Haus & Wohnen
Contents insurance
the direct household insurance
DA Direkt Home Insurance: Understanding and Optimising Comprehensive Protection for Your Home
Water damage ruins your new kitchen, a burglary leaves empty rooms – the financial nightmare. A comprehensive home insurance policy, like the DA Direkt home insurance, covers these costs. Find out how to tailor your protection optimally.
The topic in brief and concise terms
A home contents insurance policy protects your movable possessions against damage caused by fire, water damage, storm, hail, burglary, and other risks, with the replacement value being reimbursed.
Ensure you have the correct sum insured and a waiver of underinsurance to avoid financial disadvantages in the event of a claim.
Check whether gross negligence is included in your policy and regularly adjust your insurance coverage to accommodate changes in your life circumstances.
Understanding the Basics of Home Contents Insurance: What is Covered?
A home contents insurance protects all your movable possessions within your four walls. This includes furnishings such as furniture and carpets, items for use such as electrical appliances and clothing, as well as consumables like food. Typically, the insurance covers damage caused by fire, water damage, storms with a force of seven or eight, hail, burglary, theft, and vandalism following a break-in. Overvoltage damage due to lightning is often included as well. Valuables such as cash and jewellery are frequently insured up to a certain limit, for example, thirty per cent of the sum insured. The DA Direkt home contents insurance offers various tariff options in this regard. This protection is essential as, statistically, a burglary occurs every 150 seconds in Germany. Knowing these basics helps to better assess your own needs.
Scope of services in detail: Replacement value reimbursement and additional cost coverage
In the event of a claim, a good household insurance policy reimburses the replacement value of damaged or stolen items. This means you receive the amount necessary to purchase equivalent new items. In addition to pure material damage, additional costs can be covered, such as hotel expenses if the apartment is temporarily uninhabitable after a loss, often up to two parts per thousand of the insurance sum per day. Cleanup and repair costs, for example for a broken door after a burglary, are also usually covered. Many policies reimburse the replacement value up to the agreed insurance sum. It is important to know the exact terms and compensation limits of your contract to avoid being underinsured in the event of a claim. The household insurance from nextsure can be an option here. Therefore, a detailed review of the insurance sum is an important step.
Determine the correct sum insured and avoid underinsurance
The correct determination of the sum insured is crucial to avoid underinsurance. If the sum insured is below the actual value of the household contents, the insurer may proportionally reduce the compensation in the event of a claim. An example: If the value of the household contents is 50,000 euros, but the sum insured is only 25,000 euros, only half, i.e., 5,000 euros, would be reimbursed in the event of a loss of 10,000 euros. Many insurers offer a flat-rate calculation method, often 650 euros per square metre of living space, to avoid underinsurance. A waiver of underinsurance in the contract is highly recommended. This allows the insurer to waive the examination of potential underinsurance and provides coverage up to the agreed sum. This greatly simplifies the process. Regularly check whether your sum insured is still up to date, particularly after major purchases. The question of what household insurance includes is closely linked to the correct sum. This ensures that your protection is always adequate.
Underinsurance Waiver: An Important Component for Full Protection
The underinsurance waiver is a clause in the insurance contract that can save you a lot of trouble in the event of a claim. If this waiver is agreed upon, the insurer does not check whether the actual value of your household contents exceeds the sum insured. You will then be compensated for the damage up to the agreed sum insured without having to fear any deductions. This offers significant advantages: no financial loss due to proportional deductions and a quicker, more straightforward claims process. It is often a prerequisite that the sum insured was calculated based on the square meter rate (e.g., 650 euros/sqm) and the living area is stated correctly. Some insurers include the underinsurance waiver as standard if a minimum sum insured per square meter is chosen. It is worthwhile to pay attention to this point when taking out a household insurance policy, which may be tax-deductible. This makes the question of the correct sum insured less critical in detail.
Expert Depth: Current Judgements and Relevant Sections (VVG)
In insurance law, there are always new judgments that may be relevant for policyholders. For instance, the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has ruled that policyholders must benefit from eased evidence requirements when proving a burglary, as the exact course of events is often non-reconstructable. A ground floor window left ajar can be judged differently by courts; the Higher Regional Court of Braunschweig did not automatically see this as gross negligence (Az. 2 U 221/92), whereas other rulings may be stricter. The Insurance Contract Act (VVG) forms the legal basis. Important sections include §§ 23-27 VVG regarding the increase of risk or § 40 VVG on the right to terminate in case of premium increases. Our expert tip: Familiarise yourself with your rights and obligations under the VVG, particularly § 28 VVG regarding the breach of a contractual obligation. If there are uncertainties regarding gross negligence in home contents insurance, legal advice is advisable. The contract conditions should always be carefully examined.
