Comprehensive protection
With contents insurance, you protect all your belongings against burglary, theft, fire, vandalism, lightning strikes, explosions, water damage, storm, and hail.

Even unusual risks—such as damage caused by vehicle collisions or aircraft crashes—are covered by the insurer. Depending on the policy, compensation may also be provided for freezer losses due to power outages, lost keys, or damages resulting from civil unrest.

The insurer generally reimburses the replacement value of destroyed or stolen items. For damaged items, the necessary repair costs are covered, up to the replacement value.

In addition to the actual property damage, the policy may cover hotel costs up to a specified limit if the home becomes uninhabitable due to a covered event. The same applies to return travel or moving expenses in the case of a particularly severe claim.

You shouldn’t go without contents insurance if the value of your household belongings is high enough that their destruction—due to a not-so-rare event like a fire, burglary, vandalism, or natural disaster—would cause you significant financial loss.

This is often the case if you have increased the value of your home furnishings over the years, for example by purchasing high-end furniture or a premium kitchen. The value of entertainment electronics alone can also reach substantial amounts.

Important for young people too
Contents insurance can already be important for young adults: once you move out of your parents’ home, you lose coverage under their policy, so you need to secure your own protection. Even a small accident—like a candle tipping over—can lead to a total loss. This is especially stressful if you’ve drained your bank account to furnish a new living room, designer kitchen, or stylish bedroom furniture.

Replacing lost items after a claim quickly shows how important a good contents insurance policy is, even for young people.

Limited benefits
The sum insured in a contents insurance policy should reflect the amount you would need to fully replace your household belongings in the event of a total loss. Yet many policyholders set the coverage too low.

This can have serious consequences: if it turns out that you are underinsured at the time of a claim, the insurer can reduce the payout. For example, in the case of a burglary or fire, only part of the loss might be reimbursed.

If the insured sum is €40,000 but the total value of the household goods has risen to €60,000, you are 33% underinsured. If a fire causes €12,000 in damage, the contents insurance would cover only two-thirds, i.e., €8,000.

Tip: Regularly check whether the value of your household goods matches the insurance sum and adjust your policy in time.

Many insurers waive the right to reduce compensation for underinsurance if you insure your household contents at a fixed rate of about €600–700 per square meter. This is especially worthwhile for high-value apartments.

For those in their first apartment who own fewer valuables, you can calculate the value of your contents like an inventory: list all items and sum up their replacement values.

Important: Increase the insurance sum in time when you add valuable new items. Some insurers offer special tariffs for young people insuring their first apartment. It’s worth comparing prices periodically, as some companies offer low rates to attract new customers. Switching to a more affordable provider can save you a significant amount.

Good household contents insurance is more affordable than you might think. A standard policy with a coverage sum of €50,000 can be obtained for significantly less than €100 per year.

Important: Before taking out a contents insurance policy, create a list of all valuable items in your home along with their estimated value. Keep purchase receipts where possible, and take photos of antiques or other unique items.

This list will help you accurately determine the value of your household contents and set the appropriate insurance sum. In the event of a claim, you can use the list to verify the loss. Experts generally recommend a guideline of about €650 per square meter for the insurance sum.

Certain risks are only partially covered under standard household contents insurance. Depending on the insurer and policy, this can include bicycle theft or storm damage.

Special protection for bicycles
Bicycles are generally insured against basic risks at the insured location. However, if a bicycle is stolen outside the insured premises, insurers usually only pay if it was adequately secured, e.g., with a security lock. If a bicycle is stolen between 10 PM and 6 AM, coverage typically applies only if the bike was in the apartment, basement, or garage at the time of the theft (some insurers have now removed this so-called night clause).

Exceptions: If the owner was using the bike during this time, the coverage may differ. Bicycle coverage is often limited in amount, and the policyholder may have to pay a deductible in the event of a claim. Some insurers charge an additional premium to include bicycles in the policy.

Storm damage from wind force 8
Household contents insurers cover storm damage only if it occurs at wind force 8 (Beaufort scale) or higher.

When household contents travel

It often happens that household belongings are temporarily or for an extended period stored outside the insured home. No need to worry: in most cases, household contents are still covered while traveling or temporarily located elsewhere due to education, military or civil service, or professional assignments of the policyholder.

Coverage limits for external storage
When household goods are stored outside the home, the insurance sum may be limited. During a move, both the old and new apartments are generally insured simultaneously—provided the move occurs within Germany. After the move is completed, or at the latest two months after moving begins, only the new residence remains insured.

Important: Moving often changes the total value of household contents. When moving to a larger apartment, people often acquire additional furniture or equipment, which can increase the total value beyond the previous insurance sum. Therefore, after a move, it is essential to check whether the insurance sum still reflects the current value of your belongings. If not, the policy should be updated immediately.