With a comprehensive private liability insurance, you are covered against claims from third parties for personal injury, property damage, and financial losses. 

You can also protect your spouse, life partner, and children with the private liability insurance. Your liability insurance not only covers the costs (up to the coverage amount), but also examines the legal situation and defends against unjustified claims. 

With optional additional benefits, you can tailor the private liability insurance to your specific needs.

If you cause damage due to carelessness, negligence, or forgetfulness, private liability insurance covers the damage claims from the injured parties on your behalf. 

On the other hand, the private liability insurance defends against unjustified claims from third parties. Through liability insurance, you are protected from financial losses.

The Civil Code makes you liable for all damages you cause – with your entire assets. Since there is essentially no limit to the amount or duration of payments, financial claims could, in the worst case, threaten your livelihood.

In general, private liability insurance is highly recommended for every household. People who benefit from private liability insurance include:

• Pedestrians, cyclists, or skaters);
• Those with minor children;
• Those who live in a property (as tenants or owners);
• Those who engage in sports;
• Those who need to clear snow from the sidewalk in winter;
• Those who spend their vacation abroad.

You can extend your coverage beyond these everyday risks and be insured against specific, job-related hazards.

For married couples and life partnerships, one insurance policy per household is sufficient. This is called the "partner tariff." 

In a family plan, not only both partners are covered, but also the damages caused by their own children. Children are usually covered under a family plan until they complete their first vocational training.

Important note: Children under seven years of age are considered incapable of committing a tort and are therefore not liable for their actions. The private liability insurance will only cover damage claims if you have violated your duty of supervision. 

However, it is possible to include non-liable children and individuals in the liability insurance.

The basic coverage of private liability insurance protects three areas:

• Personal injury: If you injure someone else, for example, in road traffic, private liability insurance covers the resulting damages. However, this does not apply to damages you cause as a vehicle driver, as these are covered by your car insurance.

• Property damage: If you damage objects, such as breaking windows or knocking over vases, private liability insurance covers the damage (property damage) or complete destruction. However, this does not apply to rented or borrowed items, and the damage must not be intentional.

• Financial loss: Compensation claims can arise even if neither people nor objects are harmed – for example, in the case of lost profits.

Depending on the tariff, additional risks may be covered or can be included for an additional fee:

• Damages incurred while performing volunteer work
• Loss of private and professional keys
• Damage caused by minor negligence in helping others
• Damage caused by non-liable children (under seven years old)
• Damage to borrowed or rented items

When concluding the contract, make sure to choose an adequate coverage amount of at least 10 million euros for personal injury and property damage.

What you need to do in the event of damage (property damage) depends on whether you caused the damage or are the victim:

• As the cause: If you are responsible for the damage, you should contact your insurer and report the damage within one week at the latest.

• As the victim: Exchange addresses and phone numbers with the person who caused the damage and keep the damaged items – your insurer may want to inspect them. This is especially common in cases of high damage amounts.

A damage report requires a detailed description of the incident. The following questions are important:

• What kind of damage occurred?
• When did the damage occur?
• How did the damage occur?
• Where did the damage occur?

If you document the damage as accurately as possible (including photos of the damages), it will help your insurer process your case more easily and speed up the payments.

Private liability insurance does not usually become more expensive just because you reported a claim. Premium increases depend on the volume of damages that the insurer has to settle. 

However, if you submit multiple claims within a relatively short period, the insurer may, in some cases, terminate your contract.

You can find affordable offers for a comprehensive private liability insurance by comparing insurers and their tariffs. 

However, an adequately high coverage amount is a must. A coverage sum of 50 million euros is a good guideline, as legal liability in the event of damage is unlimited, and personal injury claims can be particularly expensive.

Comparing tariffs is also worthwhile for private liability insurance, as is switching providers. When canceling, you need to consider a few aspects: 

• Liability insurance contracts usually run for one year. To cancel properly at the end of the contract, there is typically a notice period of three months.

• Extraordinary cancellations are possible after a claims settlement with a notice period of four weeks or after a premium increase if the benefits were not adjusted.

• Make sure that you already have a new insurer lined up in case of a switch. This ensures continuous coverage.

• Satisfaction of valid compensation claims
• Defense against unjustified compensation claims
• Protection for the entire family