How do I get new insurance after my insurer cancelled?
In short
You can usually get new insurance after your insurer cancelled, sometimes only on the second or third try and with a higher excess. If the new insurer asks about past claims and cancellations, you must answer truthfully. Contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) for 75 square metres then costs about EUR 100 to 160 a year instead of EUR 50 to 120.
Contents insurance in Germany without past claims and as a guide value after a cancellation.
Example
Typical range
75 square metres, mid tariff zone, no past claims
about EUR 90 to 120 a year
Basic tariff without add-ons
from about EUR 50 to 80 a year
Same flat after a cancellation, EUR 250 excess
about EUR 100 to 160 a year
Prices without past claims from publicly quoted tariff examples, October 2026.
The value after a cancellation is a guide value from quoting practice;
we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Two stolen bikes, then the cancellation
A tenant with 70 square metres loses her bike twice; the insurer cancels after the second claim.
Old premium with bike cover
EUR 85 a year
New policy without bike cover, EUR 150 excess
about EUR 70 to 95 a year
Bike insured separately
own premium depending on value
Her belongings are covered again; the bike is insured separately or consciously left uninsured.
Why your insurer was allowed to cancel
Under section 92 of the German Insurance Contract Act (Versicherungsvertragsgesetz, VVG) either side may cancel contents insurance after a claim. The insurer must do so within one month after the negotiations on the payout are finished and give you one month's notice. No reason is needed.
It often hits households with two or three claims in a short time, for example two stolen bikes in one year. A cancelled contents policy is not a judgment on you, but you will be asked about it on the next application.
What you must tell the new insurer
German application forms usually ask about claims in recent years and whether a previous insurer cancelled. Anything asked in writing must be answered fully. If you hide the cancellation, the new insurer may withdraw or cancel under section 19 VVG, and you could be left without cover when the next claim comes.
You do not need to volunteer what is not asked. Read the application questions carefully and answer briefly and correctly.
What the HIS database stores about your claims
The Hinweis- und Informationssystem (HIS) is a database run for German insurers. According to the Federal Data Protection Commissioner, insurers report unusual patterns such as a high number of claims there. Whether your cancelled contents policy left a trace is therefore not certain.
You can request a self disclosure (Selbstauskunft) from the HIS operator and have wrong entries corrected or deleted.
Your chances with a new application
Insurers react differently: some decline, others accept you with an excess, a surcharge or without the add-on that caused the claims. After two bike thefts, a contents policy without bicycle cover is often easier to get.
Applying to many insurers one after another is risky, because each refusal can trigger another question on the next form. A broker can check in advance which insurer accepts your case.
Your situation
Realistic solution
one claim, insurer cancelled
new policy often without surcharge
two bike thefts in a short time
policy without bike cover or with an excess
repeated water damage
excess and proof the cause was fixed
three or more claims in a few years
enquiry through a broker with several insurers
When you can do without contents insurance
If you own little and could replace it from savings, for example in a furnished flat, contents insurance is optional. Personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) is a separate policy in Germany and is not affected by the cancellation.
Step by step
Keep the cancellation letter and note the end date.
Request an HIS self disclosure.
Answer questions about past claims and cancellations fully.
Leave out the add-on that caused the claims or take it with an excess.
Let a broker ask several insurers at once.
Checklist
End date of the old policy known
List of all claims with date and amount
HIS self disclosure received
Cause of the claims fixed
New policy starts without a gap
Common mistakes
Hiding the cancellation on the new form
Applying to ten insurers one by one after the first refusal
Letting the old policy end before the new one is in place
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Do I have to say that my insurer cancelled?
Yes, if the form asks in writing.
Wrong answers allow the insurer to withdraw or cancel later.
How do I get new contents insurance fastest?
With a list of your claims and an enquiry through a broker to several insurers at once.
Is the cancellation stored in the HIS?
Not necessarily.
Unusual patterns are reported.
A self disclosure tells you.
Can the insurer cancel without a reason?
After a claim yes, within one month after settlement and with one month's notice.
Does this affect my liability insurance?
No, personal liability is a separate policy in Germany.
