Main types of insurance in Germany
Thinking about insurance in Germany ist not the most exciting topic to address, but it is important to plan ahead some coverage. You never know what life has planned for you so a good coverage makes sure you are not left penniless after something happens.
Although some types of policies may differ from what you know, most will be similar. This is an overview to the types of insurances you can subscribe to in Germany.
List of possible insurance in Germany:
Health insurance – Krankenversicherung
Proper health insurance is compulsory for all German residents. The German system is split between public & private insurance companies.
- 90% of German residents have public health insurance; costs are set by your income.
- If your earn more than a certain level, if you are not eligible to public, you can go for private, where costs are set by your health profile.
- Most public should stay with public as going with private has serious life consequences.
- Visa applicants can signup for special policies for a cheaper rate, but cannot renew a visa without local insurance.
It’s a difficult topic to approach. This is you can read a detailed guide on health insurance in Germany here.
Liability insurance – Haftpflichtversicherung
Personal liability insurance protects you against damages made to third-party property, persons or income, when involved in an accident.
- Next to health insurance, this type of insurance in Germany is highly necessary. Accidents happen everyday with damages sometimes costing millions of euros.
- In most EU countries, liability insurance is actually compulsory, not in Germany. However, the vast majority of Germans have one (83%).
- As parents or pet owners, you are also responsible for your pets or kids too.
- It only costs a few euros per month, it’s worth it.
I have written a dedicated post about liability insurance in Germany this way. There are now trusworthy english-speaking providers to consider.
Home contents insurance – Hausratversicherung
Home contents or household insurance is covering damages & theft made to your movable items at home. We are talking about furniture, appliances, jewelry, clothes, etc.
- It covers your belongings in case of fire, water damages and theft happening at home.
- Some policies cover bikes or computer too, but make sure to read the fine prints.
- Most Germans have this (76%).
- Household insurance does not cover the actual walls, doors, windows or roof in your home. That is something else: Gebäudeversicherung, something we cover later in this post.
- It only costs a few euros per month, so it makes sense.
I have written a detailed guide about home contents insurance for Germany (sometimes known as house insurance or household insurance). It includes tips on how to pick a good policy, recommendations with English-speaking providers.
Dental insurance – Zahnzusatzversicherung
Dental care is one of the more costly aspect of health care.
- Standard coverage offered by public health insurance is sometimes not enough when you have high dental care needs, preconditions, etc.
- It’s a good idea to sign-up for it if you plan to have implants, if your lifestyle is damaging your teeth a lot, if you will need parodontologie, or crowns a lot.
- A lot of Germans have complementary dental insurance.
You can read whether or not you really need one in this good overview post on dental insurance in Germany.
Broken glass insurance – Glasversicherung
Unfortunately, the Hausratversicherung doesn’t cover broken windows in your flat, this will do the trick. It might be useful if you live in a place with large windows. However some Hausrat do have protection against broken windows, for a slightly higher fee. Broken windows are one of the most common damages in a house and one of the most labour intensive too.
Car insurance – Kfz-Versicherung
Anybody owning & driving a vehicle in Germany must have adequate insurance.
- There are 3 types of car insurance in Germany: Haftpflicht (third-party coverage), Vollkasko (comprehensive coverage) & Teilkasko (partial coverage).
- Haftpflicht only covers damages made onto other vehicles than yours in case of an accident. That’s the legal minimum.
- Teilkasko includes Hafplticht as well as damages from theft , fire, broken glass, extreme weather & wilde animals. This type of policy is often picked for used cars.
- Vollkasko includes Teilkasko as well as damages made to you or your vehicle even if the accident was your fault, as well as vandalism & hit-and-runs. This type of policy is often picked for new or leased cars.
This detailed post about car insurance in Germany gives you a lot more insights into this topic. It will help you decide which insurance is best for you and give you tips on how to get the best deal to save money. We also show you how to use your past driving record in your home country to get an even better price for your policy.
