Which insurance do I need as a landlord in Germany?
In short
As a landlord in Germany you mainly need buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) and property owner's liability insurance, which starts at about EUR 35 a year. You may pass both premiums on to tenants through the service charges. Loss of rent after fire or water damage is sensible, and so is landlord legal cover from about EUR 12 a month, which you pay yourself.
Published tariff examples for landlords in Germany, 2026.
Example
Typical range
Property owner's liability, apartment building
from about EUR 35.70 a year
Landlord legal cover, one unit, EUR 14,000 annual rent
from about EUR 12.10 a month
Landlord legal cover, EUR 72,000 annual rent
from about EUR 106.50 a month
Buildings, detached house 150 square metres, built 2005
from about EUR 15 a month
Guide values from published tariff examples.
For apartment buildings the premium depends heavily on location,
year of construction and floor area; we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Two family house, one flat let
How the insurance costs split between landlord and tenant.
Buildings insurance with natural hazards
passed on, shared by floor area
Property owner's liability
passed on, shared
Loss of rent after fire or water damage
included in the buildings policy
Landlord legal cover
paid by you, from about EUR 12 a month
The tenant pays a share of building and liability cover through the service charges. You pay legal cover and your own share for the flat you live in.
The basic cover for landlords
Buildings insurance pays when the rented house is damaged by fire, mains water, storm or hail. Without it, you pay for rebuilding yourself.
Property owner's liability (Haus- und Grundbesitzerhaftpflicht) pays when someone is hurt on your property, for example on an icy path or by a falling roof tile. Under the German model terms, private liability only covers letting single rooms, not whole flats.
Insurance
Covers
Can be passed on
Buildings
fire, mains water, storm, hail
yes
Natural hazards
flooding, heavy rain, landslide
yes
Property owner's liability
injury or damage to third parties
yes
Water pollution liability
oil leaking from a heating oil tank
yes
Landlord legal cover
lawyer and court in disputes with tenants
no
Loss of rent after damage
If a flat becomes uninhabitable after insured fire or water damage, tenants may reduce the rent or terminate. Buildings insurance can replace this loss of rent including running service charges, under the model terms for a number of months set in the policy.
Check the maximum period when you let property. Repairs after water damage often take longer than a few weeks. For commercial premises, loss of rent has to be agreed separately.
What you may pass on to tenants
The German operating costs ordinance (Betriebskostenverordnung) lists insurance of the building against fire, storm, water and natural hazards, glass insurance and liability insurance for the building, oil tank and lift. As a landlord you may include these premiums in the service charge statement if the tenancy agreement provides for it.
Legal cover and insurance against rent arrears are not on that list. You pay these landlord premiums yourself.
Letting a condominium
If you let a condominium, the owners' association insures the common property at new value and holds property owner's liability. Under section 19 of the German condominium act (WEG) this is part of proper management, and you contribute through the house fee (Hausgeld).
Ask the management whether your own unit is insured too, and check whether your private liability policy includes the rented flat. If not, you need your own liability cover as a landlord.
What landlords often do not need
Contents insurance for a rented flat is usually unnecessary, because the furniture belongs to the tenant. The exception is a furnished letting.
Insurance against tenants who cannot pay is not a must for landlords. For a single flat, credit checks and the deposit are the first protection, and landlord legal cover helps with an eviction.
Step by step
Check that buildings and liability insurance exist for the rented property.
Add natural hazard cover for heavy rain and flooding.
Look up loss of rent and its maximum period in the buildings policy.
Agree in the tenancy agreement that insurance is part of the service charges.
Decide on landlord legal cover before any dispute starts.
Checklist
Buildings insurance at rebuilding value
Property owner's liability or inclusion in private liability
Loss of rent with a long enough period
Water pollution liability for an oil tank
Service charge clause in the tenancy agreement
Common mistakes
Relying on private liability for a rented house
Leaving out natural hazards although heavy rain can hit anywhere
Taking out legal cover only after the tenant stops paying
Forgetting to include insurance in the service charge statement
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Which insurance do I need as a landlord at minimum?
Buildings insurance and property owner's liability.
You can pass both on to tenants.
Can I charge buildings insurance to tenants?
Yes, if the tenancy agreement says so.
Section 2 no.
13 BetrKV lists fire, storm, water, natural hazards, glass and building liability.
Does buildings insurance pay if the tenant stops paying?
No.
It only replaces lost rent if the flat is uninhabitable because of insured damage.
Is my private liability enough for a rented condominium?
Not under the model terms, which only include letting single rooms.
Some policies go further, check the wording.
Do I need contents insurance as a landlord?
Only for furnished lettings.
Otherwise the contents belong to the tenant, who insures them.
