Do I need household contents insurance in Germany?

Hausratversicherung (household contents insurance) covers your belongings against fire, water damage, burglary, vandalism and storm damage — typically inside your apartment, and to a limited extent outside it (bicycles, items abroad on travel, equipment in the office).

The right question is rarely whether the product is "good" — most of them are perfectly fine — but whether you actually have enough to lose. Students living with second-hand furniture and a backpack of clothes generally don't need it. Families with full furnishings, expensive electronics, professional equipment or valuable items often do. Expats coming from rented furnished apartments are usually right to delay the decision for the first months, while their belongings are still minimal.

If you do take it out, the sum insured should reflect what it would cost to replace everything new today, not what you originally paid for it. Underinsuring (Unterversicherung) can lead to the insurer paying out only proportionally if you ever claim.

Two practical points to watch when comparing offers: the share of Außenversicherung (cover for items outside your home), which matters for travel and work equipment; and the special limits for bicycles, jewellery, and cash. Bicycle theft in particular is often only covered with a specific add-on, and frequently only when the bike is locked at night under defined conditions.