Best contents insurance in Germany 2026: Top 4 providers compared

You've signed the lease, the boxes are unpacked, and your sofa is finally where it belongs. Now let's talk about one thing most expats overlook in their first year in Germany: protecting the stuff inside that apartment.

Because accidents happen.

• A box slips down the stairwell on moving day and "fragile" really does mean broken.
• Your upstairs neighbour's pipe bursts and your laptop becomes a casualty.
• A burglar walks off with your bike from the cellar — one of 245,868 reported in Germany in 2024.
• A candle is left burning a minute too long and your living room rug becomes a claim.

That's where household contents insurance — also called home insurance, or Hausratversicherung in German — comes in. It's the policy that pays to replace your belongings after fire, theft, water damage, or storm damage. About 75% of German households carry it, and most landlords expect it for furnished rentals.

But there are 90+ providers on the German market, the contracts are in German, and the small print is full of clauses (Unterversicherung, Fahrradklausel, grobe Fahrlässigkeit) that can turn a paid claim into a denied one.

This guide compares the 4 best contents insurance providers in Germany for 2026 — Feather, AXA, Gothaer, and Ammerländer — across pricing, coverage, English support, and the gotchas that catch most expats off guard. If you've just landed in Germany, start with our overview of the types of insurance you need in Germany, or our guides for those moving from the UK or the US.

Disclaimer:

This article reflects our independent assessment and methodology. The "best" contents insurance for you depends on the size of your home, the value of your belongings, and your individual situation. We're an English-speaking insurance broker — Feather appears in this list because we genuinely believe it's the strongest option for English-speaking expats, but we encourage you to review our methodology and to compare quotes yourself.

Insurance plans, pricing, and Trustpilot ratings can change. The information in this article was last updated on April 16, 2026.

The 4 best Hausratversicherung providers in Germany at a glance

Here's how the four providers compare for a typical expat — a 70m² apartment in Berlin with €45,500 of insured contents, no deductible, January 2026 quotes.

Our top pick for expats: Feather — the only provider on this list with full English-language support across sign-up, claims, and customer service, and currently the highest-rated insurance broker in Germany on Trustpilot.

Get your Feather Hausratversicherung quote in English → takes about 3 minutes.

How we picked the 4 best providers

Our process began with our internal insurance experts identifying 15 contenders, then narrowing the field through three rounds of evaluation: policy document review, customer-sentiment analysis, and English-support testing. The full step-by-step is below — but here's the short version of why these four made the final cut.

How Stiftung Warentest's 2024 Hausratversicherung test shaped our picks

Stiftung Warentest's 2024 review of contents insurance is the closest thing Germany has to a gold-standard insurance benchmark. They tested 89 insurers across 260 tariffs for a 100m² owner-occupied apartment. Two findings shaped our shortlist:

• Price ratio of 1:6.3 for comparable cover — the cheapest recommended tariff was €38/year, the most expensive €240/year. Price alone is a poor signal of quality.
• Only tariffs that include a gross-negligence waiver were recommended. Without this clause, an insurer can deny your claim for forgetting to lock the door, leaving a tap running, or letting a candle burn unattended. Every provider in our top 4 includes this waiver in at least one of their tariffs (Gothaer and Ammerländer in their starting tier; Feather and AXA via add-on).

Stiftung Warentest's "particularly affordable" picks (Schleswiger, Schwarzwälder Direkt, Waldenburger) are German-only providers we don't recommend for English-speaking expats. Their top coverage-quality picks (Allianz, Gothaer, Ammerländer, InterRisk — rated by Franke & Bornberg) overlap with two of our four — Gothaer and Ammerländer — and validate that ranking.

The five steps of our methodology

1. Identifying top contenders. Our internal insurance experts shortlisted 15 providers offering Hausratversicherung in Germany, prioritising insurers with established track records and broad coverage options.
2. Data collection. We requested quotes and sample policies from each — about 50 distinct policies in total — and pulled out the key details: price, what's covered, what's excluded, coverage limits, deductibles, and claim caps.
3. Reading the fine print. We went past the marketing pages and into the AVB (Allgemeine Versicherungsbedingungen) — the legally binding terms. This is where bicycle clauses, valuables caps, and empty-flat exclusions hide.
4. Customer sentiment evaluation. We reviewed Trustpilot ratings as a satisfaction proxy, knowing it skews negative (unhappy customers are more vocal). We cross-checked against expat-community discussions on Reddit and Toytown Germany.
5. English-speaking support assessment. We called each provider's helpline 10 times across three weeks, at different times of day, and tested whether we could reach an English-speaking representative.

