Is household-contents insurance compulsory for renters?

Short answer: Household-contents insurance for renters is not legally compulsory in Germany, yet we strongly recommend it because it shields your own furniture and electronics against fire, water damage and burglary.

Household-contents insurance—often called home insurance or renter’s insurance in Germany— protects everything you would take with you if you moved out: laptops, bikes, furniture, even clothing. Landlords insure the building, but damage to your personal belongings is your responsibility. Policies pay the new-for-old replacement value after incidents such as burst pipes, kitchen fires or apartment break-ins, and many include bicycle theft worldwide.

Although the cover is voluntary, we find it especially valuable for:

• High-value setups. If you own premium electronics, musical instruments or work-from-home equipment, one claim can exceed a year’s rent.
• Urban living. Big-city flats face higher burglary risk; insurers price this in, so comparing offers matters.

At Finance for Expats we compare English-language household-contents policies, check that sums insured match replacement values and filter out hidden caps on bikes, jewellery or cash. Advice and application support are free because insurers pay our fee. To see offers in 24 hours, visit our insurance desk and answer a few quick questions.

Key take-aways:

• Not mandatory, but vital if you have valuable belongings or live in a city centre.
• Policies cover fire, water damage, burglary and often worldwide bike theft.
• Finance for Expats secures bilingual contracts and handles claims support at no extra cost.