Renter or homeowner’s insurance is a good idea. You’ll pay less than €100 per year for €50,000 of coverage. The word Hausratversicherung, or household insurance, is the same, regardless of whether you rent or own. Burglaries are uncommon in Berlin but you’re likely to lose a bicycle or two to thieves at some point – and your insurance would cover this. You can pick any amount of coverage, so just add up what you think your stuff is worth and then insure for a little more – just in case. Glass of any kind isn’t covered, so you’ll have to take out an extra policy if you fear windows, table tops or mirrors are at risk. It’s a good idea to keep receipts for warranty issues, as well as for insurance purposes and you might want to photograph your more expensive possessions.

Since Hausratversicherung only covers the stuff in your living quarters, it’s also a good idea to take out a liability insurance policy, or Haftpflichtversicherung. Most Germans have one and it will cover any damage you directly or indirectly cause to your landlord’s property. This could be anything from accidentally frying a microwave to leaving a window open during a rainstorm and flooding the building. Some leases will actually require you to be covered by liability insurance. The insurance will also cover you outside your apartment and can come in handy if you take out a shelf full of crystal wine glasses in a store or accidentally mow someone down while peddling to the pub.

Both types of insurance have excess charges, also known as deductibles, as part of the policy. It varies depending on the claim, but, for example, it could be a flat €50 to replace something stolen out of a cellar storage space. This varies by company and policy and can be increased if you’d like to decrease your insurance payments.