Mishaps happen to everyone. If your child scratches someone else’s car with their bike, you lose the keys to a rented flat, flood the neighbours or put diesel in a petrol hire car, good liability insurance will pay for such damage within the limits of your tariff and fend off unjustified claims on your behalf.
All the important additional types of insurance are covered in a separate article.
What is Privathaftpflichtversicherung?
Personal liability insurance — known in German as Privathaftpflichtversicherung. It covers costs if you negligently cause harm to third parties — whether that is property damage, injuries or financial loss. In Germany, more than half of the population — 48 million people — have taken out such insurance to protect themselves against the most common everyday risks.
Examples of insurance compensation
The insurance is valid throughout the EU, and on certain tariffs, worldwide. Have peace of mind on business trips and holidays.
- a child scratched someone else’s car;
- you have lost the key to your rented flat;
- someone spilled wine on the expensive rug at the party;
- you accidentally dropped someone else’s smartphone or TV;
- you opened the car door and scratched a nearby vehicle.
Without insurance, you pay out of your own pocket — even if it was an accident.
Additional options
- A small self-employed side business — with an annual turnover of up to €12,000–22,000, depending on the tariff.
- Damage caused whilst doing a favour for a friend. For example, if you drop a friend’s laptop whilst helping them move house for free.
Not covered
- Damage caused to yourself or to people insured under the same policy as you (family members).
- Intentional harm or damage associated with a breach of the law.
Why personal liability insurance matters in Germany
In Germany you are liable for the damage you cause without any upper limit. Even a small mistake can turn into serious money — from a few hundred euros to millions if someone is injured.
A simple example: a passer-by accidentally bumps into a cyclist, who falls off his bicycle, is injured and needs surgery. The costs are covered by the passer-by’s insurance, if they have any. Otherwise, they will have to pay for everything out of their own pocket.
For €4 to €6 a month, you get financial protection for amounts ranging from 5 to 50 million euros. This is an excellent safety buffer, especially for:
- residential tenants;
- families with children;
- pet owners;
- active city residents and motorists.
What to look for when choosing a tariff plan
- Sufficient sum insured: from €20 million.
- Cover for glass damage, as well as for the loss of personal and office keys.
- Deliktunfähige Kinder — liability cover for children under 7 (“children without tortious capacity”). This legal concept means that children under 7 — or under 10 in an accident involving a car or train — are not liable for the damage they cause.
- Mietsachschäden (damage to rented property) — you are liable for any damage in the rented flat, so this risk should be insured as well.
- Gefälligkeitsschäden (damage caused while doing someone a favour) — we recommend adding cover for damage caused while helping out, so that your friends and acquaintances are not left with a financial loss — for example, if you accidentally smash an acquaintance’s television while helping them move.
- Forderungsausfalldeckung (cover for uncollectable damages) — protects you if the person who caused you damage has neither the financial means nor the insurance to cover your costs.
- Car door opening damage — if you as a passenger carelessly opened the door, the insurance will pay for the damage to the other car. There will be no need to involve the driver’s car insurance and lower their SF-Klasse (no-claims bonus class).
Choosing an insurance company
It’s easy to set up Privathaftpflichtversicherung – we’ve selected the best rates from trusted providers. These are just some of the companies we work with. We select the very best based on a range of criteria – processing speed, success rate, coverage and cost.
All the tariffs listed are valid all over the world and apply to small pets (cats, rabbits, hamsters, etc.).
Prices are given for family tariffs (family with children) and may vary depending on the details you enter. To calculate your personal premium, click the “Take out …” button for the provider you want.
Quotes from Die Haftpflichtkasse
One of the best companies in terms of price versus speed and quality of request handling. It offers three tariffs with different levels of cover — we recommend choosing Einfach Besser or Einfach Komplett.
Sum insured
- €70m
Sum insured
- €50m
Sum insured
- €25m
Loss of keys, including office keys
Loss of keys, including office keys
- up to €500,000
Loss of keys, including office keys
- up to €100,000 (office keys up to €5,000)
Rented accommodation
Rented accommodation
- up to €10m
Rented accommodation
- up to €10m
Property in rented accommodation
Property in rented accommodation
- up to €500,000
Property in rented temporary accommodation (hotels, holiday homes, motorhomes, etc.)
- up to €10,000
Rented and borrowed property
Rented and borrowed property
- up to €500,000
Rented and borrowed property
Car rental in other EU countries (Mallorca-Police)
Car rental in other EU countries (Mallorca-Police)
Car rental in other EU countries (Mallorca-Police)
Incorrect refuelling of a rental vehicle
Incorrect refuelling of a rental vehicle
- up to €10,000
Incorrect refuelling of a rental vehicle
Fully comprehensive car insurance excess in car sharing
- up to €250 and up to €500 for electric vehicles
Fully comprehensive car insurance excess in car sharing
Fully comprehensive car insurance excess in car sharing
Drones
- up to 5 kilograms
Drones
- up to 5 kilograms
Drones
- up to 5 kilograms
Damage to glass in rented accommodation
Damage to glass in rented accommodation
Damage to glass in rented accommodation
Sum insured
- €25m
Loss of keys, including office keys
- up to €100,000 (office keys up to €5,000)
Rented accommodation
- up to €10m
Property in rented temporary accommodation (hotels, holiday homes, motorhomes, etc.)
