Supplementary Insurances

A liability insurance is optional and it is considered to be one of the most important voluntary insurances. A liability insurance covers the costs when you damage something that belongs to another person. For example, they cover the damage if you scratch someone's car while riding your bike. Besides, the liability insurance can provide you with legal protection, in case someone asks you to cover damage which, in fact, was not caused by you. Your small pets and children will be also included in the liability insurance. So if your child, for example, breaks  another kid's toy, your insurance can pay for it. For larger animals, e.g. big dogs and horses, there is a separate type of insurance called "Tierhalterhaftpflicht".

You can decide about the amount of insurance you are buying. The German Consumer Center ("Verbraucherzentrale") recommends a liability insurance as big as at least 5 million euros. After deciding about the insurance sum, the outlay of contributions will be determined. With a 5 million Euro liability insurance, you would have to pay about 50 to 80 euros per year. The Consumer Center explains the liability insurance system in this video, and they can also provide you personal counselling.

Household insurance covers the costs of any loss or damage that might happen in your home. If something is stolen from your home or destroyed in a fire, household insurance will pay for it. It covers almost everything you might have at home or in your garage, e.g. electrical appliances, work equipment, clothing and furniture. Household insurances often also cover you in vacation, e.g. when your luggage is stolen during your trip.

In the cases of damage, you must report to your insurance immediately, and if a crime results in the damage, then you should also inform the police. You must provide the insurance company with a list of all items that have been affected. You should not take care of the damage and eliminate it before the insurance company pays for it. If you have been very negligent and for example left the door open, then in any case of robbery that might subsequently happen, you would be personally responsible and will not receive any refunds from the insurance company.

New cell phones are often sold along with a cell phone insurance. These insurances are often too expensive, which is why the Consumer Center does not recommend them. In some cases, such as burglary, household insurance cover the damage. If you are planning to buy a cell phone insurance, here you can find some tips on what you should look out for.

If you own a car or motorbike and you want to drive, you must first apply for a permit, as Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance is compulsory. It covers the damages, e.g. in the accidents, which are caused by your vehicle. In the case of an accident, the costs can be very high; It is therefore recommended to buy an insurance that covers up to 100 million euros of damage.

If you want to protect your car or motorcycle against damage, you can purchase a partially comprehensive insurance ("Teilkaskoversicherung") or a fully comprehensive insurance ("Vollkaskoversicherung"). Comprehensive insurance is not mandatory. A partially comprehensive insurance, for example, covers the car damages caused by fire or theft. A fully comprehensive insurance will also cover the damages for which you are responsible or the ones that are caused intentionally. This type of insurance is expensive and is not always worth it. In any case, as a vehicle owner, you do not need a separate Personal Accident Insurance ("Insassenunfallversicherung"), as such accidents are usually covered by your standard motor vehicle liability insurance.