# Vacant property in Germany: keeping the house insured when nobody lives there > A house in Germany may stand empty after an inheritance, before a sale, during renovation or after a parent moves into care. Under German insurance law that is an increase in risk. You have to tell the buildings insurer, and the policy usually sets extra duties for water, heating and inspections. Miss them and a claim can be cut sharply. Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-vacant-property-insurance.php Updated: 2026-11-14 ## When does a house count as vacant in Germany? German law sets no fixed period; each insurer defines it in its policy wording. The threshold is often 60 to 90 days, and some policies allow up to twelve months. Allianz, for example, treats a building as permanently vacant once nobody has lived in it for more than six months. Check your own policy before the house becomes empty. ## At a glance - **Legal basis:** increase in risk under sections 23 to 27 of the German Insurance Contract Act (VVG) - **When vacancy starts:** set by the policy, often 60 to 90 days, sometimes up to twelve months - **Typical duties:** notify, shut off and drain water, heat or drain, inspect regularly - **If you breach them:** payout reduced by degree of fault, none if intentional - **Inheritance:** the buildings policy passes to the heirs ## Why an empty house worries insurers In an occupied home a dripping pipe or a broken window is noticed the same day. In an empty one, a burst pipe can run for weeks, and burglars or arsonists have time on their hands. German insurers therefore treat vacancy as an increase in risk under sections 23 and following of the VVG. Once you are aware of the increase, you must report it without delay. The insurer may then charge a surcharge, exclude the higher risk or cancel. If the premium rises by more than ten percent, or the risk is excluded, you may cancel yourself within one month. ## What German policy wordings ask of you Most German buildings policies include safety rules for buildings not in use: shut off, drain and keep drained all water-carrying installations such as supply pipes, pumps, boilers and the heating system; in the cold season either heat the building and check it, or drain everything; and inspect the building often enough. For a house left empty for good, the ordinary winter rule alone is usually not sufficient. How often you must check is set in your policy. Keep a short dated log of each visit. If you live abroad or far away, ask a neighbour or hire a caretaker service. ## Recent German court decisions On 21 July 2025 the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig (16 U 64/24) upheld a 60 percent reduction. The policy stated that the building must not be unoccupied for more than six months in a row, and the vacancy had not been reported. On 10 July 2025 the Higher Regional Court of Celle (11 U 179/24) held that a house nobody had lived in for over a year counted as unused, even though furniture was still inside. What matters is living there, not storing things. ## Inherited a house in Germany? The buildings insurance passes to the heirs automatically, so there is no need to take out a new policy. Inform the insurer in writing of the death, the new owners and the vacancy, and ask for written confirmation of the remaining cover. Heirs usually have six weeks to accept or disclaim the estate, and premiums and property tax keep running meanwhile. Owner's liability is a separate matter. For a house nobody lives in, German insurers offer homeowner's and landowner's liability cover, for example if someone slips on an icy pavement in front of the house. ## What is covered - Fire, lightning and explosion at the empty building, once the vacancy is reported and agreed - Escape of water and frost, as long as the safety rules are followed - Storm and hail, often unchanged during vacancy - Other natural hazards, if the policy includes them - Burglary damage to the building and vandalism, depending on the agreement - Clearance and demolition costs after an insured loss - Liability as owner, if homeowner's and landowner's liability cover is in place ## What is not covered - Losses during a vacancy you did not report, with reductions up to no payout at all - Frost and water damage where pipes were not shut off and drained as required - Contents and valuables left in the empty house - Dilapidated or uninhabitable buildings, which many insurers refuse - Damage that builds up slowly, such as mould or dry rot - Loss of rent caused by the vacancy itself ## Who needs it - Heirs of a German property left empty until it is sold or occupied - Owners whose parents have moved into a care home - Sellers whose house stands empty until completion - Owners renovating before moving in - Landlords with a long gap between tenants ## Who does not need it - Anyone away for just a few weeks: the policy's normal absence rule usually applies - Owners of a second home or holiday house in regular use: that is a different type of cover, not vacancy ## What it costs Stand-alone vacancy policies are rare in Germany. Usually the existing buildings policy continues after you report the vacancy, often with a surcharge or with fewer perils. Insurers do not publish fixed prices for this; the premium is set case by case. **What drives the premium:** - Length of and reason for the vacancy - Condition of roof, pipes and heating - Whether the house is heated and checked regularly - Location, visibility and how doors and windows are secured - Which perils should stay covered while vacant - Deductible and previous claims _No sample premiums, because vacancy surcharges vary from house to house and insurer to insurer. Your premium is fixed in the quote._ ## The policy levels on the market - **Basic vacancy cover:** After notice, only fire, storm and hail remain. Water, burglary damage and vandalism are suspended. Acceptable for short periods with the water shut off. - **Vacancy agreed:** All perils of the buildings policy stay in force, for a surcharge and with clear duties on heating, water and inspections. Suits most inheritances and sales. - **Vacancy with liability and works:** Adds owner's liability, vandalism, theft of fixed parts and cover during renovation. For longer periods and larger properties. ## How to recognise a good policy | Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | When vacancy starts | 60 days in a row | six months or more, clearly defined | The later the threshold, the more time heirs have to decide. | | Maximum period | cover ends after a fixed time | extension on request | Estates and sales often take longer than planned. | | Perils while vacant | fire, storm, hail only | all agreed