Suche
Mein Konto
Compulsory insurance for homeowners: protection against climate damage is coming!
The Merz government is planning compulsory insurance for homeowners against climate damage in order to guarantee natural hazard protection in the future.
Compulsory insurance for homeowners: protection against climate damage is coming!
On June 1, 2025, the Merz government is planning comprehensive compulsory insurance for homeowners to protect themselves against climate damage. According to that Mercury The coalition agreement stipulates that elementary protection insurance should be mandatory for all property owners in the future. This law is to be introduced within the current legislative period.
Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig emphasizes the need for broad insurance coverage against natural disasters. The flood damage in southern Germany in particular has underlined the urgency of the law. In June 2024, floods in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg caused damage worth 4.1 billion euros, about half of which was uninsured.
Protective measures and prevention
The GDV has also proposed a comprehensive package of measures that goes beyond just compulsory insurance. GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen emphasizes that climate-adapted planning, construction and renovation should be defined as the top priority. Preventive approaches should be integrated into state building regulations in order to avoid future billions in flood damage. There has been intensive discussion about nationwide compulsory insurance for years, especially after the devastating floods in the Ahr Valley in the summer of 2021.
Future-oriented approaches
Asmussen warns against excessive expectations of compulsory insurance that cannot prevent flood damage. His proposal includes a mandatory climate risk assessment for building permits, construction stops in flood areas and measures to unseal areas. A nationwide natural hazards portal is intended to increase transparency about risks and better inform the population.
In order to counter the increasing risks caused by climate change, the GDV is calling for state reinsurance to reduce the cost risks for private insurance companies and keep their premiums stable. The insurance industry sees compulsory insurance as a step in the right direction, but emphasizes that comprehensive natural hazard protection is necessary to create long-term solutions to the challenges of climate change.
The planned legal regulation and the GDV's proposals offer starting points for a more comprehensive strategy to prevent climate damage and to promote more sustainable construction in Germany. GDV supports the strategy to increase society's resilience to extreme weather events.