Can my insurer cancel my policy after a claim in Germany?
In short
Yes. In Germany your insurer may cancel the policy after a claim, as § 92 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG) allows. It must do so within one month after the negotiations on compensation end and give one month's notice. It does not need a reason. You may also cancel during this window. In addition, either side can give ordinary notice for the end of the insurance year.
Deadlines from the law and an example of how terms can change after a claim.
Example
Typical range
Cancellation by the insurer after a claim
1 month notice, possible until 1 month after negotiations end
Ordinary cancellation for the expiry date
notice between 1 and 3 months, the same for both sides
New contract after a burst pipe, detached house, previously EUR 600 a year
about EUR 700 to 900 a year, often with a EUR 500 excess
Deadlines under §§ 11 and 92 VVG, as of October 2026.
The premium after a claim is a rule of thumb from practice and depends on the house,
location and claims history.
Worked example
Second water damage in three years
The insurer pays EUR 8,000 for a burst pipe on 10 March and sends a cancellation on 25 March.
Negotiations end
10 March, payment
Cancellation allowed until
10 April
Cancellation received
25 March
Cover ends
25 April
You have one month to find a new contract. Proof that the pipes were replaced can improve your chances.
What the law allows your insurer
After an insured event, both parties have a right to cancel. For your insurer this means it may cancel your policy after a claim, even after the first one and even after a small one. It does not have to give a reason.
The cancellation is only allowed until one month after the negotiations on compensation have ended, usually one month after payment or rejection. The insurer must give one month's notice, so you are not left without cover overnight.
Who cancels
Deadline
Effect
Insurer after a claim
one month after negotiations end
one month after you receive the notice
You after a claim
one month after negotiations end
immediately or at the end of the insurance year
Either side, ordinary
notice set in the contract, one to three months before expiry
at the end of the insurance year
Why insurers cancel after a claim
It is usually about the risk the claim has revealed: old water pipes after a burst pipe, a house in a flood-prone location after a natural hazard claim (Elementarschaden), or several claims in a short time.
Sometimes the insurer offers a new contract on different terms instead of a plain cancellation, for example with an excess, a higher premium or without one module. Check that offer like any other and compare it.
The real danger: no new contract
A house without building insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) is a big risk, and a bank financing it will usually require cover. New insurers ask about previous claims and about cancellation by a previous insurer in the application. Depending on your answers, cover gets more expensive or a module such as natural hazards is not offered.
To be honest, after a cancellation every day counts. Get offers at once and never leave the house uninsured in between. There should be no gap between the old and the new contract.
What you can do yourself
Remove the cause of the damage and document it: new pipes, a backflow valve, a repaired roof. A new insurer assesses a renovated risk differently from an unchanged one.
An insurance broker can present your case with these documents to several insurers. At NAMMERT, Norman Nammert arranges cover as an insurance broker, and the commission is paid by the insurer. Nobody can promise a new contract in advance, though; it depends on the house and its claims history.
Step by step
Note the date of payment or rejection and of the cancellation.
Check that the cancellation came within the window and with one month's notice.
Remove the cause and keep the invoices for the work.
Get new offers at once and state previous claims truthfully.
Inform your bank if the house is financed.
Checklist
Cancellation letter with date of receipt
Claim documents and repair invoices
Proof that the cause was removed
New contract without a gap
Natural hazards cover checked in the new contract
Common mistakes
Leaving the cancellation until cover has ended
Hiding previous claims in the new application
Reporting small losses you could pay yourself and burdening your claims history
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Can my insurer cancel after my first claim?
Yes.
§ 92 VVG does not require a number of claims.
A single insured event is enough.
Does the insurer have to give a reason?
No.
The right to cancel after a claim exists without a reason.
Can it cancel even if it did not pay?
Yes, the law refers to the insured event.
The window then runs from the end of the negotiations, for example from the rejection.
Can I fight the cancellation?
Only if the deadline or the window was not respected.
Check the dates carefully.
Is it worth paying small losses myself?
Often, for amounts close to your excess, because every claim affects your claims history.
