Contents or buildings: which insurance pays for what?
Water damage, burglary, storm: which insurance is responsible? Here you can read what counts as contents, what counts as the building and who needs which insurance.
Uygar Vural, SIGNAL IDUNA insurance in Cologne · Updated: 13 October 2026
The simple rule of thumb
Imagine turning your house upside down and shaking it. Everything that falls out is contents: furniture, clothes, electrical appliances, jewellery. Everything that is permanently fixed and stays in place belongs to the building: walls, roof, heating, windows, fitted floors. Exception: anything you have installed yourself as a tenant, such as a fitted kitchen, usually counts as your contents.
Contents insurance
Contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) usually replaces your furnishings and personal belongings on a new-for-old basis in the event of an insured loss. The main risks covered are fire, escaping water from pipes, storm and hail, as well as burglary and vandalism following a break-in.
The right sum insured is important. If it is too low, the payout can be reduced in the event of a claim. Many plans waive this reduction if the sum is calculated on the basis of the living space. Bicycles are insured against burglary from your home or a locked cellar. When you are out and about, they are only covered if this has been agreed.
Buildings insurance
Buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) protects the building itself against damage from fire, escaping water, storm and hail. It is essential for owners. If you finance a property, you usually have to prove it to the bank.
Who needs what?
- Tenants need contents insurance. The landlord takes care of the building.
- If you own a flat, you need your own contents insurance. The building is usually insured by the owners’ association (Eigentümergemeinschaft).
- If you own a house, you need both.
Natural hazards cover: an important topic in Cologne
Damage caused by heavy rain, flooding or high water is usually not included in a standard policy. For this, you need the natural hazards add-on (Elementarschutz), for both the building and the contents. In a city on the Rhine, it is especially worth checking. Heavy rain can also flood cellars anywhere in the city, often through backflow from the sewer. This, too, is usually only covered with natural hazards cover.
How I can help
Together we check whether the sum insured still fits, whether natural hazards cover is included and whether things like bicycles or valuables are properly covered. Feel free to send me your existing policies.
This article gives a general overview. Exactly what is covered is set out in the terms and conditions of the plan. I am a tied insurance agent (gebundener Versicherungsvertreter) and exclusively arrange products of the SIGNAL IDUNA Group.