Wohngebäudeversicherung — German building insurance — is the single most important policy for any homeowner. It pays out if your house is damaged by fire, storm, water leakage or flood, often with hundreds of thousands of euros of cover. But how is the premium calculated, what does the curious term "Wert 1914" mean, and do you really need natural-hazard cover? Our Building Insurance Calculator gives you an estimate in seconds.
What is Wert 1914?
The Wert 1914 is your home's sum insured expressed in 1914 gold marks — an inflation-stable reference unit. Insurers use it because construction prices have changed dramatically since 1914, but the relative value of buildings remains stable.
Example: a 150 m² single-family home with standard fittings has a Wert 1914 of about 20,000–25,000 Mark.
Sliding new-value — the adjustment factor
The sliding new-value (gleitender Neuwert) translates Wert 1914 into today's rebuild value:
Rebuild value = Wert 1914 × adjustment factor
For 2026 the adjustment factor is around 21.5. So 20,000 Mark × 21.5 = 430,000 € rebuild value. Insurers update the factor every year to reflect construction-cost and wage-cost indices — your premium adjusts automatically.
Construction class — solid, prefab, timber
Insurers grade construction by fire risk:
- Solid (stone, concrete): classes I/II — cheapest tariff (factor 1.0)
- Prefab / timber-frame: +20 % surcharge
- Solid wood / log house: up to +60 %; some insurers decline
Thatched and straw roofs trigger further surcharges and typically require a specialist insurer.
ZÜRS zones and natural-hazard cover
Location decides flood risk. Insurers use ZÜRS (Zoning System for Flood, Backflow and Heavy Rain):
- Zone 1 — low risk (statistically 1× in 200 years)
- Zone 2 — medium risk
- Zone 3 — elevated risk
- Zone 4 — high risk (1× in 10 years)
Natural-hazard cover insures damage from flood, heavy rain, backflow, landslide, snow load and avalanches. Surcharge on the base premium:
- Zone 1: about 20 %
- Zone 2: about 30 %
- Zone 3: about 55 %
- Zone 4: about 110 % — sometimes only with a high deductible
Deductible as a lever
A deductible (Selbstbeteiligung) noticeably reduces the premium:
- 0 € deductible: no discount
- 250 €: about 4 % cheaper
- 500 €: about 8 % cheaper
- 1,000 €: about 15 % cheaper
Worked example: single-family home, solid build, zone 1
- Wert 1914: 20,000 Mark
- Construction: solid (factor 1.0)
- ZÜRS zone: 1
- Rebuild value: 20,000 × 21.5 = 430,000 €
- Base premium: about 180 €/year
- With natural-hazard cover: +36 € = about 216 €/year
- With 500 € deductible: 199 €/year
What is NOT covered?
Important exclusions:
- Movable contents (furniture, electronics, clothing) — needs a separate Hausratversicherung
- Earthquake outside of natural-hazard cover
- Wilful damage or gross negligence (some tariffs apply quotas)
- Wear and tear, lack of maintenance
- War and nuclear energy
When to switch insurer?
Worth checking every 3–5 years. Good tariffs save 20–30 % at equal or better cover. Watch for:
- Waiver of gross-negligence defense
- Extra costs (debris removal, rebuilding to new code)
- Photovoltaic system inclusion
- Marten/animal-bite damage
- Premium dynamics (yearly indexation by adjustment factor)
Related calculators
- Home loan calculator — monthly rate, amortization and remaining debt
- Property tax calculator — German Grundsteuer 2026
- Buy vs rent — compare ownership versus renting
- Emergency fund calculator — how much reserve should you keep?
FAQ
What does German building insurance cost per month?
Solid build in zone 1 with 20,000 Mark Wert 1914: about 15–18 €/month without natural-hazard cover, 18–22 €/month with cover.
Is building insurance compulsory in Germany?
Not by law, but mortgage banks require it as collateral. No insurance — no loan.
What happens if I am underinsured?
If your Wert 1914 is too low the insurer pays only proportionally — the so-called underinsurance reduction. Many tariffs include a "no underinsurance" guarantee that protects you.
Does it cover earthquakes?
Earthquake is part of natural-hazard cover. Without that add-on, no earthquake protection.
What about photovoltaic panels?
Some tariffs include PV up to 10 kWp; larger arrays need a dedicated photovoltaic policy. Always check before signing.