Rechtsschutzversicherung:
Literally “ law-protection-insurance”, this will cover you from any procedural fees you might have to pay when resolving a dispute in court.
- If you feel that conflicts with your landlords or neighbors might arise, it could be wise to sign-up to such insurances.
- It can also protect you from conflicts with your boss or even public bodies.
- There are policies covering personal risks or professional risks. You might also need protection in your professional life as well. Doctors have often that type of insurance in case their make a medical error and they have to face it in court.
If you are interested, you can look into it with English-speaking providers like Feather.

Life insurance – Risiko-Lebensversicherung
Your life insurance in Germany. This is especially relevant for people who have a family & kids. This makes sure that they have enough financial means if you were to die.
- It covers costs associated with paying for a funeral, paying for a mortgage, studies for your kids, etc.
- This will make sure that the people you love have enough resources if you die prematurely.
- You can pick policies that cover you for 15, 20, 25 or more years through your life. This is something people tend to subscribe to when they have children or get married. It gets more expensive if you sign-up when you are older.
Accident – Unfallversicherung
Your accident insurance in Germany, sometimes called Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung:
- This makes sure that you have enough financial means in case you become you become permanently handicapped after a grave accident. This is really relevant if your job is depending on your ability to move or use strength.
- It’s also something worth considering if you can’t do your job remotely or if you rely on the use of your hands for you job. Even developers or surgeons can be at risk there, if they can’t use a computer anymore.
- This is also recommended for freelancers or people with a mortgage.
Building – Wohngebäudeversicherung
If you get far enough to buy your own flat, you will need that to cover the actual building where you live in. It covers walls, roofs and basement. This is also important if you rent your flat out. Your tenant’s insurance doesn’t cover the walls he is living in.
I can not stress enough how important is it to have some sort of coverage. Living on the edge can be fun until you must pay 5000€ to your neighbor because of water damages caused by a flimsy washing machine (true story, it happened to me).
Tip : If you want to have a look at prices and compare plans between insurance companies, i would suggest to have a look on the price comparison website Preisvergleich.de. They specialize in comparing prices.
halo..
i will arrive in germany in 25 september 2020. and i would like to know do you have some travel insurance or the other insurance that the country want. sorry i really need help over here cause this is the first time i need travel insurance for my trip. thank you.. have a good day
Hey Uswatun. Is this maybe what you mean? or this one?
Is there an insurance I need when leasing a flat? I currently am leasing a furnished flat and am wondering if there is apartment insurance.
Hey Reggie. Have you seen this post?That should cover it,
Hey Bastien, very helpful, thanks! Are there any difficulties to stop the coverage, for instance, when I finish my studies, move out or if I write my Master thesis from home country?
Hey Marina. As a rule, it is enough to show an Abmeldung Bestätigung from the Standesamt to get out of a contract, even before the end of the notice period. But check your contracts.
Hi Bastien, Many thanks for this article. Which insurance would you recommend for personal effects such as a smartphone, mobile laptop and bicycle? Would Hausratversicherung cover these personal effects, even though they are often carried outside of the home?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Hey Jane. In most cases, Hausrat covers that, but it maybe only covering damages if they happen in your home.
Bastien, informative article, thank you.
Does Hausratversicherung cover personal belongings outside of your property? Is it comparable with ‘Renter’s Insurance’ in the states?
Hey Isaiah. A typical Hausrat policy is only covering things inside your property but some policies may include extras, depending on the available options.
Very useful article!
I am renting an apartment and found that the Hausverwaltung is difficult to contact. I also came across some very poor reviews of them from past tenants. I would like to be covered in case any issues arise.
For this situation, I am unsure if I should join Berliner Mieterverein or take out Rechtsschutzversicherung to protect myself.
Hi Julie. Both options are possible. If you take a Rechtsschutz, make sure to take one that covers conflicts in that area of law!
Hello,
Firstly, thank you for the very useful information!
