Our guide to personal liability insurance in Germany
Man spilling wine while trying to pour it

Our guide to personal liability insurance in Germany

In Germany, if you damage someone else’s property, you are legally responsible to pay for the damages. If you cannot pay because the amount is too high, then you will have the payments taken from your paychecks, personal loans, future lottery winnings, and even inheritance. 

Personal liability insurance, or Privathaftpflichtversicherung in German, doesn’t just cover the cost of these damages, but it also checks to see how much a claim is worth and if it can be disputed. This could protect you from being liable for some claims. Because accidental injury or damages can happen so unexpectedly and people are liable for this in Germany, more than 85% of people living in Germany have personal liability insurance. 

In this article, we’ll answer your most pressing questions about liability insurance, what it covers and how you can submit a claim.

What’s covered under personal liability insurance? 

Depending on what kind of liability claim is being made, your insurance will cover the following: 

  • The cost to replace a damaged object
  • The cost of additional damage caused from not being able to use the object
  • Costs associated with an injured person:
    • Recovery costs
    • Treatment costs
    • Inability to work
  • Renovation costs for an apartment or house
  • Sometimes if a person will suffer from pain due to injury for the rest of their life, the liability insurance will cover this

Advantages of personal liability insurance: 

  1. Protection against costly mistakes
    • Whether you’ve caused damage to a person, object, or assets, liability insurance will pay for the costs, which sometimes could be in the millions.
  2. Affordable and comprehensive policy
    • Our plan is affordable and comprehensive, so you don’t need to worry about tiers of coverage.
  3. English registration and support 
    • Don’t have time to learn German? Not a problem. We’ll handle all the German paperwork for you. 

When is it a good idea to get liability insurance? 

  1. You want complete coverage
    • Maybe you’ve caused an accident with your bike, spilled coffee on a friend’s camera, or your dog has injured someone. These are all protected under liability insurance. 
  2. Your landlord requires it
    • Sometimes landlords require liability insurance to make sure their property is protected. Our plan fulfills this requirement, and it’s in English.
  3. You want to adapt to life in Germany
    • Around 85% of Germans have personal liability insurance and consider it one of the standard things to have as an adult.

Ready to sign up for personal liability insurance?

Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible to get personal liability insurance in Germany?

Yes, you’re eligible for personal liability insurance as long as you live in Germany. You can also take the coverage with you worldwide.

Is liability insurance mandatory in Germany?

Liability insurance isn’t required by law, but it is sometimes required by landlords when applying for an apartment. Additionally, 85% of Germans have some form of personal liability insurance.

Why is liability insurance worth it?

Liability insurance is worth it if you want peace of mind knowing that any damage you might cause to someone else’s person or property would be covered in full. Because so many people have liability insurance, it only costs about as much as a cup of coffee per month.

How much does it cost?

Our plans start at around €3.00 for a single plan and €4.99 per month to cover your whole family. The best part? Our plan covers €30 million in property damages, personal injury, and asset loss costs.

What’s covered?

Personal liability insurance covers many forms of statutory liability including damage to private property like another person’s flat or room, damage caused by your bicycle, damage caused by your pet, loss of keys, and more.

What’s not covered by personal liability insurance?

You won’t be covered for personal injury resulting from the transfer of illness of the insured person (e.g. sexually transmitted disease), intentional damage, damage caused by hunting as well as from unauthorized possession of weapons, damage caused by asbestos, or damage because of claims for the fulfillment of contracts.

Are there any coverage restrictions?

Yes, there are some cases where the insurance company may be limited in its coverage. These include a €3,000 limit on damages to a borrowed motor vehicle due to misfuelling and a €5,000 limit on damages to an employer or colleague’s property.

How do I file a claim?

You simply need to submit all appropriate documents or images (photos, police reports, hospital bills, invoices, etc.) to your Feather account. After that, we will process your claim.

What’s the difference between third-party liability and personal liability insurance?

Both of these refer to the same type of liability insurance offered by Feather.

Does liability insurance provide worldwide coverage?

Yes, our liability insurance provides worldwide coverage.

Are my spouse, partner, or family members also covered?

Yes, most liability insurance plans cover your spouse/partner and family members. Please remember to add them as co-insured people when signing the contract.

Are there waiting periods?

No, as long as you have a valid claim, you can use your liability insurance to cover it. Just keep in mind that claims that happened before taking our the policy won’t be covered.

Can I use my insurance as soon as I sign up?

Yes, as soon as you see the active status in your account, you’re covered and can submit a claim. To prevent fraud, you might have to answer a few questions before your policy is activated.

How do I cancel my liability insurance?

There are no requirements for cancellation and no minimum period of coverage. Simply sign in to your account and click “cancel.” Your policy will expire on the next billing date.

Interested in learning more about life in Germany? Check out our blog!