A heat pump costs a lot of money. The expensive devices are attracting more and more thieves. Therefore, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to insurance coverage.
Munich – Heat pumps are currently in high demand as a more climate-friendly alternative to systems based on heating with fossil fuels. The heating system business is booming – more than half of the new buildings already have such devices installed. Due to the strong demand, there are supply problems - and correspondingly high prices, as tagesschau.de reports. This also attracts thieves who want to enrich themselves with the expensive equipment.
Heat pumps coveted stolen goods – insurance company does not want to pay for damage for one reason
This is what happened to a family from the district of Steinburg in Schleswig-Holstein. After careful consideration, they decided to say goodbye to their old oil heating system and invest in a heat pump instead. After a family outing, the shock: the plant had disappeared. Thieves had simply dismantled it in the absence of the family and made off with the heat pump.
After the initial shock was digested, the family called their insurance company. But then came the next shock: the insurance company did not want to cover the damage. The reason: The heat pump was not in the house, but in front of it. The theft is therefore not covered by the existing insurance for the residential building.
If the heat pump is unprotected in front of the house, this can call thieves onto the scene. © Robert Poorten/IMAGO
The family turned on the consumer advice center Schleswig-Holstein (VZSH), which examined the case and took a close look at the insurance conditions. But she also came to the conclusion: The family is left with the cost of 15,000 euros.
Heat pump stolen: Expert warns – "Not automatically included in homeowners insurance"
"Unlike a heating system in the basement or boiler room, a heat pump is usually installed on the property outside the building. This means that the system is not automatically included in the homeowner's insurance," explained Dennis Hardtke, insurance expert at VZSH.
The way all heat pumps work is based on the fact that they draw most of their energy for heating from the environment. However, there are different types: air source heat pumps, groundwater heat pumps and ground source heat pumps. Air-source heat pumps are fed by the ambient air, which is why they must also be located outside – in contact with the air. As a result, they are of course easier prey for thieves than, for example, geothermal heat pumps that are installed underground.
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Expert advises: Ask the insurance company whether the heat pump is included in the protection - what to look out for
What is the best way to protect yourself against such cases? "Anyone who invests in a heat pump should definitely check the scope of their existing homeowners insurance," said the VZSH expert. Consumers should therefore contact their insurance company at an early stage and ask whether a heat pump is included in the insurance cover.
If not, they should have the protection of the investment included in the insurance contract. Above all, it is important to have the insurance cover confirmed in writing, advises the consumer advice center. This way you play it safe and have to present something in the event of damage.
Another recommendation of the insurance expert was to ask about so-called obligations to cooperate. "Obligations to cooperate are measures that the policyholder must take in order to keep the claim as low as possible. If obligations to cooperate are violated, the insurance company can refuse part or all of the service," Hardtke explained.
Insurance companies may require certain protective measures for the heat pump
For example, in the case of a heat pump, an insurance company may require that a fence be erected around the property or around the heating system itself – to protect it from thieves. Another protective measure would be to install it on the wall of the house at a height that is more difficult to reach. So it would be much more time-consuming and also more conspicuous to dismantle and steal the system than if it simply stands quite unprotected in the garden.
The family from Schleswig-Holstein now paid dearly for the conversion to their new climate-friendly heating system. It is therefore worthwhile to invest in appropriate protective measures. Before purchasing a heat pump, you should inform yourself thoroughly anyway, because there are many misconceptions circulating about the technology. For example, some say that heat pumps are extremely power guzzlers and too loud. Others think that their heating effect is overestimated. In terms of climate friendliness, however, they are superior to fossil systems. Another climate-friendly alternative is heating with hydrogen.