The customer-review and methodology data was last updated on April 16, 2026.

What is household contents insurance (Hausratversicherung)?

Hausratversicherung is the German term for contents insurance — the policy that covers your personal belongings inside your home against fire, theft, water damage, storms, and (with add-ons) things like bicycle theft and electronic damage.

The simplest way to think about it: imagine you grabbed your apartment by the corners and turned it upside down. Anything that falls out — furniture, electronics, clothing, kitchenware, books, your bike in the hallway — is your Hausrat. Anything that stays attached to the structure (walls, fitted kitchen, built-in wardrobes the landlord installed, the boiler) is the building, and that's covered by your landlord's Wohngebäudeversicherung, not yours.

For a deeper dive into how the policy works — including limits, claim windows, and exclusions — see our comprehensive guide to contents insurance in Germany. If you're still asking yourself whether you need it, our piece on is household contents insurance worth it walks through the math.

Is contents insurance mandatory in Germany?

No. Hausratversicherung is not legally required in Germany. Unlike Privathaftpflicht (personal liability) or your obligatory health insurance, no law forces you to buy it.

That said, two situations make it functionally required:

• Furnished rentals. Many landlords expect tenants of furnished apartments to carry contents insurance (and may write it into the rental contract) so that damage to the furniture they own is covered.
• Mortgage lenders. If you've bought property in Germany, your bank will almost always require buildings insurance — and many bundle contents cover into the same conversation.

For everyone else, it's voluntary. But with 75.7% of German households carrying it (per GDV market data), it's effectively the default.

Building insurance vs. contents insurance — what's the difference?

This is the single biggest source of expat confusion. The split:

• Wohngebäudeversicherung (building insurance): Covers the physical structure — walls, roof, fitted kitchen, fixed plumbing, fixed electrics. Held by the owner of the property (your landlord, if you rent).
• Hausratversicherung (contents insurance): Covers everything inside the structure that belongs to you — furniture, electronics, clothing, your bike, your laptop, your wedding ring. Held by whoever owns the contents (you, the tenant).

A useful test: if a pipe bursts in the wall above your bedroom, your landlord's building insurance pays to fix the pipe and re-plaster the ceiling. Your contents insurance pays to replace the soaked mattress, the ruined laptop on the bedside table, and the books on the floor. (Our water damage in Germany guide walks through the full claim sequence.)

If you want a deeper breakdown of every category Hausratversicherung covers — and the few it doesn't — see our guide on what household contents insurance covers.

One more important distinction: contents insurance is not the same as personal liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung). Hausrat covers your stuff; Haftpflicht covers damage you cause to other people or their property. Most German households have both — see our liability insurance in Germany guide and our review of the best liability insurance providers in Germany.

Disclaimer

Policy details vary between insurers, and each provider offers multiple tariffs. We selected the tariff we found most representative for an English-speaking expat, but exploring all the options on offer may lead you to a better fit. Speaking with an insurance expert can provide more personalised guidance than this article alone.

1. Feather — Best for English-speaking expats

Recommended plan: Extended coverage Starting price: From €2.33/month (~€28/year for a 70m² apartment in Nuremberg)

Coverage at a glance

• Fire, smoke, lightning, explosion
• Water damage (burst pipes, leaks, washing machine overflows)
• Storm and hail damage
• Burglary, robbery, and vandalism
• Optional: bicycle theft (Fahrradklausel) — covers bikes stolen outside the home
• Optional: glass breakage (windows, glass tabletops, ceramic hobs)
• Optional: gross negligence waiver — up to the full insured sum
• Optional: cover for damage during a house move
• Hotel/rental costs covered for up to 180 days if your home is uninhabitable after an insured event

Pricing example (70m² apartment, €45,500 insured sum, 0€ deductible, January 2026)

Final price depends on postal code, exact insured sum, and which add-ons (bike, glass, gross negligence) you select.

Pros & cons

Our take

Feather takes the top spot in our 2026 ranking for one simple reason: it's the only provider on this list where everything — sign-up, contract explanation, claim filing, and ongoing support — happens in English, end to end.

The Extended cover plan goes well beyond the legal baseline. You can bolt on cover for bicycle theft, broken glass, gross negligence, and damage during a move. If an insured event leaves your apartment uninhabitable, the plan pays for hotel or temporary rental costs for up to 180 days — six months of breathing room while a flat is repaired or you find a new one.

Customer support is available via chat, email, video and voice calls every day of the week. Policy management — from sign-up to claims — is handled through the Feather app, which avoids the German-language paperwork most other insurers still rely on.

With a Trustpilot rating of 4.8/5 across 4,000+ reviews, Feather has the strongest customer-satisfaction profile of any provider in this comparison — and is currently the best-rated insurance company in Germany.

Best for

English-speaking expats who want a fully digital experience and don't want to navigate German-language insurance paperwork or call centres.

Disclaimer

This is our list, and with 7+ years of insurance experience and great client reviews, we feel that we've earned a top spot for expats in Germany. That said, feel free to take it with as many grains of salt as you'd like. The strengths and weaknesses listed above are based on the Extended coverage tariff specifically.

2. AXA — Best for full-coverage premium seekers

Recommended plan: L (top tier) Starting price: From €5/month — AXA M plan example: €62.48/year for a 70m² apartment in Nuremberg (effective January 2026, AXA rate calculator)

Coverage at a glance

• All standard perils (fire, water, theft, storm)
• Optional bicycle theft cover (Fahrradklausel) — high coverage caps
• Gross negligence cover up to the full insured sum (M plan and above)
• "Best performance guarantee" on tariff L — if you find better cover elsewhere, AXA matches it
• Wide range of add-ons including elementary damage, glass, and electronic equipment cover

Pricing example (70m² apartment, €45,500 insured sum, 0€ deductible, January 2026)

Pros & cons

Our take

AXA's L plan is the top tier of one of Europe's biggest insurers. Its standout feature is the best performance guarantee: if you find broader coverage from a competitor at a comparable price, AXA will match it. For expats who want maximum protection and don't want to second-guess their decision, this is a strong commitment.

The plan also includes protection against damage caused by gross negligence, so you're not out of pocket if you forget to switch off the iron. AXA is also one of the few providers offering meaningful elementary-damage cover (flooding, earthquake, landslide) without significant exclusions.

The downsides are real: AXA's Trustpilot rating of 1.4/5 is the lowest in this comparison. Customer support is primarily in German, and navigating between the three main tariffs (S, M, L) and seven optional add-ons can feel overwhelming.

Best for

Customers prioritising premium, fully customised cover from a large established insurer — and who are comfortable navigating contracts and customer service in German.

Disclaimer

We focused on the L plan because it represents AXA's top tier of cover. AXA's S and M plans offer simpler, cheaper alternatives that may suit you better. Visit AXA's website for full tariff details.

3. Gothaer — Best for families and growing households

Recommended plan: Plus or Premium (depending on family size) Starting price: From €3.06/month — Gothaer Basis: €64.73/year for a 70m² apartment in Nuremberg (January 2026 quote). Top-rated for coverage quality by Franke & Bornberg.

Coverage at a glance

• All standard perils (fire, water, theft, storm)
• Gross negligence cover included in all three tariffs (Basis, Plus, Premium)
• Innovation clause — automatic upgrade if Gothaer adds new benefits to the policy
• Children setting up their first independent household covered for up to €20,000 (6 months in Plus, 12 months in Premium)
• Travel-cost reimbursement if you cut a holiday short due to an insured event at home (Premium)
• Theft and pickpocketing cover up to €3,000 (Premium)

Pricing example (70m² apartment, €45,500 insured sum, 0€ deductible, January 2026)

Pros & cons

Our take

Gothaer is built for households that change shape over time — particularly families. Three tariffs (Basis, Plus, Premium) let you start affordable and upgrade as the household grows.

The standout family benefit is temporary cover for children setting up their first home: in the Plus plan, your child's new flat is covered up to €20,000 for six months; in Premium, that extends to twelve months. For families with kids approaching university age, this is genuinely useful.

The innovation clause in every tariff is another quiet win — if Gothaer adds new benefits to the policy in the future (a higher cap, a new covered peril), you get them automatically without paying more.

Downsides: customer support is German-only, the Trustpilot rating is below average (2.3/5 with only 30% five-star reviews), and the entry-level Basis tier limits coverage caps for valuables — worth upgrading to Plus or Premium if you have meaningful jewellery, art, or electronics to insure.

Best for

Families with children, especially those with kids approaching the move-out age, and German-speaking households who value broad coverage from an established insurer.

Disclaimer

We focused on multiple Gothaer plans because the value differs significantly between Basis, Plus, and Premium for family situations. Other companies may provide comparable cover at different price points. Visit Gothaer's website for full details.

