Does buildings insurance in Germany pay for leak detection?
In short
Yes, buildings insurance in Germany pays for leak detection (Leckortung) when the cause is an insured water damage, such as a burst pipe inside a wall. A search usually costs EUR 200 to 600. If the specialist only finds a leaking shower joint or groundwater, you often pay for the search yourself. Some policies cap search costs, so check the limit in your terms.
Published prices for leak detection in Germany, 2026.
Example
Typical range
Moisture measurement or endoscope
about EUR 200 to 400
Thermal imaging
about EUR 200 to 500
Acoustic detection
about EUR 250 to 500
Tracer gas detection
about EUR 300 to 800
Call-out and first check
about EUR 100 to 250
Difficult cases
up to about EUR 2,000
Guide values as of October 2026 from published trade prices.
Night and weekend emergency surcharges come on top.
The costs for opening the wall and replacing the pipe in the example are guide values from quoting
practice.
Worked example
Damp patch on the bathroom wall, detached house built in 1982
A dark edge appears on the plaster next to the shower and slowly grows. The owner reports the damage and has the leak located.
Call-out and first check
about EUR 100 to 250
Thermal imaging and moisture measurement
about EUR 200 to 500
Case A: hot water pipe in the wall leaks, open wall and replace section
about EUR 800 to 1,200
Case B: only the silicone joint of the shower leaks
renew joint, about EUR 100 to 200
In case A the insurer pays detection, opening and repair, together about EUR 1,100 to 1,950, minus any agreed excess. In case B there is no pipe water damage, so you usually pay for the search and the joint yourself.
When the search is paid
Leak detection counts as a cost of establishing the loss. Under Section 85 of the German Insurance Contract Act (Versicherungsvertragsgesetz, VVG), the insurer reimburses the costs of identifying and assessing a loss that it has to pay for, as far as those costs were reasonable in the circumstances. The law therefore ties the refund to a loss that your policy actually covers.
In buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) this is usually pipe water: water escaping unintentionally from a drinking water, waste water or heating pipe inside the house. If the search finds such a pipe defect, opening the wall, replacing the pipe section and closing the wall again are normally paid as well.
What the search finds
Does buildings insurance pay for the detection?
Burst pipe in a wall or floor
yes, including opening and closing
Leaking heating pipe
yes, heating pipes count as pipe water
Leaking silicone or tile joint
usually no, it is not pipe water damage
Groundwater or rising damp in the basement
no, not even with pipe water cover
Broken waste pipe under the garden
only if drainage pipes on the plot are included
No cause found
depends on the policy, agree it in writing first
If no insured cause is found
The specialist charges for the search even if it finds no leak or only a worn joint. Many insurers then refuse the bill because there is no insured loss.
Better policies name search and exposure costs explicitly in their terms, some with their own maximum amount. Check whether costs are paid only for a burst pipe or also on a reasonable suspicion.
Which method costs what
The specialist chooses the method by where the leak may be. Moisture meters and thermal imaging find wet areas in walls and screed, acoustic detection listens for water escaping from pressure pipes, and tracer gas finds even very small leaks. Travel and small openings come on top.
A targeted search is almost always cheaper than breaking open large areas on suspicion. That is why insurers expect the leak to be located first and the wall opened afterwards.
Your own surveyor
If you also hire your own expert, for example to check the amount of the loss, the insurer only pays for that expert under Section 85 (2) VVG if your contract required it or the insurer asked you to. Ask first.
If the insurer may reduce its payment, for example for gross negligence, Section 85 (3) VVG allows it to reduce the refund of these costs in the same proportion.
Step by step
Turn off the water if you suspect a pipe and take photos of the damage.
Report the damage to your buildings insurer, or to your landlord if you rent.
Ask whether the insurer sends its own specialist or wants you to book one.
Book the leak detection and get the method and the result in writing.
Submit the measurement report, photos and invoice together.
Checklist
Search and exposure costs named explicitly in the terms
No low cap on search costs
Drainage pipes on the plot included if you have a garden
Gross negligence fully covered
Damage reported before the search is booked
Common mistakes
Having large areas of wall broken open before the leak is located
Booking the search without reporting the damage first
Mistaking a leaking shower joint for a burst pipe
Hiring your own surveyor and expecting the insurer to pay without agreement
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does buildings insurance pay for leak detection without a burst pipe?
Usually only if there is an insured loss.
Whether your policy pays on a reasonable suspicion is stated in the terms.
How much does leak detection cost in Germany?
Usually EUR 200 to 600, depending on method and effort.
Difficult cases can reach about EUR 2,000.
Who pays for leak detection in a rented flat?
For a leak in the building's pipes, the landlord's buildings insurance.
Report the damage to your landlord straight away and do not book the search yourself.
Do I have to pay the invoice upfront?
That can happen if you book the specialist yourself.
Ask the insurer whether it settles directly with the company.
Is a leak in the waste pipe under the house covered?
Yes, if drainage pipes under the building and on the plot are included.
Basic policies often leave them out.
Can I call someone straight away in an emergency?
Yes.
The insurer expects you to turn off the water and prevent further damage.
