V | insurer of the cooperative banks |
| Provinzial | public insurer within the savings banks group, regional focus |
| VHV | Hanover-based, strong in broker business |
| Württembergische | part of the W&W group, agents and brokers |
| Rhion | part of the RheinLand group, sold through brokers |
| AXA | agents and brokers |
| Alte Leipziger | mostly broker distribution |
From the BaFin register
155
155 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Feuer, Sturm, Hagel-, Frost- und sonstige Sachschäden)
Show all 155 names from the register
- ACM Versicherung AG
- ADAC Autoversicherung AG
- ADAC Versicherung AG
- ADAC Zuhause Versicherung AG
- ADLER Versicherung AG
- Allianz Direct Versicherungs-AG
- Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE
- Allianz Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Alte Leipziger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Ambra Versicherung AG
- AMMERLÄNDER VERSICHERUNG Versicherungsverein a.G. (VVaG)
- andsafe Aktiengesellschaft
- ARAG Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Astra Versicherung AG
- AXA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- BA die Bayerische Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband
- Baloise Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft Deutschland
- Barmenia Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- BavariaDirekt Versicherung AG
- Bayerische Hausbesitzer-Versicherungs-Gesellschaft a.G.
- Bayerische Landesbrandversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Bayerischer Versicherungsverband Versicherungsaktiengesellschaft
- BD24 Berlin Direkt Versicherung AG
- Bergische Brandversicherung Allgemeine Feuerversicherung V.a.G.
- BGV-Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- CG Car-Garantie Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Concordia Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
- CONSTANTIA Versicherungen a.G.
- Continentale Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Cosmos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- DA Deutsche Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- DARAG Deutschland AG
- Debeka Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft Sitz Koblenz am Rhein
- Delvag Versicherungs-AG
- DEVK Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- DEVK Deutsche Eisenbahn Versicherung Sach- und HUK-Versicherungsverein a.G. Betriebliche Sozialeinrichtung der Deutschen Bahn
- DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung AG
- Dialog Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Die Haftpflichtkasse VVaG
- DOCURA VVaG
- Dolleruper Freie Brandgilde
- Domestic & General Insurance Europe AG
- ERGO Direkt Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ERGO Reiseversicherung AG
- ERGO Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- EUROPA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- EXTREMUS Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Fahrlehrerversicherung Verein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Feuer- und Einbruchschadenkasse der BBBank in Karlsruhe, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Feuersozietät Berlin Brandenburg Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- GARANTA Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Gartenbau-Versicherung VVaG
- Gebäudeversicherungsgilde für Föhr,Amrum und Halligen
- Generali Deutschland Versicherung AG
- GGG Kraftfahrzeug-Reparaturkosten-Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Gothaer Versicherungsbank VVaG
- Great Lakes Insurance SE
- GRUNDEIGENTÜMER-VERSICHERUNG Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- GVO Gegenseitigkeit Versicherung Oldenburg VVaG
- GVV Direktversicherung AG
- GVV-Kommunalversicherung, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Hagelgilde Versicherungsverein a.G., gegründet 1811
- Hamburger Beamten-Feuer-und Einbruchskasse
- Hamburger Feuerkasse Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Hamburger Lehrer-Feuerkasse
- HanseMerkur Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- HanseMerkur Reiseversicherung AG
- Harsewinkeler Versicherung VaG
- HDI Global SE
- HDI Global Specialty SE
- HDI Haftpflichtverband der Deutschen Industrie Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- HDI Versicherung AG
- Helvetia Schweizerische Versicherungsgesellschaft AG Direktion für Deutschland
- Helvetia Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- HUK-COBURG Haftpflicht-Unterstützungs-Kasse kraftfahrender Beamter Deutschlands a.G. in Coburg
- HUK-COBURG-Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- HUK24 AG
- Häger Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Hübener Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- IDEAL Versicherung AG
- INTER Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- Interlloyd Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- InterRisk Versicherungs-AG Vienna Insurance Group.
- ISSELHORSTER Versicherung V.a.G.
- Itzehoer Versicherung/Brandgilde von 1691 Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Janitos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- KRAVAG-ALLGEMEINE Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- KRAVAG-LOGISTIC Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover
- LBN Versicherungsverein a.G. (VVaG)
- Lehrer-Feuerversicherungsverein a.G. für Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Lifestyle Protection AG
- Lippische Landesbrandversicherung AG
- Lucura Versicherungs AG
- LVM Landwirtschaftlicher Versicherungsverein Münster a.G.
- Mannheimer Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Markel Insurance SE
- Mecklenburgische Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Mercedes-Benz Versicherung AG
- MVK Versicherung VVaG
- MÜNCHENER VEREIN Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
- NEH Neue Hildener Versicherung AG
- Neodigital Versicherung AG
- Neuendorfer Brand-Bau-Gilde
- Newline Europe Versicherung AG
- nexible Versicherung AG
- Nordhemmer Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- NV-Versicherungen VVaG
- NÜRNBERGER Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- NÜRNBERGER BEAMTEN ALLGEMEINE VERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
- OKV - Ostdeutsche Kommunalversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Ostangler Brandgilde, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
- OSTBEVERNER Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
- Pallas Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ProTect Versicherung AG
- Provinzial Nord Brandkasse Aktiengesellschaft
- Provinzial Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- PVAG Polizeiversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- R+V Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Real Garant Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- RheinLand Versicherungs Aktiengesellschaft
- Rhion Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- S DirektVersicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SAARLAND Feuerversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Schleswiger Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- SCHNEVERDINGER Versicherungsverein a.G.
