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What happens to your contents insurance when you move in Germany?

In short

Your German contents insurance moves with you. During the move both flats are covered, the old one usually for at most two months. Tell your insurer the new address and living space. If the new flat is in a pricier tariff zone the premium goes up, and you may then cancel within one month of the new bill. Breakage during transport is usually not covered.

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What happens to your contents insurance when you move in Germany?

What it costs

What a move can change in your premium and extra cover. Figures from publicly quoted examples.

Example	Typical range
80 square metres in Dresden	about EUR 23 to 25 a year
80 square metres in Düsseldorf	about EUR 51 to 54 a year
Transit insurance, local move, goods worth EUR 50,000	from about EUR 100 to 200, one-off
Transit insurance, long-distance move within Germany, EUR 50,000	from about EUR 150 to 350, one-off
Transit insurance, international move within Europe, EUR 50,000	from about EUR 300 to 600, one-off

As of September 2026, from publicly quoted examples. Your new premium depends on your address, sum insured and tariff; we recalculate it for your new flat.

Worked example

Couple moves from Dresden to Düsseldorf and gets a bigger flat

Living space grows from 60 to 85 square metres, and the new city is in a pricier tariff zone.

Old sum insured (60 × EUR 650)	EUR 39,000
New sum insured (85 × EUR 650)	EUR 55,250
Premium before, cheap tariff zone	about EUR 20 a year
Premium after, expensive tariff zone	about EUR 55 to 60 a year (guide value from our quoting practice)

The premium nearly triples. The couple may cancel within one month of the new bill and compare. Without updating the living space, a claim could have been cut.

The policy moves with you

Many newcomers assume they need a new policy for each flat. In Germany the contents policy transfers to your new home. The model terms of the German insurers' association (VHB 2022, clause A 16) say both homes are insured during the move, the old one only for a transition period of usually up to two months.

There are exceptions. If you keep the old flat and live in both, the second one needs its own policy. And if you move out of Germany, for example back home or on to another posting, cover does not transfer to the new flat abroad.

Situation	What happens to the policy
Move within Germany	policy continues, premium by new tariff zone
New flat in a more expensive zone	premium rises, special right to cancel
New flat in a cheaper zone	premium falls, no special right to cancel
Moving in with a partner who has a policy	end one policy, otherwise you pay twice
Moving abroad	no cover for the new flat, policy ends

Premium and sum insured after the move

German premiums depend heavily on the postcode. The same 80 square metres cost around EUR 23 a year in Dresden and over EUR 50 in Düsseldorf, so a move to a big city can double your premium.

Living space matters even more. Many tariffs only waive the underinsurance deduction (Unterversicherungsverzicht) if your sum insured matches the space, often EUR 650 per square metre. Move from 60 to 90 square metres without telling your insurer and a claim may be cut.

Damage during the move

If something breaks while being carried or in the van, contents insurance usually does not pay. It covers fire, burglary, water and storm, not breakage while moving. Scratches to the stairwell or a neighbour's car are a matter for your personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) if you or friends did the carrying.

A removal firm is liable under the German Commercial Code (§ 451e HGB) up to EUR 620 per cubic metre of loading space. Report visible damage no later than the day after delivery and hidden damage within 14 days. Transit insurance can be worth it for valuable goods or an international move; for a normal flat move within Germany the legal liability is often enough.

Step by step

Tell your insurer about the move at the latest when it starts, with date, new address and living space.
Adjust the sum insured to the new flat and any new furniture.
Check the new premium and compare within one month if it went up.
Clarify liability and transit insurance with the removal firm and photograph your items before loading.
If you move in with a partner, end one of the two policies.

Checklist

New address and living space reported to the insurer
Sum insured matches the new flat
Bike add-on and natural hazards checked for the new location
Deadline for the special right to cancel in your calendar
Transport damage reported to the removal firm straight away

Common mistakes

Cancelling the policy in the old city and leaving the new flat uninsured
Not reporting the larger living space and getting a reduced payout
Expecting contents insurance to pay for breakage during the move
Keeping the German policy after moving abroad

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Do I need a new policy when I move within Germany?

No, your policy moves with you. You only need to report the move and check the sum insured.

When do I have to report the move?

At the latest when the move starts, ideally before. Most terms ask for the new address and living space.

Does contents insurance pay if something breaks during the move?

Usually not. A removal firm is liable for damage it causes; when friends help, often nobody is. Damage to other people's property falls under personal liability insurance.

I am leaving Germany. What happens to my policy?

Cover does not transfer to a flat abroad. You need a policy in the new country, and the German one usually ends when you move out. Tell your insurer in writing.

Can I cancel if my premium goes down?

There is no special right to cancel then. Normal cancellation at the end of the policy year remains, usually with three months' notice.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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Contents insurance in Germany (Hausratversicherung)

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