Insurance

Home insurance gives you peace of mind that in case of an accident your home will be restored, your property at home will be compensated and the accidental damage caused to third persons, e.g. neighbours will also be covered.

Thus, home insurance consists of three main parts:

• Building insurance protecting an apartment or a house as a box with its essential parts (walls, floors, ceilings)
• Home property insurance protecting your assets (furniture, technology, sports equipment, etc.) inside and outside of your home
• Liability insurance protecting you from damage caused to third parties

More on home insurance

Why pay for home insurance that doesn’t fully cover fire damages?

When buying a home on a loan, it usually comes with an insurance obligation.

Home insurance covers damage caused by for example fire, hale and wind, thunderstorms and power fluctuations, pipe leaks and flooding as well as damage to home property in case of burglary and destruction.

Insurance will not help you when the damage is a result of long-term processes (rotting, rusting), moulding or dry rot, insects or pests, faulty construction or renovation works (incl. defective construction materials). Exact conditions differ across insurance providers which is why you should consider all possible scenarios.

If you are not obligated to insure your home, you still might want to consider whether you have a financial buffer for restoring your home in unforeseen circumstances, buying new home property or compensating damages to your neighbours.

Use the home insurance calculator to determine your monthly home insurance payment.

When living in a rental home, signing an insurance contract to protect yourself from possible accidents might not seem necessary. However, based on the lease contract, the prudent use of the apartment is the obligation of the lessee. Rental home insurance also covers the lessor.

The owner of the apartment might not deem the insurance of the living space necessary as from their point of view, the lessee is responsible during the contract period. As a result, the lessee will be responsible in case of an accident, however, neither party is protected from unexpected situations.

If the lessor does not have insurance cover and the apartment suffers damages due to a fire or a water leak, the owner will be responsible for repair works. However, if the accident is caused by the lessee, the owner has the right to claim the damages as lease contracts include a clause of returning the apartment in the same state as in the start of the rental period.

A lessee’s reminder when insuring a rental home

• You do not need to own the apartment to insure it, you just have to be interested in insuring it. In terms of an insurance contract, the owner of the apartment and the lessee are equal.
• When concluding a lease contract, ask the owner whether and to what extent does the apartment have insurance cover. Some owners insure the construction of their apartment down to interior design to ensure the apartment will be restored in its former state in case of an accident.
• Be realistic about your assets: furniture and technics are valuable but so are jewellery, books, kitchen utensils, clothes and shoes.
• In case of an accident, damages will be compensated based on one insurance contract, double protection does not equal double compensation.

An accident, illness or death of a loved one is a difficult time that may cause emotional sufferings as well as test your family’s financial situation. In the worst-case scenario, you might lose all your income.

If monthly loan payments, utility payments, putting food on the table and expenses on children are partially or fully your responsibility, you might want to consider what will happen if you can no longer pay your part due to an accident or a sudden illness. The same goes for your loved ones. Life insurance cannot give back your health or life but will significantly alleviate your financial burden following an accident, especially if you don’t have any savings.

Insurance cover may differ depending on the contract, including only basic insurance, i.e. compensation in case of death or offer additional protection in case of accidents limiting capacity for work or causing permanent incapacity for work. Life insurance can also be concluded together with loan protection insurance, making sure your loan payments won’t be transferred to your loved ones. You can also add additional protections to your life insurance, e.g. trauma protection helping you receive benefits in case of accidents classified as insured events.

More on life insurance

• 5 common questions about life insurance
• 4 myths about life insurance
• Why should I get life insurance if it cannot bring back my life or health?

Anyone who has taken a home loan should consider getting loan protection insurance.

A home loan is a long-term financial obligation and every borrower appreciates knowing that the payments will not overwhelm themselves or their loved ones. Loan payment protection protects you should you:

• Be on extended sick leave
• Be in an accident
• Lose your job

Loan payment protection ensures monthly loan payments in situations where repaying them becomes difficult due to an illness or losing your job.

You should consider the conclusion of this contract if you have loan commitments but lack sufficient savings to meet the loan payments in case of illness, accident or losing your job. Talk to your lender about insuring your loan. Once you have insured your loan, let your loved ones know so they can notify the lender in case of an insured event.

More on loan payment protection