01
Contents insurance
Burglary at home and robbery are covered, some policies extend this to simple theft away from home. Breakage and water stay excluded.
Home / Insurance broker / Personal
Phone and gadget insurance in Germany: smartphone, tablet, laptop and camera
A phone slipping onto the pavement, coffee across a keyboard, a bag lighter than it should be after a crowded U-Bahn ride: that is what gadget insurance is for. In Germany it is entirely optional, and consumer testers are sceptical of it. It makes most sense for a new, expensive device you carry everywhere.
The question almost everyone asks first
Do I need phone insurance in Germany?
No, it is optional, and Stiftung Warentest, the German consumer testing body, does not count it among the important policies. Deductibles, depreciation and exclusions eat into what you get back. It can be worth it for a new, high-value device that you use on the move. First check what your Hausratversicherung (contents insurance), the two-year statutory warranty and any manufacturer guarantee already cover.
What the warranty, the guarantee and contents insurance already do
Under German law the seller is liable for defects for two years. Since 2022, for the first twelve months it is presumed that a defect was there at delivery, so the seller has to prove otherwise. A manufacturer guarantee comes on top, voluntarily. Neither helps once the device has been dropped or got wet.
Contents insurance pays for a phone stolen in a burglary at home or taken from you by force. A pickpocket lifting it from your jacket is usually not covered, and losing it never is. Breakage and liquid damage are outside contents insurance altogether.
When a separate gadget policy pays off
Weigh the annual premium plus deductible against what a repair or replacement would cost you. A brand new flagship phone with an expensive screen points towards insuring it. A mid-range phone that is three years old rarely does, because the insurer will only pay its current value.
If several people in your household have expensive devices, a multi-device plan can be cheaper than separate policies. If you could pay for a repair without much pain, setting the premium aside yourself is often the better deal.
Theft cover: read the conditions
Theft usually costs extra and comes with a higher deductible. Many German policies only pay if the device was in your personal custody, meaning on your body or within reach. A phone left in a parked car or on a beach towel while you swim typically falls through.
To claim you will need a police report, the receipt and usually the IMEI or serial number. Note it down when you buy the device and keep a digital copy of the invoice.
What is covered
- Accidental damage such as a cracked screen after a drop
- Liquid damage from water, drinks or rain
- Short circuits and power surges, depending on the policy
- Repair or replacement up to the sum insured
- Theft and robbery, if included
- Several household devices on one contract, with some insurers
What is not covered
- Simple loss or leaving the device behind
- Theft from unattended bags or vehicles, depending on the wording
- Scratches and cosmetic damage that do not affect function
- Deliberate damage
- Lost data and data recovery
- Accessories such as cables, cases and earphones unless listed
Who needs it
- Anyone who has just bought a new, expensive phone, tablet or laptop
- Parents whose children are getting their first own phone
- Commuters, students and frequent travellers who always carry their device
- Photographers with valuable cameras and lenses
- Households wanting to insure several devices together
Who does not need it
- A policy for an older device whose current value is barely above the deductible
- An extra policy if your credit card or mobile contract already includes comparable device cover
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
- Phone hits the cobblestones, new screen, often a three figure sum. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. Drops are the core of every gadget policy. The deductible is taken off, and on cheap policies it can be high.
- Beer over the laptop, repair or replacement, easily four figures. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. Liquid damage is included in almost every gadget policy. Contents insurance pays nothing here.
- Pickpocket at the Christmas market, price of the phone. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Without theft cover the gadget policy does not pay, and contents insurance usually does not either. Strong policies include simple theft.
- Camera stolen from a hire car, body and lenses, often over EUR 1,000. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays in part. From unattended vehicles many policies pay only under conditions such as a locked boot and daytime. Read the custody rules.
- Two year old phone written off, current value instead of price paid. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays in part. After the first months most policies pay only part of the price. After the deductible little may be left.
- Phone left in a taxi, price of the phone. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Losing or forgetting a device is not theft. Practically no policy pays for it.
What it costs
The premium mostly depends on what the device cost. Adding theft cover makes it noticeably more expensive. In a test by Stiftung Warentest, smartphone policies without theft cover cost roughly EUR 26 to 132 a year.
| Example | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Smartphone, accidental and liquid damage, no theft | roughly EUR 26 to 132 a year |
What drives the premium
- Purchase price and type of device
- With or without theft cover
- Size of the deductible
- Age of the device when cover starts
- Single device or multi-device plan
- Monthly cancellable or fixed term
Guide figure from a published Stiftung Warentest comparison. Theft cover, laptops and cameras cost more. Your premium is only fixed in the quote.
The policy levels on the market
02
Device cover without theft
Drops, breakage and liquid damage for one device. The lean option for people mainly worried about accidents.
03
Full cover with theft
Adds theft and robbery, often with a higher deductible for theft claims. For expensive devices that travel a lot.
