Who pays if a satellite part or space debris hits my house in Germany?
In short
If a satellite part or other space debris hits your house in Germany, your buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) pays. Under section 1 of the German Aviation Act, spacecraft count as aircraft while in airspace, and the model conditions cover the crash of an aircraft or its parts. The launching state is only liable to other states. Good cover for a detached house costs about EUR 400 to 500 a year.
There is no separate space debris policy for sale. What counts is the premium for buildings insurance with the fire group.
Example
Typical range
Detached house, 100 square metres, basic cover
about EUR 90 to 150 a year
Detached house, 200 square metres, basic cover
about EUR 180 to 250 a year
Typical detached house with good cover
about EUR 400 to 500 a year
Older houses or exposed locations
about EUR 800 to 1,000 a year and more
Guide values as of October 2026 from publicly quoted tariff examples.
The damage amounts in the worked example are guide values from practice.
Your premium depends on the house, location and scope of cover; we obtain the exact offer.
Worked example
A satellite part crashes into the roof of a detached house
A metal part weighing just over a kilogram breaks through roof tiles and insulation and damages a wardrobe and a TV in the attic. There is no fire.
Tiles, battens, insulation
buildings insurance, assumed EUR 6,000
Temporary roof sealing
refund under section 83 Insurance Contract Act
Wardrobe and TV
contents insurance, assumed EUR 1,500
Claims against the launching state
only through the Federal Republic, not directly
Both policies pay for the crash of parts of an aircraft. You do not have to wait for a procedure between states.
Space debris counts as an aircraft
The German model conditions for buildings insurance (VGB 2022) cover in A 3.6 the impact or crash of an aircraft. The same applies to its parts or cargo. The conditions do not define what an aircraft is.
The German Aviation Act (Luftverkehrsgesetz) fills the gap: under section 1 (2), spacecraft, rockets and similar objects count as aircraft while they are in airspace. A falling satellite part or a burnt-out rocket stage is therefore covered by this peril. In the model conditions it sits in one group with fire and lightning.
Who is liable for space debris under international law
Under the United Nations Liability Convention, the launching state is liable without fault for damage its space object causes on the surface of the Earth. That sounds helpful, but it does not help you directly.
The claim is presented by one state to the launching state through diplomatic channels, within one year of the damage. As a homeowner you cannot bring it yourself. Your own insurance is therefore the quick way to get paid.
Damage from space debris
Who pays under the model conditions
Hole in the roof, damaged roof structure
buildings insurance, crash of an aircraft
Furniture and electronics smashed
contents insurance (Hausratversicherung), same peril in VHB 2022, A 3.6
Fire after the impact
buildings and contents insurance, fire
Parked car hit
comprehensive car cover (Vollkasko) as an accident
A person is injured
accident insurance, if you have it
How often space debris actually comes down
The European Space Agency (ESA) reports a few large objects a year, moderate-sized ones about once a week and small tracked debris almost daily. Between 20 and 40 percent of the mass of large spacecraft and rocket bodies can survive re-entry. With large satellite constellations, ESA expects more re-entries.
According to ESA, the risk to any individual is orders of magnitude smaller than everyday risks such as driving, because about three quarters of the Earth is water. A case from Florida shows that houses can be hit: in March 2024 a metal part of about 0.7 kilograms from the International Space Station went through the roof of a home, as NASA confirmed.
What you do not need because of space debris
There is no separate space debris insurance, and you do not need one. If your buildings insurance includes the fire group with the crash of aircraft, a falling satellite part is covered.
It is more important to check that your sum insured matches today's rebuilding cost. If the house is underinsured, the insurer reduces payment even for rare space debris.
After space debris has hit your house
Do not handle the object unless necessary, photograph the site and the damage and inform the police. With unknown metal parts from space, caution is wise, and the origin can only be established later with the part itself.
Report the damage to your insurer straight away and have the roof sealed temporarily so that no rain gets in. Under section 83 of the German Insurance Contract Act (Versicherungsvertragsgesetz), the insurer must refund such costs to limit the damage as far as you could consider them necessary.
How a broker can help with the space debris risk
Norman Nammert arranges buildings and contents insurance as an insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler). A broker can check whether your policy includes the crash of aircraft and whether the sum insured is right. The commission is paid by the insurer, so it costs you nothing.
Step by step
Check in your policy schedule that the fire group with the crash of aircraft is insured.
Check your contents insurance in the same way.
After an impact, take photos, inform the police and do not throw the part away.
Have the roof sealed temporarily and keep the receipts.
Report the damage to both insurers immediately.
Checklist
Buildings insurance with fire and crash of aircraft
Contents insurance with the same peril
Sum insured matches today's rebuilding cost
Comprehensive cover for a valuable car parked outside
Accident insurance for injuries in daily life
Common mistakes
Thinking you have to sue the state that launched the satellite
Throwing the debris away before its origin is clear
Waiting for the loss adjuster before sealing the roof
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Who pays if a satellite part hits my house and it catches fire?
Your buildings insurance, through both fire and the crash of an aircraft.
Contents insurance pays for burnt furniture.
Can I sue the satellite operator directly?
The Liability Convention governs claims between states.
Whether a claim against a private operator is possible as well depends on the case and needs legal
advice.
Does a satellite really count as an aircraft?
Under section 1 (2) of the German Aviation Act, spacecraft,
rockets and similar objects count as aircraft while they are in airspace.
A falling part is in airspace.
Does car insurance pay if space debris hits my car?
Comprehensive cover pays for an accident,
meaning a sudden event acting on the car from outside with mechanical force.
Partial cover (Teilkasko) only pays under the model conditions if glass breaks.
Is space debris becoming more common?
ESA expects more re-entries because large satellite constellations are being launched.
The risk to a single house still remains very small.
