Bank Safe Deposit Box
Household Insurance for Your Bank Safe Deposit Box (Germany)
In recent months, spectacular break-ins at bank safe deposit facilities have dominated the German news headlines. Affected institutions include both savings banks (Sparkassen) and major commercial banks, with damages often running into the millions.
Many customers mistakenly assume their safe deposit box contents are automatically and fully insured by the bank. This is frequently a dangerous error: bank liability is often capped at low flat rates (e.g., standard coverage of around €10,300), which rarely covers the actual value of jewelry, bullion, or documents.
The “Einfach komplett” tariff from Haftpflichtkasse closes this gap. It insures contents in German safe deposit boxes up to 100% of your agreed household insurance sum. This coverage applies as subsidiary cover—stepping in where the bank’s liability ends.
Combined with a waiver of underinsurance (at €650/m² living space) and free Difference in Conditions (DIC) coverage for switchers, this tariff is currently one of the strongest solutions on the market.
Overview: “Einfach Komplett” 2025 – Highlights
Overview Household Insurance “Einfach Komplett” 2025 Highlights (PDF)
Why the Topic is Urgent: Recent Break-ins
Recent events demonstrate that safe deposit boxes are not invulnerable.
- Gelsenkirchen (Late 2025): Approx. 3,200 boxes forced open, affecting ~2,700 customers with estimated damages of €30 million.
- Lübeck (Deutsche Bank): Over 300 boxes breached, with total damages corrected upwards to over €18 million.
- North Rhine-Westphalia (Early 2026): A new series of break-ins, including a brazen daylight heist in Halle (Westfalen).
In these cases, any loss exceeding the bank’s liability cap remains the customer’s burden—unless they have a powerful household insurance policy to cover the difference.
Why “Einfach komplett” is the Best Choice
1. Comprehensive Subsidiary Cover
Unlike many competitors, Haftpflichtkasse insures items in safe deposit boxes up to the full household insurance sum.
- Scope: Valid for all safe deposit boxes within Germany.
- Subsidiary Liability: The bank pays first (up to its contractual limit); Haftpflichtkasse pays the rest, up to your total sum insured.
Calculate Premium & Check Coverage Now
2. Seamless Transition: Difference in Conditions Cover
If you have an existing policy with another provider, you can switch without coverage gaps.
- Immediate Upgrade: Features not covered by your old contract (like 100% safe deposit box cover) are insured by Haftpflichtkasse free of charge from the day of your application until your old contract officially ends (Difference in Conditions / Summen- und Konditionsdifferenzdeckung).
- No Double Payment: You only pay the Haftpflichtkasse premium once the old contract expires.
3. Waiver of Underinsurance (650 €/m²)
Haftpflichtkasse waives the objection of underinsurance if the sum insured is set to at least €650 per square meter of living space.
- Practical Impact: No proportional reduction of benefits in the event of a claim. You are reimbursed up to the agreed sum.
- Example: For a 120 m² apartment (Sum: €78,000), you have up to €78,000 available for your safe deposit box contents.
Note: For extremely high-value contents, verify if the standard sum per square meter is sufficient and adjust upwards if necessary using a valuation form.
Summary of Benefits
- 100% Coverage: Subsidiary insurance for safe deposit boxes up to the full household sum.
- Security: Waiver of underinsurance check at ≥ 650 €/m².
- Easy Switch: Free differential coverage for switchers.
Download: Highlights Overview (PDF)
Calculate & Apply for Haftpflichtkasse Household Insurance
Market Update: VHV Insurance Follows Suit (Jan 06, 2026)
Other insurers are recognizing this necessity. VHV Insurance announced that their “VHV – EXKLUSIV” tariff now also covers safe deposit box contents up to the full sum insured. Existing customers benefit automatically via the “Future Performance Guarantee” (Leistungs-Update-Garantie).
Important Reminder: Always document your valuables (photos, invoices, certificates) to facilitate claims processing and police identification.
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