Phone and tablet insurance in Germany: is it worth it?

Mobile phones, tablets have long become an integral part of the modern digital world. They are used at home, at work and for connecting with relatives who may be thousands of kilometres away. To ensure you do not have to go without your electronic devices in the event of unforeseen circumstances, there is a wide range of mobile electronics insurance available in Germany.

Mobile phone/tablet insurance features and terms

Device protection, for example in the event of a breakdown and screen damage, or damage caused by moisture or liquid
New, used and refurbished devices can be insured
Optionally, anti-theft protection can be added
The contract can be with or without an excess
Flexible contract term: you can choose a monthly subscription with daily cancellation or a fixed term (1 or 2 years)

What does mobile phone/tablet insurance cover?

Drop, breakage – if the device is dropped onto the ground and, for example, the screen smashes
Fire, lightning strike, explosion, power surge, induction, short circuit – for example, due to a faulty cable or battery explosion (not included in all policies)
Vandalism is when others maliciously damage your electronic device, for example, by pouring juice on the device or knocking your phone out of your hands
Fire and lightning - when a device is destroyed during a flat fire
Additional modules:
Anti-theft protection
Extended warranty: covers design, material, manufacturing or assembly defects. The insurance company will reimburse these losses if there is no longer a statutory warranty or warranty agreement with the manufacturer.

How to take out insurance for a mobile phone/tablet

Insuring a mobile phone or tablet in Germany is quick and easy. We invite you to choose a suitable option and combination of features yourself, helping you stay connected to the digital world.

Fill in your device details and get a detailed comparison of tariffs from different companies.

What is already covered without separate insurance

Before taking out a policy, check whether your situation is already covered by existing agreements. This saves money more often than you might think.

Situation	Who pays
The phone was burnt in a flat fire, waterlogged during a plumbing accident, stolen during hacking flats, vandalised	Home contents insurance — and at the price of a new device
The phone burned out from overvoltages when struck by lightning while charging	Home contents insurance (in tariffs with this module)
My phone was taken away using force or the threat thereof Robbery	Home contents insurance
The phone was stolen from a pocket or backpack without hacking and without violence	Nobody. Simple theft is not covered by home insurance — only by a separate policy for the device with an anti-theft module.
The phone was stolen from the hotel room	Home contents insurance under the all-risks policy (Außenversicherung), usually up to 3 months and within limits
Another person I've smashed your phone	By himself or himself private liability insurance. If the liable party has neither money nor insurance, the Forderungsausfalldeckung module in your policy helps. your liability insurance, but for some tariffs it only kicks in from a certain amount of damage
The phone has stopped working by itself in the first two years	Seller under statutory warranty of quality — see below
You dropped the phone yourself	Only the device policy. Neither the quality guarantee nor home contents insurance covers this

In other words, a device policy essentially covers two holesyour own carelessness (dropping it, moisture damage) and simple theft. Everything else is usually already insured.

Quality guarantee and manufacturer's warranty: not the same thing

	statutory warranty	Guarantee — manufacturer's guarantee
Who is answering	Seller	Manufacturer, voluntarily
Deadline	2 years from the delivery of the goods (§ 438 BGB)	Any, as promised
Who proves	At first year it is assumed that the defect was already present at the time of purchase — the seller must prove otherwise (§ 477 BGB). After that, the burden of proof lies with the buyer	Under the warranty terms
What does it cover	Only the lack of conformity existing at the time of delivery	Usually material and manufacturing defects
What? no neither covers it	Accidental damage: drop, water, broken screen	The same, plus theft

Important clarification regarding the first year: since 2022, the period for the shifting of the burden of proof has been increased from six months to twelfth. For goods with digital elements and agreed continuous updates, the presumption may apply two years. This means that the «extended warranty» as an insurance module only makes sense for the period after expiry of the statutory two years.

How much does it actually cost

A useful guide from consumer publications: the annual subscription is approximately 10 per cent of the purchase price with the anti-theft contract; without it is cheaper. The upper limit, according to consumer centre measurements, reaches up to 30 per cent of the device price per year. The insurance excess is also often around 10 per cent of the purchase price.

Key detail: they don't refund the purchase price

New-for-old replacement usually only applies while the device is no more than 6 months. Next, the current value is calculated using the depreciation table. Typical values:

Device age	Share of the purchase price
up to 6 months	100 percent (cost of a new one)
in 6 months	about 80 percent
in a year's time	about 60 per cent

If the cost of repairs exceeds the current value, the insurer pays out the current value less the excess, or issues comparable device — not necessarily the same model.