How to recognise a good policy
| Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deductible | fixed amount or percentage, different for repair and theft | low fixed deductible or none | On a screen repair the deductible can take a large share of the payout. |
| Payout basis | current value | new value for a longer period after purchase | After a year many policies pay only part of the purchase price. |
| Theft | excluded or robbery only | simple theft included, with clear custody rules | Pickpocketing is the most common theft, and many policies do not pay for it. |
| Waiting period and device age | new devices only, waiting period for older ones | cover from day one, also for devices a few months old | If you only think of insurance after the first drop, a waiting period can block you. |
| Number of claims | one claim a year | several claims a year up to the sum insured | A screen can crack twice in a year, especially with children. |
| Term | fixed one or two years | cancellable monthly | A new phone or a new mobile contract changes what you need. |
| Language and service | claims in German only | English documents and claims handling | A claim is easier when you understand the conditions and the questions. |
Insurers on the German market
In Germany, gadget cover is sold by specialists, often through electronics retailers, and by large property insurers as a standalone policy or as a contents add-on. Mobile networks and shops sell policies too. The list is a market overview.
| Insurer | Background |
|---|---|
| WERTGARANTIE | device and bicycle cover specialist, sold largely through retailers |
| Allianz | own phone insurance, agents and brokers |
| Zurich | phone insurance for private customers, agents and brokers |
| R+V | phone cover within its electronics insurance, cooperative banking group |
| CosmosDirekt | direct insurer of the Generali group, payout scaled by device age |
Compare the wordings of all tariffs 10 tariffs from 7 providers, as of 24 October 2026
From the BaFin register
155
155 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance.
(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…
- 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…
- 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, 18 September 2026; EU insurers without a German office excluded.
Legal basis and sources
Products and add-ons
Phone insurance
Covers one smartphone against breakage and liquid, with theft as an option. Best value when taken out right at purchase.
Tablet and laptop insurance
Same idea for larger devices. Check the maximum sum, since good laptops quickly exceed it.
Camera insurance
For bodies and lenses, often worldwide. Drops, sand and water are the usual claims on holiday.
Multi-device plan
Several household devices on one contract. Worth it once two or more expensive devices are included.
Contents cover with theft away from home
Extends contents insurance to simple theft outside your flat. No breakage cover, but often the cheapest theft protection.
Myth or truth
True or false?
Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.
German contents insurance pays for any stolen phone.
This is false.
Wrong. It pays after burglary and robbery, but simple theft away from home only if your policy includes it.
In the first year after purchase the seller must prove a defect was not there from the start.
This is true.
True, since 2022 this reversed burden of proof lasts twelve months. It does not help with drops or water, which are not defects.
Gadget insurance always pays the price you paid.
This is false.
No. The full price is usually paid only in the first months, then current value or a scaled share.
Nearly every phone policy has a deductible.
This is true.
Correct, Stiftung Warentest found the same. For theft it is often higher than for repairs.
A cracked screen is a guarantee claim.
This is false.
Only rarely, if the glass cracks without any impact. After a drop, manufacturers and sellers refuse.
Common mistakes
- Signing the shop's policy at the till without comparing
- Assuming theft is automatically included
- Insuring an old device whose current value is barely above the deductible
- Not keeping the receipt and IMEI
- Reporting late or without a police report
- Paying twice because a credit card or mobile contract already covers the device
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does German contents insurance pay for a stolen phone?
Only after a burglary at home or a robbery involving force.
Pickpocketing on the train is usually covered only if your policy explicitly includes simple theft
away from home.
Is a cracked screen covered by the warranty?
No.
Warranty and guarantee cover defects present at purchase or arising without outside influence.
A drop is outside influence, so you need gadget insurance for it.
How soon after buying do I have to insure my phone?
It depends on the insurer.
Brand new devices are usually covered immediately,
while some policies impose a waiting period of a few weeks for older devices or only accept
devices up to a few months old.
Will I get the full purchase price back?
Usually only in the first months.
After that many policies pay current value or a scaled share of the price,
and the deductible is taken off as well.
What if I simply lose my phone?
Loss is almost never insured, neither under contents insurance nor under most gadget policies.
Only proven theft or damage is covered.
Is the insurance offered by my mobile network a good choice?
It is convenient, but not automatically good value.
Compare deductible, theft cover and minimum term with a standalone policy before you sign.
Are devices I use for work covered?
Private gadget policies often exclude mainly business use.
Freelancers and company devices need commercial electronics insurance or a policy that allows work
use.
What do I need to make a claim?
The receipt, IMEI or serial number, a short account of what happened and, for theft,
a police report.
Do not have the device repaired elsewhere before the insurer agrees.
NAMMERT insurance broker
Request quotes for Gadget insurance
We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison, free of charge.
You can write in English.
Thank you, we have your request.
We will be in touch within one working day. If it is urgent: +49 3375 29 12 77.
Often goes with it
Do I need contents insurance as a renter in Germany?
Is my bike covered by my German contents insurance?
Which travel insurance do I need if I live in Germany?
Do I really need personal liability insurance in Germany?
Ten life situations, sorted honestly
Find your case, see which policy pays
Who it suits and what to check
Boat or yacht? NAMMERT has its own cover concepts for boats, arranged by the same broker.
Boat insuranceUpdated