Fast support in the event of a claim
You only pay for what you actually need
Claims processing: competent & simple
Key points at a glance
- Protection for all housemates: AXA personal liability insurance protects everyone living in the same household.
- Covers a wide array of risks: AXA covers damage to rental apartments or other rented accommodation.
- Support in all areas: if necessary, we conduct negotiations with your landlord. We defend you against any unsubstantiated claims.
What is tenant liability insurance?
Tenant liability insurance is part of personal liability insurance and covers damage to rental apartments or other rented accommodation caused by you or your housemates. Liability insurance is not compulsory for tenants, but voluntary financial protection. However, some landlords require this type of cover when tenants move in, so that they know they will not be liable for costs in the event of a claim.
What damage does tenant liability insurance cover?
Tenant liability insurance covers you for sudden, unforeseeable damage to rental objects, otherwise you would normally have to pay for such damage out of your own pocket. For instance, if a spice jar falls onto a glass ceramic surface or your three-year old daughter paints the wall.
Tenant liability insurance from AXA covers the following damage, for example:
- Stains or cigarette burns on a carpet
- Damage to parquet or laminate flooring
- Scratched ceramic stove tops
- Cracked sinks or scratched bath tubs
- Damage to doors, windows or fitted closets
The following type of damage is not covered by tenant liability insurance:
- Normal wear and tear (e.g. yellowed walls, scuff marks on the floor)
- Damage to your own furniture and objects
- Damage from nails and dowels
- Existing damage at start of tenancy (listed on the inventory)
- Malicious damage
How do I deal with tenant damage?
Tenants are usually obliged to pay for small faults or minor damage out of their own pocket. The relevant tenancy agreement normally specifies an upper financial limit and contains information on what constitutes faults and damage.
We generally recommend always reporting these faults and damage to the landlord and discussing how best to proceed.
In any event, you should always report major damage immediately to the landlord or property manager. If you arrange for a company to carry out the repair yourself, it’s hard to claim back the costs you incur. This is because in doing so, you become the contractual partner to that company. Consequently, it will also demand the money from you. And if the landlord is not satisfied with the repair, this could result in a legal dispute in the worst case scenario.
Protection in legal dispute too
Tenant liability insurance from AXA not only protects you financially, but also helps you in the event of a dispute. Has your landlord wrongly accused you of causing damage? We defend you against unsubstantiated claims and also negotiate with the other party.
Some damage requires immediate action , such as a burst pipe. If you can’t reach your landlord, there may be consequential damage. In this instance, you definitely have to react quickly due to your obligation to minimize damage. If this happens to you, you should document the whole process:
- Photos from several perspectives
- Date and time of damage
- Exact course of events (attempts to contact landlord, company engaged etc.)
Then report the incident to your insurer that covers your liability insurance too.
Lifespan of normal domestic furnishings
As a tenant, you are only liable for theresidual/present value of an item in the event of a claim. This is because floors, carpets or electrical appliances depreciate over time. If any damage is incurred, the manager or insurer checks two things:
- What was the residual value just before the damage?
- What is the usual lifespan of the object?
In practical terms, the calculation is based on the object’s usual lifespan. This means that the landlord can never ask for the replacement value from you for defective used items.
A brief overview of the average lifespan of interior decoration/various items:
- Painting of walls: 8-15 years, depending on the color (emulsion, acrylic etc.)
- Laminate (average quality): 15 years
- Real wood parquet floor: 30 to 40 years
- Sink/WC (ceramic): 35 years
- Induction hob: 15 years
- Wood paneling 30 years
- Door frames: 30 years
- Metal blinds: 30 years
- Dishwasher: 15 years
- Shower cubicle with glass panels: 25 years
- Electricity sockets: 15 years
- Washing machine: 15 years
You can work out an item’s precise residual value using your landlord’s association’s parity lifespan table .