Contents insurance

In short: Contents insurance replaces movable items in the home (furniture, clothing, devices) if they are damaged or lost through fire, burglary, tap water, storm or hail.

In more detail: It does not replace the building itself. That is the job of the owner’s buildings insurance.

In detail

• Sum insured: It should match the value of all contents. Guide values per square metre are common (for example €650/m²).
• Underinsurance: If the sum is too low, the payout is cut in a claim. A waiver of underinsurance protects against this.
• Bicycle theft: Only with an add-on, often with a night-time clause.
• Gross negligence: Good policies waive reductions for it.
• When worthwhile: Almost always for valuables. Compare benefits, not just price (haftpflichtversicherung-und-die-wichtigsten-versicherungen).