Children are carefree, wild and spontaneous and that's part of their charm. If you've ever found yourself looking at your kid's new artwork painted directly on the landlord's wall or intercepted a football game in the living room then you know that a moment's distraction can be catastrophic.
As charming as these small people can be, they aren't generally aware of the consequences of some of their fun and games and are more likely to cause accidental damage to other people's property, so it's important to be adequately covered.
Are children responsible for damages they might cause?
In Germany children under 7 years old are not legally responsible for damages they cause to someone else or their property, according to paragraph§ 828 of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (Civil Code).
However, if a child does break or damage something, the owner of that item will very likely ask the parent or guardian of that child to pay for the repairs or replacement.
Aren't minor kids (under 18) automatically covered under my single or our partner policy?
No. As the parent or guardian of minor children, you're liable for any accidental damages they cause, but those damages are only covered by your policy if you have the family tariff.
I have the family tariff, are all kids living with me covered under the policy?
Yes, any children under 18 years old, who live with you in the household are automatically covered under the family tariff. This includes stepchildren, adopted and foster children, half-siblings, nephews, nieces and grandchildren.
Is my child covered by the family tariff while at university?
Yes, the coverage extends to adult children not living at home with you up to the age of 21, for as long as:
the child is unmarried
they are in school or vocational training.
they're doing voluntary service during or after training, for example, a voluntary year.
Personal liability insurance covers you for accidental damage to other people and their property, it won't cover damage caused by your children to your property.