What insurance do I need when buying a flat in Germany?
In short
What insurance do I need when buying a flat in Germany? The owners' association insures the building at replacement value, paid through your service charge (Hausgeld). You need contents insurance, about EUR 90 to 120 a year for 75 square metres, personal liability that covers you as a unit owner, and term life for the loan, often EUR 8 to 20 a month.
Published premiums for the contracts when buying a flat, German market.
Example
Typical range
Contents, 75 square metres, medium tariff zone
about EUR 90 to 120 a year
Personal liability single, cover EUR 10 to 50 million
about EUR 40 to 120 a year
Personal liability, couple or family policy
about EUR 60 to 180 a year
Term life EUR 200,000 decreasing, 20 years, age 35, non smoker
about EUR 8 to 20 a month
Figures from published tariff examples, October 2026.
Your premium depends on location, size and scope; we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Couple buys a 75 square metre flat, loan EUR 250,000
This is their own cover next to the association's buildings policy.
Contents
about EUR 90 to 120 a year
Personal liability, couple policy
about EUR 60 to 180 a year
Two term life policies of EUR 125,000 each
about EUR 130 to 360 a year
Buildings and property owner's liability
included in the service charge
Together about EUR 280 to 660 a year on top of the service charge.
How buying a flat differs from buying a house
When buying a flat in Germany you do not take over a buildings policy of your own. Under the German Condominium Act (WEG), proper management includes insuring the common property at replacement value and the owners against property owner's liability. The owners' association takes out the policy, usually via the property manager, and you pay your share in the service charge.
The table shows what you take out yourself.
Insurance
Who takes it out?
What you do
Buildings
owners' association
see the policy and claims history before buying
Property owner's liability
owners' association
check the sum insured
Contents (Hausrat)
you
take out or update
Personal liability
you
check that unit ownership is included
Term life
you
cover the loan amount
Check the association's buildings policy
Before buying a flat, ask for the buildings policy and the minutes of the owners' meetings. Check natural hazards cover for heavy rain and backflow, burst pipe cover and the excess. Frequent water damage pushes up premiums and service charges or leads the insurer to cancel.
Whether fittings in your flat such as flooring or a fitted kitchen fall under the buildings policy or your contents policy depends on the declaration of division and the contract. Clarify this so nothing is insured twice or not at all.
Your liability as a unit owner
Under the German model terms, personal liability (Privathaftpflicht) covers you as owner of a flat you occupy, as a unit owner. Claims by the association for damage to common property are included, but not your own share of it.
If you let the flat, the model terms do not cover it; only individual let rooms are. Many policies do include a let flat, otherwise you need separate property owner's liability.
Contents and the loan
Contents insurance covers your belongings. For 75 square metres in a medium tariff zone it costs about EUR 90 to 120 a year. Report your new address and floor space in time.
Protect the mortgage with decreasing term life cover, often EUR 8 to 20 a month for EUR 200,000 at 35. The bank's payment protection insurance is usually more expensive and pays less.
What you do not need
You do not need your own buildings policy for the flat, as the building is insured through the association. Separate property owner's liability is usually unnecessary if you live in the flat yourself.
Norman Nammert works as an insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler) and checks when buying a flat whether contents, liability and loan protection fit the association's buildings policy. The insurer pays the commission, so the check is free for you.
Step by step
Before buying, request the buildings policy, claims history and meeting minutes.
Clarify which fittings the buildings policy covers and which your contents policy covers.
Take out or update contents insurance for moving in.
Check personal liability for unit ownership and possible letting.
Take out term life for the loan amount.
Checklist
Association's buildings policy seen
Natural hazards in the buildings policy
Contents with new floor space
Liability includes unit ownership
Loan protected
Common mistakes
Taking out your own buildings policy for the flat
Not looking at the association's policy before buying
Letting the flat without suitable liability cover
Signing the bank's payment protection without comparing
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Do I need buildings insurance for my flat?
No, the association insures the building and you pay through the service charge.
Does my personal liability cover the flat?
If you live in it, yes under the model terms, as a unit owner.
Your share of common property is excluded.
What about a flat I let?
The model terms do not cover it, many policies include it.
