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Is my heat pump covered by buildings insurance in Germany?

In short

Yes. In Germany a permanently installed heat pump (Wärmepumpe) is covered by buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) against fire, lightning, storm, hail and burst pipes. Theft, vandalism, operating errors and technical breakdowns are not part of basic cover; an add-on costs about EUR 50 to 200 a year. With purchase costs of EUR 20,000 to 50,000, report the system to your insurer at once.

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Is my heat pump covered by buildings insurance in Germany?

What it costs

Published guide values for buying, repairing and insuring heat pumps.

Example	Typical range
Buying a heat pump	about EUR 20,000 to 50,000
Compressor failure	about EUR 2,000 to 5,000
Extension of buildings insurance	about EUR 50 to 200 a year
Separate heat pump insurance	about EUR 150 to 400 a year
Electronics insurance	about EUR 120 to 300 a year

As of October 2026, from insurance industry information and heat pump suppliers.

The cost of a new outdoor unit in the worked example is a guide value from our quoting practice.

We can check what your contract provides for the outdoor unit, power surges and theft.

Worked example

Detached house, outdoor unit removed and stolen at night

Air to water heat pump for EUR 30,000, outdoor unit on a foundation in the garden. This is how the payment differs.

New outdoor unit with installation and refrigerant	about EUR 8,000 to 12,000
Basic cover without theft clause	payment EUR 0
With theft add-on, EUR 250 deductible	payment about EUR 7,750 to 11,750
Extra premium for the add-on	about EUR 50 to 200 a year

Without the add-on you bear the whole loss, with it only the deductible. Calculated with guide values.

Why the heat pump belongs to the building

A heating system permanently connected to the house counts as part of the building. That applies to a heat pump just as to a gas or oil boiler. The indoor unit in the cellar or utility room is therefore clearly covered by buildings insurance.

For the outdoor unit it depends on how it is mounted. If it hangs on the house wall or is bolted to a foundation, most contracts include it. If it stands freely in the garden, the wording of your terms decides. Ask for written confirmation.

What is paid and what is not

Basic cover protects against the classic risks to a house. For anything that happens to the unit itself without fire, water or storm being involved, you need an add-on or a separate policy.

Flooding from heavy rain or high water is only covered with the natural hazards add-on (Elementarschaden). Outdoor units at ground level are particularly exposed.

Damage	Basic cover	With add-on
Fire in the boiler room	yes	yes
Storm knocks over the outdoor unit or a branch hits it	yes, from force 8	yes
Hail dents the fins	yes	yes
Heating water leaks and soaks the screed	yes, as water from pipes	yes
Power surge from lightning	yes, sometimes up to a limit	yes
Power surge from a grid fault	usually no	depending on the add-on
Theft or vandalism of the outdoor unit	no	yes
Compressor failure, operating error, short circuit	no	only with machinery or electronics cover
Flooding from heavy rain	no	only with natural hazards cover

The gap for breakdown and theft

A compressor failure often costs EUR 2,000 to 5,000. In the first years the manufacturer's guarantee helps with material and production faults; after that you pay yourself unless you have machinery or electronics insurance (Elektronikversicherung). It costs about EUR 120 to 300 a year.

Theft and vandalism do not appear in the model terms for German buildings insurance. If you want to protect the outdoor unit against them, you need an express clause. For power surges, ask whether damage from switching operations in the grid is included too.

Reporting: why it matters so much

A heat pump raises the value of your house. Report the installation so the insurer adjusts the sum insured. Otherwise the waiver of the underinsurance deduction can lapse, and the insurer then cuts payments not just for damage to the heat pump but proportionally for every claim on the house.

Also have the system serviced by a specialist at the intervals the manufacturer recommends. Without servicing, the insurer may pay less in a claim.

When you do not need extra cover

If the system is new and still under guarantee, the outdoor unit is not easily visible from the street and your contract includes power surges without a tight limit, basic cover is often enough for the first few years. Machinery cover is more worthwhile once the guarantee runs out.

As a tenant you do not need to worry about it: the heat pump belongs to the building and therefore to the owner's insurance, not to your household contents insurance.

Step by step

Have the invoice, data sheet and a photo of the outdoor unit ready.
Report the installation to your insurer in writing, with the value and location of the outdoor unit.
Have the sum insured adjusted and keep the confirmation.
Check the terms: outdoor unit, power surge, theft, vandalism and natural hazards.
Add missing modules or consider machinery cover.
Book servicing as the manufacturer specifies and keep the records.

Checklist

Installation reported to the insurer and confirmed in writing
Outdoor unit expressly included
Power surges from grid faults included
Theft and vandalism covered by a clause
Natural hazards cover for an outdoor unit at ground level
Servicing records complete

Common mistakes

Not reporting the installation and losing protection against underinsurance
Believing the manufacturer's guarantee pays for storm or theft
Skipping servicing
Paying twice for an extended guarantee and machinery cover for the same damage

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Do I have to tell my insurer about the heat pump?

Yes. It increases the value of the building. Without reporting it, payments may be cut for underinsurance, including for other damage to the house.

Will my premium go up because of the heat pump?

Often slightly, because the sum insured rises. On top comes the price of add-ons such as theft or machinery cover.

Is the outdoor unit in the garden covered?

If it stands firmly on a foundation, usually yes. If it stands freely, it depends on the wording of your terms. Ask for written confirmation.

Does buildings insurance pay if the heat pump simply breaks down?

No. Breakdowns without an external cause are only paid by the manufacturer's guarantee or by machinery or electronics insurance.

I rent my home. Do I need to insure the heat pump?

No. The heat pump belongs to the building and is the owner's matter. Your household contents insurance only covers movable things in the flat.

Does the same apply to solar panels and a wallbox?

Similarly: permanently mounted systems usually belong to the building, but theft and technical breakdowns need their own add-on there too.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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