All about this insurance: Contents insurance
Do I need contents insurance as a renter in Germany?
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How do I cancel my contents insurance in Germany?
In short
German contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) usually runs for a full insurance year, and you cancel with three months' notice before it ends. After a premium increase without extra cover, or after a claim, you can cancel within one month. Moving within Germany is no reason on its own, the policy moves with you. Leaving Germany usually ends it.
What it costs
What a new policy costs, based on published examples.
| Example | Typical range |
|---|---|
| 80 square metres in a city with few burglaries | about EUR 23 to 25 a year |
| 80 square metres in a big city with many burglaries | about EUR 51 to 54 a year |
| 75 square metres, mid tariff zone, with gross negligence | about EUR 90 to 120 a year |
Guide values as of September 2026 from publicly quoted tariff examples. Claims figures from the German Insurance Association (GDV). We obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Premium increase after an adjustment
Your insurer raises the premium for 75 square metres from EUR 110 to EUR 135.
| Notice received | 10 November |
| Cancel no later than | 10 December |
| New tariff with the same cover | about EUR 90 to 120 |
You save EUR 15 to 45 a year if the new policy starts without a gap.
Notice periods at a glance
In many countries you can cancel home insurance at any time and get the rest of the premium back. In Germany the contract runs for an insurance year, which starts on the date your policy began, not necessarily on 1 January. You find that date on your policy document (Versicherungsschein).
Special cancellation rights (Sonderkündigung) each give you one month.
| Reason | Deadline |
|---|---|
| End of the insurance year | usually three months before |
| Premium increase without more cover | one month after the notice |
| Claim | one month after payment or rejection |
| Move to a more expensive zone | one month after the notice |
| Two households moving in together | by agreement with the insurer |
Moving flats or leaving Germany
During a move within Germany your belongings are insured in both flats, usually for up to two months. Tell the insurer your new address and living space in good time. If the premium rises because the new address is in a more expensive zone, you may cancel.
If you leave Germany for good, the policy usually ends when you move out. Tell the insurer in writing and keep your deregistration certificate (Abmeldebescheinigung) as proof of the move.
Switching without a gap
Take out the new policy with a start date matching your cancellation date before you cancel the old one.
In the new tariff, check the sum insured and cover for gross negligence (grobe Fahrlässigkeit) so you do not save in the wrong place.
Step by step
- Look up the renewal date on your policy document.
- Get new quotes with the same sum insured.
- Take out the new policy starting on the cancellation date.
- Cancel the old policy in text form, for example by email, and ask for written confirmation.
Checklist
- Deadline and renewal date known
- New policy starts without a gap
- Sum insured fits the new flat
- Cancellation confirmation received
Common mistakes
- Believing the policy ends automatically when you move within Germany
- Missing the one-month window after a price increase
- Losing gross negligence cover when switching
- Leaving Germany without telling the insurer and paying on for months
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Can I cancel monthly?
No. Even if you pay monthly, the insurance year applies.
Does the policy end when I move?
Not within Germany, it moves with you. If you move abroad, it usually ends.
Is an email enough to cancel?
Usually yes, text form is enough. Policies taken out online also have a cancellation button on the website.
Can I cancel in English?
A clear message in English is normally accepted. A short line in German avoids questions: Hiermit kündige ich meine Hausratversicherung zum nächstmöglichen Termin.
What happens when we move in together?
Two policies are unnecessary. One can usually end at renewal or earlier by agreement.
What happens after a death?
The policy usually ends two months after the death if no heir takes over the flat.
Sources
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Related questions
How much does contents insurance cost in Germany?
For a flat of 75 to 80 square metres you usually pay EUR 25 to 120 a year for contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) …
NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker. Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated