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Does contents insurance pay if the Advent wreath catches fire?

In short

Yes. German contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) does pay if the Advent wreath catches fire and flames, soot or water from the fire brigade damage your furniture, curtains or presents. Fire is an insured risk. If you left the candles burning unattended for a long time, section 81 of the Insurance Contract Act lets the insurer cut the payout, unless your policy waives that defence.

Does contents insurance pay if the Advent wreath catches fire?

What it costs

What contents insurance costs in Germany, based on published examples. Policies with a gross negligence waiver are usually not the cheapest ones.

ExampleTypical range
1 room, 35 square metres, sum insured about EUR 23,000about EUR 50 to 90 a year
2 rooms, 65 square metres, sum insured about EUR 42,000about EUR 70 to 140 a year
75 square metres, mid tariff zone, sum insured about EUR 49,000about EUR 90 to 120 a year
80 square metres, depending on the cityabout EUR 23 to 54 a year

Guide values as of November 2026 from published examples.

The amounts in the worked example and the assumed 50 percent cut are guide values from everyday

quoting practice; the actual cut is set by the insurer or a court in each case.

Worked example

Advent wreath catches fire, EUR 8,000 damage to your belongings

The wreath stands on the living room table, the fire spreads to the tablecloth, curtain and sofa, soot fills the room. Same damage, three scenarios.

You are in the kitchen for five minutes, simple negligenceEUR 8,000
You spend an hour at the neighbours', no waiver, assumed 50 percent cutEUR 4,000
Same case, waiver up to the full sum insuredEUR 8,000

Without the waiver you are left with EUR 4,000 in the second case. The price difference between such policies is often only a few euros a year.

Why a burning Advent wreath is a contents insurance claim

Under the German insurers' model terms, a fire is a blaze that has left its intended place and can spread on its own. A fire that starts from a controlled flame, such as a candle, is expressly included. Once the flame jumps to the fir branches, the tablecloth or the curtains, it counts as a fire.

Contents insurance then pays the replacement value of everything that belongs to your household: furniture, rugs, clothes, electronics and the presents under the tree. Soot and water used to put out the fire count as fire damage. It is different if wax only drips or the candle burns a hole into the tablecloth without the fire spreading. That is scorch damage, which many basic policies do not cover or only up to a fixed amount.

What happenedWhat contents insurance usually pays
Wreath catches fire, table and curtains burnreplacement value of table, curtains and other items
Soot spreads through the flatcleaning or replacing your belongings
Fire brigade puts it out, sofa and rug are soakedwater used to fight the fire counts as fire damage
Candle scorches a hole in the tablecloth, no fireonly if your policy includes scorch damage
Walls and ceiling blackened, window crackednothing, that is a building insurance claim

When the insurer may cut the payout

If you cause a loss through gross negligence, section 81 of the German Insurance Contract Act (VVG) allows the insurer to reduce the payout according to how serious your fault was. According to the German insurers' association, leaving burning candles unattended for a long time or falling asleep next to them counts as gross negligence. A short trip to the toilet generally does not. In a dispute a court decides case by case, and the state of the wreath matters too: a dry wreath that is weeks old burns faster.

Many policies waive this defence. The insurer then pays as if it had been a small slip. Check that the waiver applies up to the full sum insured. Some policies waive it only up to a set amount and cut the payout above that. Nobody pays for damage caused on purpose.

Who pays for walls, neighbours and the landlord

If the fire happens in a rented flat, the landlord's building insurance pays for the building. If you caused the fire through simple negligence, the building insurer does not claim the money back from you, under case law of the Federal Court of Justice. If you acted with gross negligence, it can come after you. Your personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) then steps in, as it only refuses to pay for intent.

If the fire spreads to a neighbour's flat and it was your fault, your personal liability insurance pays there too. If you own your home, you need your own building insurance for walls, ceilings and windows.

How common Advent fires are

According to the German insurers' association, insurers record around 6,000 extra fire claims each year during Advent, Christmas and New Year. The average claim is about EUR 4,900. For 2024 the association puts the total at around EUR 31 million, including damage from fireworks.

So a burning wreath is not a rare exception. Checking your policy terms once now tells you whether you would get the full payout.

How to lower the risk

Put the wreath on a plate or a fireproof base, not straight on the tablecloth. Keep it away from curtains and paper decorations, replace candles before they burn down into the greenery and blow them out when you leave the room. Do not leave children or pets alone with burning candles.

Keep a fire extinguisher, fire spray or fire blanket within reach. Smoke alarms in bedrooms and hallways warn you early if something does happen. LED candles avoid the risk altogether.

When you need nothing extra

There is no special Christmas or candle insurance, and you do not need one. If your contents insurance has an adequate sum insured and covers gross negligence up to the full amount, the Advent wreath is covered. Add personal liability insurance for damage to others and you are set.

If an old policy lacks the waiver, it is worth looking at current policies. Only cancel the old one once the new one is in place.

Step by step

  1. Call the fire brigade on 112 if you cannot put the fire out at once, and leave the flat.
  2. Report the damage to your contents insurer the same day, and to your landlord if you rent.
  3. Take photos and do not throw anything away before the insurer agrees.
  4. List the damaged items with replacement prices and any receipts.
  5. Describe what happened honestly, including how long you were out of the room.
  6. If the payout is cut, ask for the reasons in writing.

Checklist

  • Gross negligence waiver in your contents policy
  • Waiver applies up to the full sum insured
  • Sum insured matches the replacement value of your belongings
  • Personal liability insurance for damage to the building and neighbours
  • Wreath on a fireproof base, away from curtains
  • Working smoke alarms, fire blanket or spray within reach

Common mistakes

  • Leaving candles burning while you pop out to the neighbours or the shop
  • Lighting a dried out wreath well into January
  • Assuming contents insurance also pays for the walls of a rented flat
  • Throwing burnt items away before the insurer has seen them
  • Playing down how long you were away in the claim report

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Is it gross negligence to leave the room briefly?

A short trip to the toilet or the kitchen is generally not gross negligence.

It becomes a problem if you leave the flat or do not check on the candles for a long time.

What if I fell asleep with the candles burning?

That usually counts as gross negligence.

Without a waiver the insurer may cut the payout; with a waiver up to the full sum it pays in full.

Does contents insurance pay for burnt presents?

Yes.

Presents in your home are part of your contents and insured against fire, even while still wrapped.

Does it pay for a scorch mark in the tablecloth?

Only if your policy covers scorch damage.

Without a spreading fire there is no fire claim, and many basic policies pay nothing.

Does personal liability insurance pay if the fire spreads next door?

Yes, if you caused the fire, including through gross negligence.

Only intent is excluded.

Do the same rules apply to a tree with real candles?

Yes.

A dry Christmas tree burns very quickly, so never leave the candles unattended.

Sources

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