4. Ammerländer — Best for digital risk and add-on flexibility

Recommended plan: Excellent (Sicherheitsanker) Starting price: From €3.00/month — Ammerländer Sicherheitsanker: ~€36/year for a 70m² apartment in Nuremberg (January 2026 quote). Top-rated for coverage quality by Franke & Bornberg.

Coverage at a glance

• All standard perils (fire, water, theft, storm)
• Cyber and digital protection (online trading fraud, smart-home device damage) — Excellent tier only
• 100% coverage for valuables in higher tiers (vs. the typical 20-25% cap)
• Psychological care after burglary, fire, or robbery
• 4 tariff tiers: Classic, Comfort, Exclusive, Excellent

Pricing example (70m² apartment, €45,500 insured sum, 0€ deductible, January 2026)

Pros & cons

Our take

Ammerländer has built a quiet reputation for two things: unusual add-ons and consistently good Trustpilot scores. The Excellent tariff is where most of the differentiation lives — it's the only tier with full cyber and smart-home device protection, including cover for online trading fraud (a growing claim category as more household value moves into apps and online accounts).

The provider also offers a less-talked-about benefit: psychological care after a covered incident like a burglary or house fire. For anyone who's had their home broken into, this is more meaningful than it sounds on paper.

Customer support is primarily in German, and digital protection is locked behind the most expensive tariff — so if cyber risk is your reason for choosing Ammerländer, plan to pay for the Excellent plan, not Classic or Comfort.

Best for

Tech-heavy households (multiple smart devices, frequent online trading, valuable electronics) and German-speaking customers who want strong coverage with unusual add-ons.

Disclaimer

We focused on the Excellent plan because it offers the most differentiated cover. Ammerländer's Classic, Comfort and Exclusive tariffs may better suit lower-risk households. Visit Ammerländer's website for full details.

How much does contents insurance cost in Germany in 2026?

Contents insurance is one of the cheapest insurance policies you can buy in Germany. The national average premium is around €168/year, and starting prices for a small apartment can dip well below €40/year. But the real number depends on three factors: where you live, how much you insure, and how much risk you transfer to the insurer.

The €650/m² rule (calculating your insured sum)

German insurers use a standard formula to estimate the value of an average household: €650 per square metre of living space. So for a typical apartment:

This formula matters because if you insure your contents for less than their actual value, the insurer can apply a proportional reduction to any claim payout (see the underinsurance section below). If you stick to the €650/m² rule and request an Unterversicherungsverzicht (waiver of underinsurance) when you sign, the insurer cannot reduce a claim on those grounds.

If your belongings are unusually high-value — designer furniture, expensive musical instruments, a large art collection — add their value on top of the €650/m² baseline, or speak to a broker about a Wertsachenversicherung (valuables rider).

Average premiums by city

City matters a lot. Postal codes with higher recorded burglary rates carry meaningful premium loadings:

• Berlin: ~€196/year average — about +40% vs national average due to burglary risk
• Hamburg: ~€195/year average — similar premium loading to Berlin
• National average: ~€168/year (per GDV market data)
• Munich: ~€105/year average — among the cheapest of the major cities
• Nuremberg: ~€60-70/year average — used as benchmark in our pricing examples above

These are averages across all providers and tariffs. A budget tariff in Nuremberg can cost €36/year; a premium tariff in Berlin's centre can run €250+/year.

How a deductible (Selbstbeteiligung) affects your premium

A Selbstbeteiligung is the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. Most providers offer three tiers:

• €0 deductible — highest premium, every claim covered from euro one
• €150 deductible — typical mid-tier choice; saves ~10-15% off premium
• €250–€300 deductible — saves up to ~20% off premium, but small claims (e.g., a stolen €200 phone after a €250 SB) become uneconomical to file

For most expats, a €150 deductible is the sweet spot. Larger deductibles only make sense if you have an emergency fund and you want to use insurance only for genuinely large losses.

What can push your premium up

• Postal code with high burglary risk (Berlin Mitte, Hamburg Altona, Frankfurt Innenstadt, Cologne city centre)
• Adding bicycle theft cover (~€20-50/year extra, depending on bike value)
• Adding glass breakage cover (~€15-30/year)
• Adding elementary damage cover for floods/earthquakes (~€10-30/year)
• Higher insured sum (above €650/m² baseline)
• Smart-home/cyber add-ons (~€20-40/year)

For a more general view of how much you'll spend on insurance overall, our types of insurance you need in Germany guide breaks down the full annual budget for a typical expat household.