I work as a Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter at a university, and I will need to go abroad as part of my job. To do so, it would be necessary to take my work laptop with me. However, I was told that as soon as I have my work laptop outside of my workplace here in Germany, I am then liable for anything that may happen to it, even if I am in the workplace for the part of my job that must be carried out abroad. I was told that Haltpflichtversicherung would cover this, but I was always under the impression that Haltpflichtversicherung would not cover anything to do with work. Am I misunderstanding something?
Hi Sarah. I’m afraid this question is too specific for me to reply. It’s probably best to ask your insurance directly.
I have to go to Germany for an specific job that it’s going to be just for a month … I have different insurances policies paid here in Denmark … dunno if I shall have an extra coverage for that period…. not sure yet what type of coverage my job will supply…. what you would suggest? I am waiting for my employer info… but I am investigating ahead. Thanks!
Hi Fernanda. Your domestic coverage should probably be enough.
Hey,
I rent an apartment in Berlin but do not permanently live here. I have a complete health insurance, covering for all kind of things mentioned in your article, in another European Union country. Would I be fine if something happens in Germany while I am here and would my insurance count?
Thank you!
Yes Boyko. You are fine with your insurance from another EU country.
Hi 🙂
my question now is, whats the possible minimum for the Health Insurance for those working without an Insurance agreement with their Employer?. Also, is it accurate to assume that the lower income one gets, the lower for Health Insurance one pays?
Hi Marc, if you go with the public system; health insurance contributions are based on income yes, albeit with a minimum contribution. If you are an employee, your employer has to pay the health insurance contribution unless you job is a minijob (max 450€ per month).
What happen if i not pay the monthly contribution for an insurance company? Did i cant go out from Germany? And it is mandatory for having insurance here?
Yes it mandatory to have insurance and you can have your assets frozen in case you don’t pay.
Hey there, I am sharing a studio with two other designers and we would like to get insurance. Do you have an insurance company to recommend that covers our belongings, people coming in, and anything that is water / fire related ? Thanks so much
Hi there. That would probably be Gewerbeversicherung.
Wonderful site Bastien, thank you. Do you know if employees are obliged to pay pension and unemployment insurance from their wage? I only have a 12 month work contract and am unlikely to stay on. (Could I even get unemployment benefit if I haven’t been working for more than 12 months?). I read on another site expats saying they didn’t have to pay these, but my HR says I do. Any thoughts?
Hi Jacky, i think you should check with your home country with these pension and unemployment contributions can be transferred so these rights are recognized there as well.
What about RENTENVERSICHERUNG?
Rentenversicherung is your pension plan, something that is included in your health insurance already for all employees. You can of course book additional plans on your own.
Can you recommend a site for personal liability that is not in German
Hello Lambris. To my knowledge, there are no insurance companies that have dedicated offers or websites in English. Sorry.
Hello,
I am renting an apartment and the door has broken. The owner has said it is something I must pay for with my insurance. Is this correct if I don’t own the apartment and if so which insurance would cover this?
Hi Sarah. this is harder to say without much information because if the door has broken because of normal use (normal wear and tear), you shouldn’t be you paying it. If it broke of misuse from your end, then you should cover (you and or your insurance that is to say). Look into what your contract say, maybe there is something about this. Haftpflicht should cover the damages if it’s your fault.
Just clarifying, but when my flimsy washing machine hoses my neighbours I’d turn to my Haftpflichtversicherung (personal liability insurance) provider? (Rather than Hausratversicherung?)
Great overview though, Cheers.
Hi Simon. Hausrat applies to your own belongings in your own flat and Haftpflicht applies to other people or other people’s property. Hope this helps. 🙂
Can you recommend one or a few names of insurance companies in Berlin that may insure my flat? I am the owner but i am not a resident in Berlin.
Hi Luis. It’s hard to recommend any plans because your needs are probably quite different. You can compare plans for Gebäudeversicherung on Preisvergleich. You will find it in “Sachversicherungen”. Best of luck.