- SHB Allgemeine Versicherung VVaG
- SIGNAL IDUNA Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SIGNAL IDUNA Unfallversicherung a. G.
- Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Stuttgarter Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SV SparkassenVersicherung Gebäudeversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- TRIAS Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Uelzener Allgemeine Versicherungs-Gesellschaft a.G.
- Union Reiseversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- uniVersa Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- Vereinigte Hagelversicherung VVaG
- Vereinigte Tierversicherung, Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Versicherer im Raum der Kirchen Sachversicherung AG
- Versicherungsverband Deutscher Eisenbahnen-Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- Volkswagen Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- VOLKSWOHL-BUND SACHVERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
- VPV Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
- Waldenburger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- WERTGARANTIE SE
- WGV-Versicherung AG
- WWK Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Württembergische Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Würzburger Versicherungs-AG
- Zurich Insurance Europe AG
- Öffentliche Feuerversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt
Source: BaFin company database, retrieved 18 September 2026. Insurers from other EU countries selling through a branch or without a German office are not included.
Legal basis and sources
Products and add-ons
1914 value policy
Traditional valuation with a questionnaire or survey. Suited to unusual or large houses.
Floor area policy
Priced on living space, construction and fittings, with underinsurance waived. Simple for standard houses.
Natural hazards add-on
Flood, heavy rain, backflow, earthquake, subsidence, landslide, snow load, avalanche and volcanic eruption.
Solar add-on
Extends cover for roof panels to all risks, often with lost income.
Myth or truth
True or false?
Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.
Buildings insurance is compulsory for homeowners in Germany.
This is false.
No, there is no legal requirement. Your mortgage lender will almost always ask for proof of cover, though, and without it every fire is your loss alone.
German insurers only call it a storm once the wind reaches force 8.
This is true.
Yes, that is the usual definition, around 62 km/h. If weaker wind is recorded nearby, the local reading from the German weather service can still settle it.
If your neighbour's tree falls on your roof in a storm, the neighbour pays.
This is false.
Not usually. It is a storm claim on your own policy. The neighbour is only liable if the tree was visibly diseased and they ignored it.
Your buildings policy can pay to clear the rubble after a fire.
This is true.
Yes, clearance, demolition and disposal costs are included. Basic policies cap them, stronger ones pay up to the full sum insured.
Solar panels on the roof make no difference to your buildings policy.
This is false.
They do. The panels raise the rebuild value and must be declared, otherwise the whole house may end up underinsured.
Common mistakes
- Keeping the seller's old policy without checking sum insured and flood cover
- Assuming heavy rain counts as a burst pipe claim
- Forgetting to declare a loft conversion, carport or solar panels
- Leaving a vacant house unheated in winter without draining the pipes
- Comparing only premiums and ignoring the gross negligence clause
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
What is the difference between Hausrat and Wohngebäude?
Wohngebäude covers the building: walls, roof, fixed installations. Hausrat covers what is inside: furniture, clothes, electronics. A simple test is to imagine turning the house upside down; whatever falls out belongs to Hausrat.
Does buildings insurance cover floods in Germany?
Only if you add natural hazards cover (Elementarschadenversicherung). Standard policies exclude flooding, heavy rain and sewer backflow. Government aid after floods has been limited in recent years, so do not rely on it.
Why does my premium go up every year?
Because it is linked to an index of building costs and construction wages. When those rise, your sum insured and premium rise with them. Insurers may also adjust rates because of higher claims costs.
Can I choose my own insurer if the bank asks for buildings cover?
Yes. The lender can require cover and ask to be noted on the policy, but it cannot force you to use its partner insurer. You simply provide proof of an adequate policy.
Are solar panels on my roof covered?
Often yes, as part of the building and against the same perils as the house. Operating errors, theft, short circuits and lost feed-in income are usually not included. For those you need dedicated solar panel insurance.
What happens if I do not rebuild after a total loss?
You normally receive only the current value of the building, not the full rebuild cost. The full amount is paid when reconstruction is carried out or guaranteed within the period set in the policy, typically three years.
I own a flat. Do I need buildings insurance?
Usually not. German law makes adequate insurance of the common property part of proper management by the owners' association, and the cost is shared through the monthly house money. You still need contents insurance for your belongings.
Can the insurer cancel after a claim?
Yes. After a claim both sides have a right to cancel. Insurers use it mainly after repeated water damage. If that happens, keep evidence of any pipe renovation, as new insurers will ask.
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Often goes with it
Is flood insurance included in German home insurance?
Do I need contents insurance as a renter in Germany?
Does my German buildings insurance cover my solar panels?
What insurance do I need to build a house in Germany?
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