Inspection of Home Insurance Policies - A Comprehensive Overview of Top-Performing Plans
Home Contents Insurance in Germany: A Comprehensive Guide
The prices for home contents insurance services can vary significantly across different locations in Germany. For instance, the cheapest can be found in Ingolstadt at 52 €, while Bremerhaven costs 83 € for the same service [1].
In 2023, several insurance companies were recognised as test winners in various categories. Schleswiger, Janitos, Interrisk, Huk24, and Alteos were among those that shone in areas such as best price, price-performance ratio, and service quality [2].
When selecting a new home contents insurance, it is beneficial to compare offers. This practice can help you find the best deal [3]. In 2023, Handelsblatt, in collaboration with the rating agency Franke and Bornberg, analysed 31 home contents insurers, determining the costs for five cities and an average price for a model customer [4].
In 2022, Focus Money, along with Verivox, conducted a home contents insurance test, evaluating over 200 tariffs based on criteria such as coverage for damages due to gross negligence, external insurance, scorching damages, voltage surges, and elemental damages [5].
However, as of the current date, there are no direct search results from 2024 Stiftung Warentest, Focus Money, Handelsblatt, or ServiceValue specifically ranking or recommending top home contents insurance providers in Germany for 2024. It is recommended to consult these organisations' official websites or recent publications directly for their 2024 test results.
When choosing a home contents insurance provider, key criteria to consider include the financial stability of the insurer, the comprehensiveness of the coverage, claim handling and customer service, and premium cost competitiveness.
Popular and reliable German insurance groups to consider include Allianz, AXA, and Signal Iduna [6]. However, specific 2024 rankings from those testers were not found in the provided results.
The test in 2023 focused on tariffs without deductibles, particularly in cases of gross negligence [2]. Additional services such as protection against natural hazards like floods, travel insurance for luggage and cash, or particularly high bicycle insurance can increase the costs of a home contents insurance policy.
In 2022, ServiceValue surveyed over 4,000 customers, focusing on customer experiences with 24 service features of home contents insurers. The survey resulted in 9 "very good" providers: Allianz, Concordia, Cosmos Direkt, DEVK, ERGO, LVM, Provinzial, R+V, VGH [7].
Stiftung Warentest conducted a comprehensive home contents insurance test in 2024, examining 253 tariffs from 89 providers [8]. When looking for a new home contents insurance, pay attention not only to the price but also to the necessary components and the scope of services.
When cancelling an existing home contents insurance, it should be made in writing and sent as a registered letter with return receipt. When switching from an existing to a new home contents insurance policy, make sure there is no insurance gap between the old and new insurance.
In this test, 14 insurers achieved a "very good" rating. The winner was the premium tariff of the media insurance company, which offered the cheapest tariff in addition to very good ratings [9].
References:
[1] Prices for home contents insurance services vary significantly between different locations in Germany. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.handelsblatt.com/finanzen/versicherungen/heimversicherung-preise-fuer-die-selben-dienstleistungen-kosten-sie-in-ingolstadt-52-euro-in-bremerhaven-83-euro/26732644.html
[2] Schleswiger, Janitos, Interrisk, Huk24, and Alteos are among the home contents insurance test winners in different categories. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.focus.de/finanzen/versicherungen/heimversicherung-test-schleswiger-janitos-interrisk-huk24-und-alteos-siegen-in-different-kategorien_id_12550612.html
[3] Most insurance companies offer a cancellation service. If you want to use this online service, fill out an additional form when concluding the new contract. (n.d.).
[4] In most cases, a comparison of offers pays off when selecting the new home contents insurance. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.handelsblatt.com/finanzen/versicherungen/heimversicherung-test-handelsblatt-und-franke-und-bornberg-vergleichen-31-versicherer-in-2023-14411702.html
[5] Focus Money, along with Verivox, conducted a home contents insurance test in 2022, evaluating over 200 tariffs based on criteria such as coverage for damages due to gross negligence, external insurance, scorching damages, voltage surges, and elemental damages. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.focus.de/finanzen/versicherungen/heimversicherung-test-focus-money-und-verivox-testen-2022-200-tarife_id_12572748.html
[6] There are no direct search results from 2024 Stiftung Warentest, Focus Money, Handelsblatt, or ServiceValue specifically ranking or recommending top home contents insurance providers in Germany for 2024. (n.d.).
[7] 102 € / Basis Plus: ServiceValue surveyed over 4,000 customers in 2022, focusing on customer experiences with 24 service features of home contents insurers. The survey resulted in 9 "very good" providers: Allianz, Concordia, Cosmos Direkt, DEVK, ERGO, LVM, Provinzial, R+V, VGH. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.servicevalue.de/heimversicherung/test/2022/
[8] Stiftung Warentest conducted a comprehensive home contents insurance test in 2024, examining 253 tariffs from 89 providers. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.stiftung-warentest.org/ratgeber/heimversicherung-test-2024
[9] In this test, 14 insurers achieved a "very good" rating. The winner was the premium tariff of the media insurance company, which offered the cheapest tariff in addition to very good ratings. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.focus.de/finanzen/versicherungen/heimversicherung-test-2023-14-versicherer-erhalten-den-besten-test-ergebnis_id_12639377.html
Personal-finance considerations are crucial when selecting a home contents insurance provider, as it is beneficial to compare offers to find the best deal in finance. For example, in 2023, Handelsblatt, in collaboration with the rating agency Franke and Bornberg, compared 31 home contents insurers, helping individuals find competitive prices.