A simple calculation using concrete figures

A phone for €1,000, an annual premium of €100, and a €100 excess. The screen is broken in the second year of ownership.

Contributions paid for two years: 200 euros
Franchise enquiry: €100
Total of your expenses: €300
Screen replacement at a service centre often costs fewer of this amount

The conclusion is not that insurance is always useless, but that You need to count before signing, and not after a breakdown. An insurance policy makes sense when the cost of a potential repair significantly exceeds the total of the premiums and the excess for the planned period of ownership.

Conditions that most frequently lead to refusal

Night-time slip of the tongue. Some tariffs only cover theft between 6:00 and 22:00. Evening theft in a pub will not be covered by such a policy.
«The device must be kept with you. Phrases like «sicher mitgeführt» mean that a phone left unattended on a table or in a car for a short time is not covered. It is virtually impossible to prove otherwise.
Theft is almost always an extra payment. It is not included in the basic tariffs at all. Check whether it is included, and of what specific type: simple theft, robbery or only burglary.
Errors in the address and minor details. Some of the tariffs exclude damage to connectors, buttons, the battery and the consequences of viruses.
Replacement, not repair. If the terms state «comparable device», you may receive a different model of the same class.

Your rights during processing

Cancellation of contract – 14 days (§ 8 VVG). In text form, without giving reasons, sending it on time is sufficient. The time limit does not begin to run until you have received the policy, the terms and conditions, and the explanation regarding the right of withdrawal. If no explanation was provided, the right does not expire.
No need to sort it out at the till. As a rule, the policy can also be taken out later — often within 30 days of purchasing the device. This time is worth spending on reading the terms and conditions.
When selling as a bundle« the seller is obliged to state whether the goods and insurance are sold separately, provide a description of each component and separate calculation of costs for each, as well as offering to purchase the product without insurance (§ 7a VVG).
Who sells to you. An electronics shop usually acts as an ancillary insurance intermediary: no licence is required if the insurance complements the goods and the annual premium does not exceed €600 (§ 34d para. 8 GewO). This is legal, but it means you are not being advised by an insurance specialist.

When a policy is justified and when it is not

Probably yes	Probably not
An expensive device, bought recently, and losing a thousand euros would be a noticeable blow to you	Device older than a year: compensation is calculated on the basis of residual value
You are often on the move, your device is constantly in your hands, the risk of dropping it is really high	There are savings from which repairs or replacement can be paid for without harming the budget
The device is critical for operations, downtime costs money	Mainly anti-theft protection is needed At home that is already covered by home contents insurance
Tariff without a night restriction, with theft cover and a straightforward excess	The total cost of premiums and excess for the planned period of ownership is comparable to the cost of repairs

Honest position: Consumer organisations are generally sceptical about mobile device insurance due to the high relative price, depreciation-based payouts and large number of exclusions. This does not mean that a policy is pointless: it means that the decision should be made based on the figures for your specific case rather than a just-in-case feeling.

Pre-signature checklist

Is it switched on theft, and of what type: simple, robbery, burglary.
Is there Freudian slip of the tongue and other time constraints.
Size franchises — a fixed amount or a percentage of the price.
Residual value tablehow much will be paid in a year and in two years.
Repair or replacement — and what exactly you are agreeing to upon replacement.
Duration of the agreement and procedure for terminationmonthly or for a year or two with auto-renewal.
What happens when device changeIs the policy transferable?.
Are covered second-hand and refurbished devices, if you bought one.

What else to read

Home contents insurance — what is already covered and what the limits are
Private liability insurance — whether your phone was smashed by someone else or you smashed it
Legal expenses insurance - dispute with a seller or insurer
Glasbruch (Glass Breakage) Insurance
Drones and quadcopters - separate rules for airborne vehicles

Sources

§ 438 BGB — two-year limitation period for defects in goods: gesetze-im-internet.de
Section 477 BGB — reversal of the burden of proof for 12 months: gesetze-im-internet.de
§ 8 VVG – Right to cancel the insurance contract: gesetze-im-internet.de
§ 7a VVG – Sale of insurance as a package with goods: gesetze-im-internet.de
§ 34d GewO – Brokerage as an ancillary activity: gesetze-im-internet.de
Verbraucherzentrale – Assessment of mobile device insurance: verbraucherzentrale.de
BaFin — insurance supervision: bafin.de

Insurance for other devices

You can also insure other electronic devices and household appliances, such as: laptops, televisions, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, smartwatches, hearing aids, tablets, printers, scanners, photo and video equipment, Apple devices and much more.

More details