All about this insurance: Contents insurance
Do I need contents insurance as a renter in Germany?
Insurance broker / Insurance questions / Contents insurance
What does contents insurance cover in Germany?
In short
German contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) covers everything movable in your home: furniture, clothes, electronics, food and valuables. It protects them against fire, burst pipes, storm from wind force 8, hail, burglary and robbery. Bike theft outside, power surges and natural hazards often need an add-on.
What it costs
What a tariff with this cover costs, based on published examples.
| Example | Typical range |
|---|---|
| 80 square metres in a city with few burglaries | about EUR 23 to 25 a year |
| 80 square metres in a big city with many burglaries | about EUR 51 to 54 a year |
| 75 square metres, mid tariff zone, with gross negligence | about EUR 90 to 120 a year |
Guide values as of September 2026 from publicly quoted tariff examples. Claims figures from the German Insurance Association (GDV). We obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Water damage in a rented flat
The washing machine hose bursts and water runs overnight.
| Sofa and rugs at replacement value | about EUR 3,000 |
| Drying and cleaning your own things | about EUR 500 |
| Damage to the flat's floor | a matter for the buildings insurance |
Your contents insurance pays for your belongings, the landlord's buildings insurance pays for the floor.
Which belongings are included
A good rule of thumb: everything you would take with you when moving counts as contents. The building and fixed installations belong to the buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung), which your landlord pays for.
Items in your cellar compartment (Kellerabteil), attic or garage at the insured address are usually included too.
| Risk | Covered? |
|---|---|
| Fire, lightning, explosion | yes |
| Water from burst or leaking pipes (Leitungswasser) | yes |
| Storm from wind force 8, hail | yes |
| Burglary, robbery, vandalism after a break-in | yes |
| Simple theft without a break-in | no |
| Flooding, heavy rain | only with a natural hazards add-on |
| Bike theft away from home | only with a bike add-on |
What may surprise you
Simple theft is not covered. If your bag is taken from a café table or your unlocked bike disappears, that is not a burglary, and basic contents insurance does not pay.
Damage you cause to someone else, such as a leak that ruins your neighbour's ceiling, is not contents insurance either. That is what personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflichtversicherung) is for.
Limits for valuables
Cash, jewellery, watches and art are covered only up to certain limits. For cash it is often just a few thousand euros, and jewellery outside a safe usually has a much lower limit than inside one.
If you own a lot of jewellery, raise the limits or use a safe.
Away from home: cover outside the flat
If you take things with you for a while, for example on holiday or on a trip home, they usually stay insured up to a limit (Außenversicherung), often 10 percent of the sum insured.
Simple theft on the beach is usually still not covered, only burglary and robbery.
Step by step
- Compare the sum insured with your living space.
- Read the limits for cash and jewellery.
- Check the add-ons for bike, natural hazards and power surges.
- Add what is missing in a targeted way.
Checklist
- Gross negligence (grobe Fahrlässigkeit) covered
- Power surges from lightning included
- Bike theft around the clock if needed
- Natural hazards if you live near a river or on a slope
- Limits for valuables match what you own
Common mistakes
- Assuming simple theft is covered
- Taking cover for natural hazards for granted
- Not declaring valuables above the limit
- Mixing up contents insurance and personal liability insurance
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Is my phone covered?
At home against fire, water and burglary, yes. Loss or a broken screen, no.
Is heavy rain covered?
Only with the natural hazards add-on (Elementarschaden).
Are things in the cellar covered?
Usually yes, at the insured address. Valuables in the cellar often only to a limited extent.
Does it pay for the door after a burglary?
For rented flats it usually pays for damage to doors and locks as well.
What about guests' belongings?
Other people's things in your flat are often covered, except those of subtenants.
Sources
NAMMERT insurance broker
Request a quote: Contents insurance
We compare several insurers and come back with a proposal. Free for you; the insurer pays our fee. You can write in English.
Thank you, we have your request.
We will be in touch within one working day. If it is urgent: +49 3375 29 12 77.
Related questions
How much does contents insurance cost in Germany?
For a flat of 75 to 80 square metres you usually pay EUR 25 to 120 a year for contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) …
NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker. Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated