Yes, you can insure your holiday against bad weather, but only with a separate rain policy. It pays a fixed amount per rainy day, for example EUR 50 to 300, once a set amount of rain falls at your destination. Eight days in the Algarve cost about EUR 41.50 in one published example. Trip cancellation cover (Reiserücktritt) pays nothing for rain.
Published prices and payouts of holiday weather cover in Germany, as of October 2026.
Example
Typical range
Rain policy, eight days in Faro in May, EUR 100 per rainy day
EUR 41.50, about EUR 5 per day
Rain policy, payout per rainy day
about EUR 50 to 300, your choice
Weather cover when booking accommodation
on average 4.9 percent of the trip price, at most 10 percent
Weather cover at booking, payout per rainy day
EUR 50 to 1,000 as stated in the certificate
Rain policy from a report dated 25 April 2026;
weather cover at booking from the provider announcement of 8 October 2026,
average premium of 4.9 percent and 10 percent cap from the APA news agency report of 9 October
2026.
Your premium depends on place, season and the daily amount you choose.
Worked example
Couple from Munich, eight days in the Algarve in May, EUR 100 per rainy day
How a rain policy works out in a dry week and a wet one.
Premium for eight days
EUR 41.50
No rainy day
EUR 0 payout, premium lost
One rainy day above the threshold
EUR 100 payout
Eight rainy days
EUR 800 payout
From the first paid rainy day the payout exceeds the premium. If it stays dry, you paid EUR 41.50 for a sunny holiday.
Why standard travel insurance ignores rain
German trip cancellation insurance (Reiserücktrittsversicherung) and curtailment cover (Reiseabbruch) pay for reasons linked to you, such as illness or an accident. Bad weather at your destination is not one of them, even if it rains all week.
If you want money back for a rainy holiday, you need a dedicated weather product. These rain policies do not look at your loss at all: they pay purely on the amount of rain measured at the agreed place.
How a holiday rain policy works
You choose the place, the dates and an amount per rainy day. If more than the agreed amount of rain falls within a set time window, that day counts and is paid. You do not have to send receipts or photos.
The price of holiday weather insurance depends on destination, season and decades of weather data. The rainier the place at that time of year, the higher the premium or the more rainy days the provider keeps as an excess.
Feature
Rain policy from a specialist
Weather cover when booking accommodation
Rain threshold
more than 1.9 millimetres, usually between 10 am and 6 pm
at least 1.5 millimetres per hour between 8 am and 8 pm for a set number of hours
Payout per rainy day
about EUR 50 to 300, your choice
EUR 50 to 1,000 as stated in the certificate
Price
e.g. EUR 41.50 for eight days
on average 4.9 percent, at most 10 percent of the trip price
Deadline
up to 15 days before departure
when you book the stay
Package holidays: when a storm lets you cancel for free
On a package holiday (Pauschalreise) you can cancel before departure without a fee if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at the destination significantly affect the trip, under section 651h(3) of the German Civil Code (BGB). You then get the full price back.
A few rainy days or a gloomy forecast only qualify if they significantly affect the trip. For ordinary bad weather, German travel law does not help you; only a weather policy pays.
When holiday weather cover is worth it, and when it is not
Consumer advocates in Germany describe rain policies as closer to a bet on the weather than real insurance. If it stays dry, the premium is gone. If it rains, you get money, but you still had a wet holiday.
Holiday weather cover can make sense for an expensive week on the North Sea, the Baltic or in the Alps when compensation for rainy days matters to you. For a short trip to a reliably sunny place you usually do not need it.
The travel cover that really matters
More important than any rain policy are travel health insurance for trips abroad (Auslandsreisekrankenversicherung) and, for expensive bookings, cancellation cover. Norman Nammert arranges such contracts as an insurance broker; the commission is paid by the insurer, so the advice is free for you.
Step by step
Decide whether you really want cash for rainy days or just better trip planning.
Read the rain threshold, time window and measuring point in the terms.
Check whether rainy days are deducted as an excess.
Pick a daily amount that matches what the holiday costs you.
Buy in time: some providers require at least 15 days before departure.
Sort out travel health insurance and, for expensive trips, cancellation cover separately.
Checklist
Rain amount and time window per day known
Measuring point matches your actual destination
Excess in rainy days checked
Payout per day and maximum noted
Deadline before departure met
Common mistakes
Assuming cancellation insurance pays when rain is forecast
Not checking the measuring point: rain a few kilometres away does not count
Buying a rain policy but forgetting travel health insurance
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does trip cancellation insurance pay if rain is forecast?
No.
It pays for reasons linked to you, such as illness, not for bad weather at the destination.
Do I have to prove the rain?
No.
Rain policies pay on measured data at the agreed place, without receipts or photos.
Does a short cloudburst count?
With some policies yes, if the agreed amount falls within the time window.
Others require a minimum per hour over several hours.
Can I cancel a package holiday for free because of a hurricane?
If unavoidable, extraordinary circumstances significantly affect the trip,
section 651h(3) BGB allows cancellation without a fee.
It depends on the individual case.
Is weather cover worth it for a summer beach holiday?
Usually not.
In places with very little summer rain you almost certainly pay the premium for nothing.
