Collapsed houses, full basements, damaged cars: the consequences of the floods in some parts of Germany are also an immense financial concern for many of those affected.
Which insurance can help with flood * damage?
For financial protection in the event of damage caused by
floods
and
heavy rain
,
special additional insurance is
required
- a so-called
elementary
damage
insurance
, as
Tagesschau.de
describes.
It can be taken out as an extension of a residential building or household contents insurance, which in itself usually only covers storm and hail damage.
Flood damage: what insurance pays?
The difference: In the event of damage to the house, there is
residential building insurance
, which is therefore relevant for the owner. "
Household contents insurance
, on the other hand, covers damage to movable property - that is, to furniture, carpets or technical equipment and can thus also help tenants," says the article.
But:
Such insurance against natural hazards does not help if groundwater penetrates the masonry from below. “The water has to come from above. In individual
cases,
this can
lead
to
difficulties in providing evidence
, ”writes the news portal. In case of doubt, an expert must be called in.
There is
also the problem
: According to the consumer advice centers, only around 45 percent of all private houses across Germany are insured against damage from floods and flooding - regionally, there are again large differences.
And the article describes yet another problem: Owners whose houses are in
flood risk areas
or have already been affected by flooding often find it difficult to get insurance against natural hazards.
Or they would have to pay a lot for it, according to the ARD legal experts in the article mentioned.
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The consumer advice center advises: Document damage for the insurance company well
What do consumer advocates advise?
Safety comes first, of course.
On the website of the consumer center it says: “The top priority of the hour is safety.
Bring yourself and your relatives, friends and neighbors to safety and follow the instructions of the auxiliary troops and authorities. ”Caution should also be exercised in the house: the flooded cellar could quickly become a trap or be electrified.
"If it can be done without risk, you can take initial measures to prevent further damage."
What those affected by
floods
and
heavy rain
events should do so that there is "no trouble with the insurance company" describes the
consumer advice center
(as of July 19) on its website as follows:
"When you have brought yourself and your relatives to safety,
document the damage
with as meaningful photos as possible, for example with
your
smartphone."
"Check
which insurance
you have and which one is responsible for which damage."
"Important: Damage to the house is only covered by the residential building insurance if you have taken out additional
insurance against
natural hazards."
Another note from the consumer advice center: “You have an
obligation to minimize the damage
. Check what measures you can take to keep the damage as small as possible, ”said the experts. Example: "If there is only a little water in the basement, you should start skimming and draining immediately after the documentation." The insurer should then be informed "promptly" and the next steps should be discussed with him. "Most insurers offer claims hotlines for this," said the advice of the consumer association. Depending on the damage, different insurers are the contact persons.
Ideally, those affected should inform the insurance company on the same day
, says
Tagesschau.de
- and report any damage. That could facilitate the settlement of the damage later. A look at your own contract is also important. Because the insurance conditions can differ as described. Damage caused by backflow - that is, when water comes into the house from drainage pipes - is also only insured, according to the consumer advice centers, if a "functional backflow protection" has been installed.
For
damage to the car
, mobile home or caravan
,
partial comprehensive insurance
can also be provided
, as stated in a report by the German Press Agency (dpa).
Here, too, you should
document
the
damage
and
report it to the insurance company immediately
.
Comprehensive insurance covers the cost of replacing the vehicle.
In the case of newer cars, the new price can also be insured, depending on the contract.
Depending on the tariff, according to the Association of Insureds (BdV), different deductibles could be agreed.
(ahu) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
Sources: Tagesschau.de; Homepage of the consumer center, dpa
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