Insurance broker / Insurance questions / Natural hazard cover

Is natural hazard insurance worth it in Germany?

In short

For most homeowners, yes. Heavy rain can hit any location, even far from a river, and in safe areas natural hazard cover (Elementarschadenversicherung) often costs only EUR 50 to 200 a year. Even so, around 41 percent of residential buildings in Germany are not insured against it.

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What it costs

Guide figures for the natural hazards add-on to buildings insurance, as of 2026.

Example	Typical range
Detached house, low risk	about EUR 50 to 200 a year
Detached house, medium risk	about EUR 200 to 400 a year
Detached house, high risk	about EUR 300 to over 1,000 a year

Guide values as of September 2026 from publicly quoted examples. Your premium depends on property, location and cover; we obtain the exact quote for you. The loss amounts in the text are guide values from our quoting practice.

Worked example

Detached house with basement, low risk

Ten years of premiums compared with a single loss.

Premium for natural hazard cover	about EUR 120 a year
Ten years	about EUR 1,200
Basement with heating after heavy rain	about EUR 25,000

A single loss costs around twenty times as much as ten years of premiums.

Why homes far from rivers are affected too

Heavy rain falls wherever the thunderstorm is. The sewers overflow, water pushes through basement windows or comes back up through the drains as backflow.

Standard buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) without the add-on pays nothing for this. State aid comes only in exceptional cases and you have no right to it.

If you rent or have just bought

As a tenant, the building is your landlord's concern. Your own belongings are covered against flooding only if your contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) includes the natural hazards add-on. That matters most on the ground floor or if you use a basement storage room (Kellerabteil).

If you have just bought a house, do not assume flood cover is included as it often is in the UK. Check the buildings policy you took over from the seller or your bank.

When it is less worth it

If you own a flat on an upper floor, the owners' association (Eigentümergemeinschaft) decides on cover for the building. Your belongings up there are rarely affected.

In very exposed areas the premium can be high and the deductible noticeable. Then comparing several quotes pays off in particular.

Location	Assessment
Low risk, with basement	clearly recommended, cheap
On a slope	recommended because of landslide and heavy rain
Close to a river or stream	urgent, even if it costs more
Flat on an upper floor	contents usually less at risk

What a loss costs

A flooded basement with heating easily costs EUR 20,000 to 50,000. If the ground floor is under water too, six-figure sums are reached.

In safe areas this compares with often less than EUR 200 in premiums a year.

Step by step

Look up your location on the flood map of your federal state.
Check whether the basement, heating or technical equipment are low down.
Get a quote with backflow cover and a deductible you can afford.
Install a backflow valve (Rückstauklappe) and have it serviced.

Checklist

Heavy rain and flooding included
Backflow named explicitly
Deductible known and affordable
Backflow protection installed and serviced

Common mistakes

Believing you are safe without a river nearby
Counting on state aid
Assuming flood cover is included as standard
Not servicing the backflow valve and risking the payout

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Does buildings insurance pay after heavy rain?

Only with natural hazard cover. Without it, it does not pay for flooding and backflow.

Do I need it as a tenant?

For your contents it can make sense if you live on the ground floor or use a basement storage room.

Is it compulsory?

No. An obligation is being discussed, but it has not been decided so far.

What if I cannot get cover?

That is rare. It often works with a higher deductible or after building measures.

Is groundwater covered?

Only if it rises to the surface, and not in every tariff.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request a quote: Natural hazard cover

We compare several insurers and come back with a proposal. Free for you; the insurer pays our fee. You can write in English.

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3Details

Natural hazard cover in Germany (Elementarschadenversicherung)

What should be covered against natural hazards? * Do you already have buildings or contents insurance? * Distance to the nearest river, stream or lake * If you know your ZÜRS class, please mention it in the message field Basement * Is a sewer non-return valve fitted? Has the property ever had a flood or backflow claim? * Sum insured or value, if known For example 1914 value, living space or contents sum

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