Here are some key aspects governed by the VVG:
Disclosure obligations of the policyholder before concluding the contract (§ 19 VVG).
Consequences of an increased risk during the contract period (§§ 23 ff. VVG).
Obligations in the event of an insurance claim, such as an immediate report of damage (§ 30 VVG).
Regulations on premium payment and consequences of late payment.
Termination rights for both contracting parties (§ 11 VVG).
These legal frameworks are crucial for the relationship between the insurer and the insured.
Additional components: Tailored protection as needed
The basic cover of home contents insurance already includes many risks, but often an individual extension is sensible. A commonly chosen additional module is bicycle insurance, which covers theft even outside your own four walls, often around the clock and worldwide. For households with a lot of glass surfaces, a separate glass insurance for contents or residential buildings can be sensible, which also includes ceramic hobs or conservatories, for example. Another important module is protection against natural perils such as flooding, backwater, earthquakes, or avalanches, which is not included as standard. Assess your individual needs and purposefully enhance your protection. The DA Direkt contents insurance often offers flexible options for this. Additionally, the protection against key loss through contents insurance can be a useful addition. In this way, you can tailor your insurance cover precisely.
Typical optional additional benefits include:
Bicycle theft outside the insured location.
Glass breakage for furniture and building glazing.
Natural disaster insurance (e.g. flooding, heavy rain).
Protection for valuables beyond standard limits.
Travel luggage cover.
Protection against simple theft (not burglary theft).
These extensions allow for an adaptation to specific life circumstances and risks.
Claim: Correct behaviour secures your rights
In the event of a claim, it is important to act quickly and correctly to preserve your entitlements with the insurance company. Report the damage to your insurer without delay. Document the damage as thoroughly as possible, for instance with photos or videos, and compile a list of damaged or stolen items with purchase prices and dates. In cases of burglary or robbery, an immediate report to the police is essential; the case number will be needed for the insurance. Avoid altering the site of the damage if possible until the insurer or an assessor has inspected it, unless measures are necessary to prevent further damage (e.g., turning off the water). Keep damaged items until the case is resolved. Maintaining good communication with your home insurance, such as Generali, can expedite the process. Adhering to these steps is crucial for a smooth settlement.
Optimise Your Protection: Regular Review and Adjustment
Your insurance needs may change over time due to major purchases, a move, or a changed family situation. Therefore, it is advisable to review your household insurance, like the DA Direkt household insurance, at least every two to three years. Check whether the sum insured still corresponds to the current value of your household contents to avoid underinsurance. Also, check whether the insured risks and any additional modules still suit your life situation. Comparing different offers can be worthwhile to benefit from better services or lower premiums. Remember that a combination of home contents and building insurance with one provider can be sensible. Proactive adjustments ensure optimal protection in the long term.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation checked for free and receive specific optimisation suggestions.
More useful links
The German Insurance Association (GDV) provides statistics on the development of claims in household insurance.
You can find more information about lightning damage in household insurance from the German Insurance Association (GDV).
A comprehensive overview of household insurance is offered by the Wikipedia article on this topic.
The German Weather Service (DWD) provides information about CATRaRE, a system for assessing and reporting disaster risks.
The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) provides information and statistics on fire protection.
FAQ
What exactly is covered by the DA Direkt contents insurance?
The DA Direkt contents insurance covers all your household contents, meaning all movable items in your flat or house, against risks such as fire, water damage, storm/hail, and burglary. This includes furniture, electrical appliances, clothing, and valuables up to certain limits.
What does replacement value mean in terms of contents insurance?
Replacement value compensation means that in the event of a claim, you will be reimbursed the amount needed to replace equivalent new items.
What is a waiver of underinsurance and why is it important?
With a waiver of underinsurance, the insurer waives the right to verify if your household contents were underinsured in the event of a claim. This ensures you receive the full compensation up to the agreed insurance sum, preventing financial deductions.
Does the DA Direkt contents insurance also cover gross negligence?
Many DA Direkt contents insurance policies provide cover for gross negligence, at least up to a certain amount of damage or even without limit. It is important to check this in the policy conditions.
Which additional benefits make sense with the DA Direkt contents insurance?
Additional benefits that may be sensible include bicycle insurance, glass insurance, or natural disaster protection (against flooding, etc.), depending on your individual needs and risks.
How should I act correctly in the event of a claim?
Report the claim to your insurance immediately, document everything (photos, list), report theft to the police, and avoid altering the site of damage as much as possible until it’s released by the insurer.