perils including escape of water | An unnoticed water leak is the costliest loss in an empty house. | | Inspection duty | vague, often enough | fixed interval stated in the policy | A clear rule is easy to follow and to prove. | | Heating and water | draining required | choice of heating with checks or draining | During renovation, a fully drained house is often impractical. | | Gross negligence | reduction by fault | waiver, at least up to a limit | A missed inspection happens easily. | | Vandalism and theft of fixtures | excluded while vacant | included | Empty houses attract metal thieves and vandals. | ## Insurers on the German market Most German buildings insurers handle vacancy within the existing policy, usually after notice and a questionnaire. How generous they are varies widely. This is a market overview, not a ranking. - **Allianz**: nationwide, agents and brokers - **Württembergische**: part of the W&W group, agents and brokers - **VHV**: property insurer from Hanover, strong with brokers - **Grundeigentümer-Versicherung**: mutual from Hamburg focused on buildings - **Rhion**: part of the RheinLand group, sold through brokers - **Interlloyd**: property insurer from Düsseldorf, sold through brokers - **Alte Leipziger**: mainly through brokers 155 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Feuer, Hagel-, Frost- und sonstige Sachschäden). Source: BaFin company database, 2026-09-18; EU insurers without a German office excluded. ## Typical claims and who pays - **Burst pipe in winter, unnoticed** (often five figures, more with drying): If the vacancy was reported and water and heating were secured as required, agreed cover pays. Without that, the payout can be cut to nothing. - **Arson in the empty house** (up to a total loss): Fire stays covered under almost every vacancy rule, provided the vacancy was reported. Clear out combustible rubbish anyway. - **Copper pipes ripped out** (four to five figures): Theft of fixed building parts and the damage done removing them is often excluded while vacant. Strong agreements include it. - **Storm strips the roof** (four to five figures): Storm and hail usually continue during vacancy. Spot the damage quickly so rain does not follow. - **Passer-by slips on icy pavement** (five figures, more with lasting injury): This is liability, not building damage. It needs homeowner's and landowner's liability cover, included in the strongest package. - **Mould after years without airing** (four to five figures): Slow damage caused by lack of upkeep is not paid by any buildings policy. Regular checks and airing are the only protection. ## Myth or truth - „As long as I pay the premium, the empty house stays insured as before." ✘ False: vacancy is an increase in risk that you must report. The insurer then decides on a surcharge, restrictions or cancellation. - „When vacancy begins is set by my policy, not by German law." ✔ True: each insurer sets its own threshold, often 60 to 90 days, sometimes six or twelve months. - „If the furniture is still there, the house counts as in use." ✘ Not reliably: in 2025 a German appeal court treated a furnished house nobody had lived in for over a year as unused. - „On inheritance, the buildings policy simply passes to me." ✔ True: the policy passes to the heirs and no new contract is needed. You still have to report the death and the vacancy. - „Forget to report the vacancy and you get nothing at all." ✘ Not necessarily: the payout is reduced according to fault. Intent can mean nothing, gross negligence a proportional cut, as in the 60 percent reduction upheld in Schleswig in 2025. ## Common mistakes - Not reporting the vacancy because the house will be sold soon - Leaving the water on and the pipes full - Assuming furniture in the house means it is still in use - Inspecting but keeping no record - Forgetting liability for the pavement and the garden - Starting renovation without telling the insurer ## FAQ ### Do I really have to report the vacancy? Yes. Vacancy is an increase in risk, and once you are aware of it you must notify the insurer without delay. Staying silent can cost you much of the claim; in 2025 a German appeal court upheld a 60 percent reduction. ### What happens if I forget to report it? It depends on fault. With slight negligence the insurer usually still pays in full, with gross negligence it may reduce the payout in proportion to fault, and with intent it may pay nothing. ### Can the insurer cancel because of vacancy? Yes, after an increase in risk it may cancel or ask for a surcharge. You may cancel within one month if the premium rises by more than ten percent or the higher risk is excluded. ### I inherited a house in Germany. Do I need a new policy? No, the existing buildings policy passes to the heirs. Report the death and the vacancy in writing and ask for confirmation of what remains covered. Unlike a purchase, inheritance does not give you a special right to cancel. ### Do I have to heat the house in winter? Most wordings require one of two things in the cold season: heat the house and check it regularly, or shut off and drain all water-carrying installations. For houses left empty for good, many policies require shutting off and draining all year round. ### Does a furnished house still count as occupied? Not necessarily. In 2025 the Higher Regional Court of Celle held that a house nobody had lived in for over a year was unused, even with furniture inside. ### Who is liable if someone falls outside the empty house? The owner, who remains responsible for clearing snow and ice, trees and the roof. Homeowner's and landowner's liability cover is designed for a house you do not live in. ### Why use a broker? Because insurers' vacancy rules differ widely: threshold, maximum period, perils and duties. We clarify with the insurer what applies to your house and look for an alternative if the current policy does not fit. The insurer pays our fee. ## Legal basis and sources - [Insurance Contract Act (VVG, German)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vvg_2008/) - [BaFin company database (licensed insurers)](https://portal.mvp.bafin.de/database/InstInfo/) ## Request quotes We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison, free of charge. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-vacant-property-insurance.php#anfrage --- Your broker: Norman Nammert, trading as NAMMERT. Insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act. Broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH is a separate company. It does not arrange your contract. NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, 15711 Königs Wusterhausen, +49 3375 29 12 77, info@nammert.com. Wikidata: Q141141479.