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Is a home battery covered by insurance in Germany?

In short

Not automatically. Many buildings policies (Wohngebäudeversicherung) do not count a battery, and some solar policies include it only if it is named. The extra premium is usually about EUR 20 to 50 a year. Report the battery before it is installed, otherwise you risk a gap on the most expensive part of your system.

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Is a home battery covered by insurance in Germany?

What it costs

Guide figures from published data for Germany, September 2026. Battery prices include installation.

Example	Typical range
Extra premium for the battery in a solar policy	about EUR 20 to 50 a year
10 kWp system with 10 kWh battery, separate policy	about EUR 100 to 160 a year
5 kWh battery, purchase with installation	about EUR 4,000 to 7,000
10 kWh battery, purchase with installation	about EUR 7,000 to 13,000

Insurance prices from published examples, battery prices from a 2026 market overview. That many buildings policies include batteries only to a limit is a guide figure from quoting practice; only your policy terms count.

Worked example

10 kWp system, 10 kWh battery added later

The system has been insured for three years and now the battery is added. This is how the sum insured and premium change.

Previous sum insured	EUR 16,000
Battery with installation per invoice	EUR 9,000
New sum insured	EUR 25,000
Premium before	about EUR 80 to 110 a year
Extra premium for the battery	about EUR 20 to 50 a year

Together about EUR 100 to 160 a year. Without the change the battery would not be covered and the whole system would be underinsured by more than a third.

Why the battery often slips through

Many solar systems were built without a battery and upgraded later. The insurance contract dates from before and lists only panels, inverter and cabling. The battery stands in the basement or garage and appears on no list.

Buildings insurance is similar: whether a fixed battery counts as part of the building is up to each insurer's terms. Some include it explicitly, others only up to a limit, others not at all. If the words Speicher or Batteriespeicher (battery storage) do not appear in your documents, assume it is missing.

Policy	Battery included?	What is typically covered
Buildings insurance without solar add-on	often not or only limited	fire, lightning, storm, hail, burst pipes
Buildings insurance with solar add-on	only if named	as above, partly with surges
Separate solar policy	usually available for an extra premium	all risks, including short circuit, operating error, theft
Contents insurance	usually not	only movable belongings, a fixed battery is not one

What insurance pays for and what not

A good solar policy with battery covers fire, surges after lightning, short circuits, water in the basement, operating errors and theft. That is all risks cover (Allgefahrendeckung): everything not expressly excluded is insured.

Slow loss of capacity is not insured. A battery loses usable capacity over the years, which is wear, not damage. The manufacturer's warranty, often ten years for batteries, deals with that, though often only at current value.

Faults created during installation are usually the installer's liability, not your insurer's. Keep the invoice, commissioning report and warranty papers.

Event	Insurance	Warranty or installer
Fire in the battery	yes, if the battery is included	no
Surge from lightning	yes, if surges are covered	no
Water in the basement	yes, depending on cause and add-on	no
Capacity dropped after years	no, wear	yes, within the warranty
Factory defect	usually no	yes, statutory and manufacturer warranty
Wiring fault	usually no	yes, installer's liability

Fire: why the battery affects the whole house

A lithium battery rarely catches fire, but when it does, it burns hard and long. Damage to the house from fire, smoke and extinguishing water is usually covered by buildings insurance, wherever the fire started. The battery itself is covered only if it is in the contract.

If the insurer did not know about the battery, it can still get difficult. Some insurers see a retrofit as a change in risk you must report. If you fail to, you risk a dispute over the payout, even for the building damage.

When you need no separate battery cover

If your buildings or solar policy already names the battery and the sum insured was raised after installation, you need nothing more. A second policy would only insure the same loss twice, and you would still be paid once.

For a very small plug-in battery on a balcony plant, a separate policy is rarely worth it. Ask whether your contents insurance covers the device as a movable item instead.

Raise the sum insured after installation

The sum insured for a solar system is based on the replacement value of all parts including fitting. If an EUR 8,000 battery is added and the sum stays the same, the system is underinsured. After a loss the insurer then cuts the payout proportionally, even for the panels.

So do not just ask whether the battery is covered. Ask up to what amount, and send the invoice straight away.

Step by step

Search your contract for the words Speicher or Batteriespeicher.
If it is missing, tell the insurer in writing before installation.
Send the battery invoice and have the sum insured raised.
Check that surges, short circuits and water in the room are covered.
File the insurer's confirmation with your system documents.

Checklist

Battery named in the contract
Sum insured includes the battery at replacement value
Surges from lightning included
Short circuit and operating errors covered
Location reported, for example basement or garage
Warranty papers and commissioning report kept

Common mistakes

Adding a battery without telling the insurer
Assuming buildings insurance covers every fixed device automatically
Not raising the sum insured after installation
Claiming loss of capacity from insurance instead of using the warranty

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Do I have to insure a home battery?

No, there is no legal duty. With a value of several thousand euros, EUR 20 to 50 a year is usually money well spent.

Is the battery covered by contents insurance?

A fixed battery usually not, because it is part of the building. Small plug-in devices you can take with you may be different.

What happens if I do not report it?

It is missing from the contract and nobody pays for damage to it. If your insurer sees the installation as an increased risk, the payout for building damage may also be cut.

Does insurance pay if the battery loses capacity?

No. That is ageing and falls under the manufacturer's warranty.

Does it cost more if the battery is in the basement?

That depends on the insurer. Some ask about the location because of water and fire, others only look at the sum. Give the location correctly.

Can I insure just the battery without the panels?

Few insurers offer that. Battery and system are usually in one contract, because one event often hits both.

Sources

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