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How much does buildings insurance cost in Germany?

In short

For a typical detached house you usually pay EUR 300 to 800 a year in 2026, often around EUR 400 to 500. Simple policies for smaller houses in quiet areas start below EUR 150. Location, year of construction, living space and cover for natural hazards set the price most. In German it is called Wohngebäudeversicherung.

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How much does buildings insurance cost in Germany?

What it costs

Guide figures from published examples for detached houses, 2026.

Example	Typical range
Detached house, 100 square metres, basic cover	about EUR 90 to 150 a year
Detached house, 200 square metres, basic cover	about EUR 180 to 250 a year
Typical detached house with good cover	about EUR 400 to 500 a year
Older houses or high-risk locations	about EUR 800 to 1,000 a year and more

Guide values as of September 2026 from publicly quoted examples. Your premium depends on the building, location and cover; we obtain the exact quote for you.

Worked example

Detached house, 140 square metres, built in 1995

This is how a typical premium adds up if you insure well rather than cheaply.

Fire, water, storm and hail	about EUR 330 to 450
Natural hazards in a quiet area	about EUR 90 to 150
Deductible of EUR 500	about EUR 50 to 80 less

Together about EUR 370 to 520 a year, roughly EUR 31 to 43 a month.

What drives the price

Insurers calculate with the cost of rebuilding the house, not the purchase price. On top come living space, type of construction, year built and the condition of the pipes.

Location counts twice: through the storm and hail risk of the region and through flood risk if natural hazards are included.

Factor	Effect on the premium
Living space and construction	direct, every square metre counts
Year built and old pipes	strong, water damage is the most common claim
Region	storm and hail make it noticeably dearer
Natural hazards	small in safe areas, very high near rivers
Deductible	often lowers the premium by 10 to 25 percent

What is different if you come from abroad

In the UK, home insurance often combines buildings and contents. In Germany they are always separate: buildings insurance covers the structure, contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) your belongings. Floods and heavy rain are not included by default, you add natural hazard cover as a separate module.

No law requires buildings insurance, but banks almost always demand it for a mortgage. When you buy a house, the seller's policy passes to you and you have one month after the purchase is registered to cancel it. Compare early. If you rent, you still pay for it: landlords usually pass the premium on through the service charges (Nebenkosten).

Why the premium rises every year

Almost all contracts use a sliding index factor (gleitender Neuwertfaktor). It follows building prices and trade wages so the sum insured is always enough to rebuild.

In 2026 it rose to 27.8. Annoying, but it protects you from underinsurance. This adjustment usually does not give you a right to cancel.

Where saving becomes expensive

Cheap tariffs often leave out gross negligence, power surges or drainage pipes outside the house. Pipe damage underground quickly reaches five figures.

Without natural hazard cover you pay for heavy rain and sewage backflow yourself. That is the most expensive gap.

Step by step

Collect living space, year built and fittings.
Have the rebuilding value set using the 1914 value method (Wert 1914), do not estimate it yourself.
Treat natural hazards and gross negligence as must-haves.
Choose a deductible you can easily pay in a claim.
Compare quotes with the same cover, not just the price.

Checklist

Sum insured based on the 1914 value with a waiver of underinsurance
Gross negligence fully covered
Drainage pipes on the plot included
Natural hazards including sewage backflow
Power surges from lightning included

Common mistakes

Choosing only by price and missing underground pipe damage
Leaving out natural hazards because there is no river nearby
Not reporting an extension, new roof or solar panels
Missing the one-month window to cancel the seller's policy after buying

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

How much is buildings insurance per month?

For a typical detached house usually EUR 25 to 65, depending on location and cover.

Why has my premium gone up?

Mostly because of the index factor that follows building prices. In 2026 the increase was about 4 percent.

Is natural hazard cover included?

No, it is almost always a separate module with its own surcharge.

Is a deductible worth it?

Often yes. It lowers the premium noticeably, and many people do not report small damage anyway.

Can landlords pass the cost on to tenants?

Yes, through the service charges, if the rental contract provides for it.

Do I have to keep the seller's policy when I buy?

No. It passes to you, but you can cancel it within one month of the change of ownership being registered.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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Buildings insurance in Germany (Wohngebäudeversicherung)

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