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What to do if flood and natural hazard cover is refused in Germany?

In short

A refusal rarely means your house cannot be insured anywhere. According to the German insurance industry, about 99 percent of buildings can be insured against natural hazards (Elementarschäden). Ask other insurers, ideally through a broker who has your case checked individually, and offer a higher deductible or protective measures such as a backflow valve.

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What to do if flood and natural hazard cover is refused in Germany?

What it costs

What you typically accept or invest to get accepted.

Example	Typical range
Deductible in high risk areas	10 percent of the loss, at least EUR 500, at most EUR 5,000
Natural hazard cover, family home in ZÜRS class 3	about EUR 400 to 600 a year
Retrofitting a backflow valve including installation	about EUR 1,500 to 2,500
Natural hazard cover, family home in class 1 for comparison	about EUR 50 to 150 a year

Guide values as of September 2026 from published examples. That an individual review by the insurer usually takes two to four weeks is a guide value from our quoting practice.

Worked example

House by a stream, two previous claims, refused online

A family home in ZÜRS class 3 with two basement claims from sewage backflow in the last ten years is refused online by two direct insurers.

Backflow valve retrofitted	about EUR 2,000 once
Individual enquiry with documents and photos	free of charge
Offer with a higher deductible	about EUR 550 a year
Deductible per claim	10 percent, at most EUR 5,000

With flood damage of EUR 60,000 you pay EUR 5,000 yourself and the insurer pays EUR 55,000.

Why insurers refuse

Most refusals have one of three reasons: the address is in flood zone class 3 or 4 of the German zoning system (ZÜRS), the house has had water damage before, or the basement is not protected against sewage backflow (Rückstau).

Many insurers decide by online check with fixed limits. If you fail there, it only means: not in this standard tariff. Other insurers review the same address individually and may reach a different result.

Reason for refusal	What often helps
ZÜRS class 3 or 4	individual review, higher deductible, proof of the actual situation
Previous water damage	show what has been improved since
No backflow protection	have a backflow valve fitted and include the invoice
Basement used as living space near a river	limit cover to the building without the converted basement, if offered
Only an online check was done	enquiry through a broker with complete information

What to do after a refusal

Ask for the reason. The insurer does not always have to give it, but often does. Then you know what to work on.

Then make a targeted enquiry: site plan, height details, photos of the basement, proof of backflow valve and other protection, and a list of previous claims. A complete enquiry is more likely to be reviewed individually than a short one. Documents in English are fine for photos, but invoices and forms should be in German.

Honestly: where the limits are

For houses that flood regularly, cover is often only available with a high deductible, for example 10 percent of the loss and up to EUR 5,000, or with conditions. In class 4 it will not be a bargain.

And sometimes the answer stays no. Then what counts is what you can do to the building, and whether a savings reserve for emergencies makes more sense than an expensive policy.

When you can take a refusal calmly

If only natural hazard cover in your contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) was refused and you live on an upper floor without a basement storage room, flood damage to your belongings is usually small. Damage to the building itself is the landlord's insurance matter anyway.

This does not apply to owners of a house near a river: a single flood there can cost the savings of many years.

Step by step

Ask for the reason for the refusal and write it down.
Find out the ZÜRS class of your address and compare it with the situation on site.
Fix weak points, especially backflow protection, and keep the invoices.
Ask several insurers with complete documents, ideally through a broker.
Offer a higher deductible yourself.
Only cancel your old policy once new cover is confirmed in writing.

Checklist

Reason for the refusal known
ZÜRS class and heavy rain class of the address known
List of previous claims with date and amount
Proof of backflow valve and other protection
Photos of basement, light wells and entrances
Willingness to accept a higher deductible clarified

Common mistakes

Giving up after the first refusal
Not disclosing previous claims in the application, which can cost you cover in a claim
Cancelling an existing policy with natural hazard cover to save money elsewhere
Only asking online, where fixed limits apply

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Can an insurer refuse natural hazard cover?

Yes. In Germany there is currently no obligation to offer this cover to everyone. Each insurer decides for itself.

Do I have to mention the refusal in my next application?

If you are asked, yes. Wrong answers can mean the insurer later refuses to pay or ends the contract.

Does a higher deductible really help?

Often yes. It takes the many smaller claims off the insurer, and in risk areas it is often the condition for acceptance.

Will the state pay if I can't get cover?

Don't rely on it. Help after a flood is voluntary, and Bavaria, for example, has generally not paid emergency aid for insurable damage since July 2019.

Can my current insurer cancel after a claim?

Yes, after a claim both sides can usually cancel. That is why it helps to know your alternatives in time.

Will mandatory insurance solve the problem?

That is still politically open. As long as nothing has been decided, don't wait for it.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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Natural hazard cover in Germany (Elementarschadenversicherung)

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