- up to €10,000
Rented and borrowed property
Car rental in other EU countries (Mallorca-Police)
Incorrect refuelling of a rental vehicle
Fully comprehensive car insurance excess in car sharing
Drones
- up to 5 kilograms
Damage to glass in rented accommodation
For those who frequently rent cars
Whether in everyday life or on holiday, AXA’s Privathaftpflichtversicherung provides reliable liability cover that extends to hire cars, including car-sharing vehicles, and also covers any accidental damage caused whilst using them.
Sum insured
- €60m
Loss of keys, including office keys
- up to the full sum insured (€60m)
Rented accommodation
Property in rented accommodation
Rented and borrowed property
Car rental in other EU countries (Mallorca-Police)
Incorrect refuelling of a rental vehicle
Excess insurance for a hired vehicle
Drones
- up to 5 kilograms
Tariffs differ not in price but in four or five points of the small print. The sum insured: a sensible minimum is €10 million for personal injury and property damage, and the price difference between €10 and €50 million is negligible. Damage to rented accommodation (Mietsachschäden): aim for €500,000 — for a tenant, this is the biggest risk. The loss of other people’s keys, from a work key to the key of a building’s master locking system, is not covered everywhere; look for €10,000 upwards. Gefälligkeitsschäden — damage caused while doing a friend a favour, such as helping with a move: here insurers often refuse to pay, citing an implied exclusion of liability, so good tariffs include such cases as a separate item. Forderungsausfalldeckung pays you when the person at fault has neither insurance nor money; all tariffs on this page have no minimum claim amount, while some other tariffs do set a threshold.
A separate point for families with small children. A child under seven is not liable for the damage caused (§ 828 BGB), and the parents are liable under § 832 BGB unless they prove that they supervised properly or that the damage would have happened even with proper supervision. If they do prove it, nobody pays the injured neighbour. Only the “Schäden durch deliktunfähige Kinder” module closes this gap, and by no means every policy includes it.
The annual premium stays modest: roughly from €30 for a young single person to about €100 for a family with children and extended cover. A comparison of Privathaftpflichtversicherung tariffs on exactly these points — sums insured, keys, rented home and rental car — is on a separate page, where the policy can also be taken out online.
The FINBER team is a licensed insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler) under § 34d (1) GewO. Remuneration for its activities is a commission paid by the company with which the contract is concluded.
How much Privathaftpflichtversicherung costs in 2026
What sum insured you actually need
What Privathaftpflichtversicherung does not cover
Questions that come up when you move
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How much does Privathaftpflichtversicherung cost?
Usually from €4 to €7 a month for a single person or family.
Can I do without this insurance?
Yes, but it remains one of the most important in everyday life.
Is insurance necessary if I rent a property?
Yes, especially if the landlord requires it or you want to insure against property damage.
Privathaftpflichtversicherung is your safety net. It’s affordable, straightforward and absolutely essential. Take out a policy today — and live life to the full, without worrying about unexpected mishaps.
Important insurances in Germany
In this video, we explain the main types of insurance in Germany — what they are for and how to choose them.
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Hello, does the Haftpflichtversicherung cover the deposit if I move out of the apartment and the landlord has claims regarding its condition according to the contract?
Hello.
No, Privathaftpflichtversicherung does not cover the security deposit. This insurance covers damage that you have caused unintentionally as a result of an incident or accident. Furthermore, normal wear and tear is not covered by the policy.
Good afternoon, is there insurance for three days?
DJI Mini 4 Pro drone under 249g.
Good afternoon.
Unfortunately, it is only possible to apply for a one-year period.
Have a look, the drone might already be in your PHV.
Hello. Is it possible to take out a work key insurance policy (Schlüsselversicherung) on its own? I do not have any other insurance. How much does it cost? Thank you
Good afternoon.
There is no separate insurance against loss of keys.
But you can only insure yourself, like Singl.
On the Einfach Gut tariff, the limit will be up to 5,000 euros.
On the Einfach Besser tariff up to 500 thousand.
The cost will be 46 or 57 euros a year respectively.
Good afternoon, could you please tell me I have a question regarding Privathaftpflichtversicherung — do they cover damage to third parties, including the owner of the rented flat and neighbours, resulting from water leaks, fire or an electrical short circuit in the flat (I am the tenant of the flat)?
For example, with die Haftpflichtkasse (Einfach Komplett tariff)
Thanks in advance,
Andrei
Good afternoon.
If it’s your fault, they compensate you.
If the leak occurred through your fault, as a result of any actions involving the plumbing.
You most likely cannot be related to the short circuit, as you must not tamper with the electrical system.
If the fire happened through your fault (you left something on the cooker or forgot to switch off the iron), that is also an insured event.
Valery.
Hello, do I need to register a 249 gram drone?
Hello.
You can read more about the drone usage rules in article.
Drones under 250 grams do not need to be registered in Germany.
Hello! I am from North Rhine.
I am interested in information about Privathaftpflicht insurance (private liability insurance). I live together with my elderly parents and adult sister who suffers from bipolar disorder. During her episodes, my sister can be very aggressive and intentionally damages property in the rented apartment. Do I need to disclose my sister’s illness when applying? Which company offers this kind of insurance? And can I take it out now if I am on a mini-job and partially receiving benefits?
Good afternoon,
You have a difficult situation.
We have raised an enquiry with the insurance companies regarding your case.
I’m sure we can find a suitable solution.
Yours sincerely,
Svetlana and the Finber team
Good afternoon, when does insurance come into effect from the moment it is issued? Is there a waiting period?
Hello.
The insurance policy comes into effect from the date of issue.
Also an important aspect: it is necessary to wait for the first payment to be deducted, at which point the contract is considered to be legally concluded.