Does liability insurance pay if I damage someone else's phone?
In short
Yes. If you damage someone else's phone and are legally liable, German personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) pays the repair, or the current value if the phone is beyond repair. A new iPhone 16 screen costs EUR 339 at Apple. If you were holding the phone on loan, the insurance only pays if your policy covers borrowed items.
What a broken phone costs, and what the cover costs, based on published prices in Germany.
Example
Typical range
iPhone 16 screen replacement at Apple
EUR 339
iPhone 16 Plus or 16 Pro screen at Apple
EUR 405
iPhone 16 Pro Max screen at Apple
EUR 488.99
Personal liability cover for a single person
about EUR 40 to 120 a year
Personal liability cover for a family
about EUR 60 to 180 a year
Phone insurance for your own device
about 6 to 20 percent of the purchase price
As of October 2026.
Screen prices are Apple's published German prices without an extra protection plan;
independent repair shops are often cheaper.
Your premium depends on the policy and its scope; we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Your friend's phone slips out of your hand while you look at photos
A two year old smartphone, new price EUR 900, cracked screen, otherwise fine. You were holding it, so it counts as borrowed.
Screen replacement at a repair shop
about EUR 250 to 340 (guide value from our quoting practice)
Policy without borrowed items
EUR 0, you pay yourself
Policy with borrowed items, no deductible
repair paid in full
Policy with borrowed items, EUR 300 deductible
next to nothing, the repair is below the deductible
Whether you pay nothing or about EUR 300 yourself depends only on the borrowed items clause. Had you only knocked the phone without holding it, it would be a normal liability claim.
When the insurance pays
Personal liability insurance pays when you are liable under German law. Section 823 (1) of the Civil Code (BGB) says that anyone who negligently damages another person's property must pay compensation. If you sweep a colleague's phone off the table while talking, you are liable, and your insurer pays on your behalf.
The insurer also checks whether you are liable at all. If someone walks into you and drops their own phone, the insurer rejects the claim for you. That defence is part of the cover too.
Situation
Does Privathaftpflicht pay?
You knock a friend's phone off the table
yes, repair or current value
You bump into someone and their phone hits the pavement
yes, if you were careless
You drop a phone you borrowed
only if borrowed items are included
A borrowed phone is lost or stolen
usually not, loss is often excluded
Your child under 7 drops someone else's phone
only with an add-on for children who are not liable
You break the phone of your partner on the same policy
usually not, claims between insured persons are narrow
Borrowed is the usual catch
Many phone accidents happen while you are holding the device: someone hands it to you to look at a photo or make a call. Then the phone counts as borrowed. Older and basic German policies explicitly exclude damage to borrowed, rented or leased items.
Better policies pay for borrowed items up to a separate limit, usually EUR 10,000 or 50,000, some up to EUR 100,000. Some apply a deductible, for example EUR 300. Losing a borrowed phone or having it stolen is often still excluded.
Repair or current value, not the new price
If the phone can be repaired, the insurer pays for the repair. If it is destroyed, it pays the current value, the value on the day of the damage. Smartphones lose value quickly, so the owner often gets only a fraction of the purchase price.
This can strain friendships. Say early on that a three year old phone will not be replaced at the new price. By law you do not have to cover that gap.
When you do not need this cover
Personal liability insurance never pays for your own phone. A cracked screen on your own device is your cost, or a case for a phone insurance policy or a manufacturer's damage plan.
If you never borrow other people's devices, a standard policy with a high sum insured already covers phones you knock out of someone's hand. The borrowed items add-on is mainly worth it if you often use other people's cameras, laptops or phones.
Children and family
Under section 828 (1) BGB, a child under seven is not responsible for damage. If your four year old drops the neighbour's phone, legally nobody has to pay. Many family policies pay anyway, usually up to EUR 10,000 or 25,000.
Damage within the family is usually not covered. Claims between people insured under the same policy are excluded in many policy wordings or only covered in narrow cases.
Step by step
Take photos of the damage and note the owner's name and contact details.
Do not admit fault in writing, promise payment or pay anything yourself.
Report the claim to your liability insurer promptly.
Have the owner send a repair quote and keep the damaged phone.
Wait for the insurer's decision; it pays the owner directly.
Checklist
Damage to borrowed items is explicitly included
Limit for borrowed items of at least EUR 10,000
No or a low deductible for borrowed items
Add-on for damage caused by children under seven
Sum insured of at least EUR 10 million
Common mistakes
Promising the owner the new price straight away
Throwing the broken phone away before the insurer could see it
Assuming an old policy covers borrowed devices
Claiming for your own phone under liability insurance
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does liability insurance pay if I drop a borrowed phone?
Only if your policy includes damage to borrowed items.
Basic and older German policies exclude it.
Will my friend get a new phone?
No.
The insurer pays the repair, or the current value if it is a write-off.
The gap to the new price stays with the owner.
Does it pay if my child breaks someone else's phone?
Children under seven are not liable under German law.
Many family policies pay anyway, usually up to EUR 10,000 or 25,000.
What if I lose a borrowed phone?
Loss and theft are often excluded even in good policies.
Usually only physical damage is covered.
Do I need to keep the broken phone?
Yes.
Insurers often want to see the device or a repair quote before paying.
Is it worth claiming for a small amount?
For around EUR 100 many people pay themselves to keep a claim free record.
For a screen over EUR 300 a claim usually makes sense.
