Liability insurance: Why 8 out of 10 Germans have it

Life as an expat in Germany is full of little quirks. One of the more obscure, yet still fundamentally important, aspects of living in Germany is insurance. Coya has got the low-down.

Liability insurance. You probably never even thought about it before you moved to Germany, but people here can’t seem to get enough of it! Back home, it’s probably dismissed as overkill, but in Germany private liability insurance is considered an essential for both locals and expats.

Why, you ask?

What is private liability insurance?

Private liability insurance covers you in case you cause harm to others or their belongings. Under German law, you are responsible for your actions. Even in the event of accidents or mistakes, you must compensate third parties for the damages or injuries you cause.

Sounds intense, right? It’s not always the case

Private liability insurance protects people in high-profile cases. For example, ones in which someone is seriously hurt or killed.

But, most of the time, private liability insurance helps you in everyday scenarios when you accidentally harm someone else or their stuff.

When could liability insurance be used?

Most of the time, private liability insurance helps you in everyday scenarios when you accidentally harm someone else or their stuff.

You could make use of liability insurance in the following instances:

• Clumsily spilling coffee on someone’s 2.000euro MacBook while working in a café
• Dropping your friend’s smartphone after they insist you hold it to see pictures of their newborn baby
• Hitting a guy with your bike while riding to work, after he jumped into the bike lane right in front of you!

What would I be insured against?

Different insurance providers have different private liability policies. In general, you can expect protection against:

• Medical Injuries: In case you directly or indirectly cause someone physical harm
• Broken objects: For when you damage another person’s property
• Financial loss: When one or more parties suffer financial losses due to your actions

Sounds good, but I am careful and won’t cause any trouble

Fair enough. But you should know that plenty of landlords in Germany will not rent an apartment to you unless you have liability insurance. In fact, a lot of leasing contracts contain a separate clause detailing the renter’s responsibility for getting liability insurance.

How to get private liability coverage

Good news! It is easier than ever to get comprehensive private liability insurance. In the past, understanding what you are covered against, what steps were required to file a claim, or even getting a grip on insurance-speak was nothing short of difficult.

Luckily, things are changing, and there are gradually more and more English-speaking insurance providers who operate completely online. Their policies are designed to be easy to understand and they provide support in English, throughout the entire process.

Are you interested in getting coverage? Coya offers private liability insurance 100% digitally and in English for only 4,99 euros a month.