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Does legal expenses insurance cover inheritance disputes in Germany?

In short

Mostly only in part. Standard German tariffs pay just a consultation with a lawyer in inheritance law (Erbrecht), often up to EUR 250 or 500 per case. Some premium tariffs also cover court disputes, usually capped at EUR 5,000 to 10,000 and with up to twelve months' waiting period. A dispute over a compulsory share of EUR 50,000 already costs about EUR 10,000 in first instance.

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Does legal expenses insurance cover inheritance disputes in Germany?

What it costs

Documented benefit limits, fees and premiums, so you can compare the cover with real costs.

Example	Typical range
Inheritance advice in a standard tariff	about EUR 250 to 500 per case
First consultation without agreement, statutory maximum	EUR 190 net
Inheritance cover for disputes in and out of court, depending on tariff	EUR 5,000 to 10,000 cover
Mediation in inheritance matters	up to EUR 3,000 per case, up to EUR 6,000 a year
Court fees first instance at EUR 50,000 in dispute	EUR 1,914
Single employee, package with inheritance cover, EUR 250 deductible	from about EUR 19.80 a month

Guide values as of October 2026. The lawyers' fees in the example are calculated from the statutory fee table in force since June 2025 (2.5 fees of EUR 1,357 each, expenses, 19 percent VAT). Which limits your policy sets for inheritance law is in the terms and varies by tariff.

Worked example

Compulsory share claim of EUR 50,000, first instance lost

How far each type of cover goes if you lose the case completely.

Court fees	EUR 1,914
Your own lawyer	about EUR 4,050
The other side's lawyer	about EUR 4,050
A standard tariff pays	only the advice, about EUR 250
A tariff with EUR 10,000 inheritance cover pays	almost everything, minus your deductible

About EUR 10,000 cost risk. With a standard tariff you pay almost all of it yourself, with EUR 5,000 cover about half.

Why inheritance law is almost always excluded

Family and inheritance law are areas German legal expenses insurers generally do not carry. A death can be foreseen long in advance, and the amounts at stake are often high. That is why the standard tariff only includes advice cover (Beratungsrechtsschutz).

That cover only applies once your legal position has actually changed, meaning after the death. If you want advice beforehand on how to write a will, you pay for it yourself.

Benefit	Standard tariff	Tariff with inheritance cover
Advice after the death	yes, often up to EUR 250 or 500	yes
Out-of-court dispute with co-heirs	no	yes in some tariffs
Lawsuit over compulsory share or inheritance	no	yes, usually up to EUR 5,000 or 10,000
Mediation	sometimes	often up to EUR 3,000 per case
Drafting a will or power of attorney	no	no

What advice cover really gives you

Without a fee agreement, a lawyer may charge a consumer at most EUR 190 net for a first consultation and at most EUR 250 net for further advice (section 34 RVG). A limit of EUR 250 therefore often covers what you need for an assessment.

But it is no more than advice. Once the lawyer writes to the co-heirs or goes to court, it is no longer advice and not covered. For many expats, the first useful question is also which country's inheritance law applies; a German lawyer can tell you that in the consultation.

What an inheritance dispute costs

Costs depend on the amount in dispute. At EUR 50,000, first-instance court fees are EUR 1,914. Each lawyer costs about EUR 4,050 for proceedings and hearing, including VAT.

In Germany the loser pays both lawyers and the court. That is about EUR 10,000 before any appeal starts. Cover of EUR 5,000 then pays only half.

When inheritance cover is worth it and when not

It makes sense if a dispute in your family is foreseeable, for example siblings from several marriages, property in the estate, or a risk of being disinherited. The policy should then run while your parents are alive, so the waiting period has passed.

You do not need it if the estate is small, a clear will exists or you are the sole heir. If the death has already happened, nobody will insure it anymore.

Step by step

Check in your terms whether inheritance law is covered as advice only or also for disputes.
Note the limit per case and the waiting period for inheritance cover.
After the death, request cover from the insurer before every lawyer appointment.
Use the first consultation to clarify the amount in dispute, the applicable law and the chances of success.
If the amount is high, compare the cover limit with the expected costs.

Checklist

Inheritance law named explicitly in the tariff
Limit for court disputes at least EUR 10,000
Waiting period over before a death occurs
Advice usable without waiting period
Mediation included as a cheaper route

Common mistakes

Taking out the policy only after the death
Assuming advice cover also pays letters to co-heirs
Trying to bill drafting a will to the insurance
Relying on EUR 5,000 cover for a large estate

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Does legal expenses insurance pay for a will?

No. Drafting a will, power of attorney or living will is planning and is not covered by any standard tariff.

Can I get inheritance cover after the death has occurred?

No. The person leaving the estate must be alive when the policy starts, and usually the waiting period must also have passed.

Can I buy inheritance cover on its own?

No. It is part of private legal expenses cover and usually only included in higher tariff levels.

Who pays if I win the inheritance dispute?

In principle the other side pays the costs. The risk is that they cannot pay or that you only win in part.

Does mediation help in an inheritance dispute?

Often yes. It is cheaper than a lawsuit, and some tariffs pay up to EUR 3,000 per case even without a waiting period.

Does the policy cover inheritance cases in my home country?

Usually only advice from a lawyer or notary admitted in Germany. Disputes abroad depend on the area of cover and are rarely included in inheritance law.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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