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Is my contents insurance valid if I sublet my flat in Germany?

In short

Yes, your contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) usually stays valid if you sublet your flat in Germany, including furniture you leave to the subtenant. The subtenant's own belongings are excluded in the model terms, a policy for a small flat costs from about EUR 16 a year. If the subtenant takes something with his own key, that is not burglary.

Is my contents insurance valid if I sublet my flat in Germany?

What it costs

What contents insurance costs for the subtenant or for your own flat, based on published tariff examples.

ExampleTypical range
Small flat or room, basic to solid tariffabout EUR 16 to 50 a year
80 square metres in Dresdenabout EUR 23 to 25 a year
80 square metres in Düsseldorfabout EUR 51 to 54 a year
Comprehensive tariffsabout EUR 38 to 240 a year

As of November 2026, from published tariff examples and the VHB 2022 model terms.

Your tariff may differ from the model terms; your own terms decide.

Whether subletting changes your premium is a guide value from our quoting practice and differs

between insurers.

We obtain the exact quote for you.

Worked example

Furnished room sublet to a student

A tenant in Cologne sublets one room of her three room flat, furnished. After a kitchen fire her sofa, the bed in the sublet room and the student's laptop are damaged.

Tenant's sofacovered by her policy
Bed she left to the studentcovered by her policy
Student's laptopnot covered by her policy
Student's own contents insuranceabout EUR 16 to 50 a year

The tenant gets sofa and bed replaced, provided her tariff has no gap. Only the student's own policy pays for the laptop. Calculation with guide values.

What stays covered and what does not

German contents insurance covers the household of the policyholder and the people living with you as one household. A subtenant is not part of it, even if he lives under the same roof. The model terms of the German insurers' association (VHB 2022, A 8.4 and A 9.1.5) exclude the belongings of tenants and subtenants in your flat.

Furniture you leave to the subtenant remains your insured property, for example the bed, wardrobe and kitchen appliances in a furnished room. If there is a fire or a burst pipe, your policy pays for them as before.

ItemCovered by your policy?
Your furniture and electronics in your roomsyes
Furniture you leave to the subtenantyes, confirm the sublet room in writing
The subtenant's laptop, clothes, bikeno, he needs his own policy
Your things the subtenant takes with his keyusually no
Your things after a stranger breaks inyes, as before

A grey area: the room you let out

The model terms define the insured flat as the rooms used privately by you and the people living in your household. A room used only by a subtenant does not fit that wording neatly. Many insurers still treat it as part of your flat, but the terms do not say so.

Ask your insurer to confirm in writing that the sublet room and the furniture in it stay covered. That one email avoids an argument after a fire.

Theft by the subtenant

The policy covers burglary (Einbruchdiebstahl): the thief breaks in, climbs in or enters with a false key or a tool. Under the model terms a key is false only if nobody entitled to it had it made or approved it. The key you handed your subtenant is a real key.

If he takes jewellery or cash, it is usually not burglary. Simple theft from the flat is excluded or limited in many tariffs. Keep valuables in a locked cupboard or room he has no key to. If he forces that open, the loss can be covered again.

Do you have to tell the insurer?

If the application form asked about subletting or the number of occupants, a change counts as an increase in risk you must report. If you do not, the insurer may reduce or refuse payment under § 26 VVG, unless the subletting had nothing to do with the loss.

If nobody asked, a short written notice is still sensible. You have proof, and the insurer tells you whether premium or cover change.

What German tenancy law requires

Under § 540 BGB you need your landlord's permission before you let a third party use the flat or part of it. Under § 553 BGB you can demand permission for part of the flat if a legitimate interest arose after you signed the lease, for example a partner moving out. The landlord may refuse if the flat would be overcrowded or there is an important reason in the subtenant's person.

Even with permission, § 540 BGB makes you liable to your landlord for damage the subtenant causes through his fault. Make sure he has his own personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) and write that into the sublease.

When you do not need to change anything

If your partner moves in and you live as one household, that is not subletting for insurance purposes. Their belongings are covered by your policy.

A friend staying for a few days changes nothing. Letting rooms to paying holiday guests is different: rooms used exclusively for business are not part of the insured flat, so ask your insurer first.

Step by step

  1. Get your landlord's permission in writing.
  2. Check your application and terms for questions on subletting and report the change.
  3. Ask the insurer to confirm in writing that the sublet room stays covered.
  4. List the furniture you leave to the subtenant in the sublease.
  5. Lock away valuables where the subtenant has no key.
  6. Ask the subtenant for his own contents and personal liability insurance.

Checklist

  • Landlord's permission in writing
  • Subletting reported to the insurer
  • Written confirmation that the sublet room is covered
  • List of furniture in the sublease
  • Valuables locked away
  • Subtenant has contents and personal liability insurance

Common mistakes

  • Assuming the subtenant's belongings are covered by your policy
  • Leaving valuables out although the subtenant has a key
  • Forgetting that the application asked about subletting
  • Letting rooms to holiday guests without asking the insurer
  • Subletting without the landlord's permission

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Is my subtenant covered by my contents insurance?

No.

His belongings are excluded in the model terms.

He needs his own policy, which for a room or small flat often costs under EUR 50 a year.

Does my insurance pay if the subtenant steals from me?

Usually not.

Using the key you gave him is not burglary.

A locked cupboard he forces open can be covered.

Do I have to tell my insurer that I sublet?

Yes, if the insurer asked about it before the contract.

Otherwise a short written notice is still the safe way.

Is a shared flat (WG) the same as subletting?

Not always.

What counts is whether someone lives with you as one household or runs his own household as a

subtenant.

If unsure, ask your insurer.

Who pays if the subtenant causes water damage?

Your contents insurance pays for your belongings.

Damage to the building is a liability matter,

and towards your landlord you are liable for the subtenant.

Sources

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