Fire, storm and escape of water
The structure, fixed components, outbuildings and outdoor installations must be correctly defined.
Home & contents
Keeping your home protected.
Buildings, contents, personal liability and natural-hazard cover only work together when definitions, sums and clauses are aligned.
Insurance sections
One policy may contain several separate covers.
The policy schedule is only an overview. The actual scope follows from terms, clauses and agreed limits.
Furniture and personal belongings
Furniture, clothing, electronics, valuables and property of others may have different limits.
Damage caused to others
Personal liability examines claims, rejects unjustified demands and pays justified claims within the agreed scope.
Flooding and backflow
Flood, surface water, backflow and groundwater are often limited or require separate agreement.
Traces and security duties
Burglary definitions, lost keys, outbuildings and valuables limits must match the actual risk.
Clearance, demolition and alternative accommodation
Ancillary costs, temporary accommodation, loss of rent and official requirements may be substantial.
Policy design
These points often become decisive only after a claim.
Insured value
Replacement value and contents sums must be realistic and kept up to date.
Building definition
Carport, pool, garden shed, photovoltaic system and fixtures should be expressly classified.
Perils insured
Storm, hail, snow pressure, flood and indirect lightning should be reviewed separately.
Excesses and limits
Valuables, cash, bicycles, glass and natural hazards often have their own limits.
Claims practice
Water damage is not automatically an insured escape-of-water claim.
Cause, damage pattern, emergency measures and evidence must be consistent from the start.
Limit the damage
Shut off water, protect property and document necessary emergency repairs.
Professional assessment
Contractor reports, photographs and experts may establish the insured event.
Replacement value and current value
Repair, reinstatement, underinsurance and residual values must be calculated transparently.
Our role: We review not just the heading “home and contents”, but the complete contract from definitions to additional clauses.
Austrian Supreme Court decisions
View all decisionsWhat courts say about water, burglary, underinsurance and reinstatement.
These summaries highlight typical disputes and do not replace review of the individual policy.
Escape of water: where must the water come from?
Escape-of-water cover generally depends on water leaving supply or drainage pipes or connected equipment. The proven cause matters, not merely the presence of water.
Official RIS decision →Escape of water: definition and direct effect
The Court focused on the policy definition of escape of water and its direct effect on insured property. Pipe damage, consequential loss and excluded causes must be distinguished.
Official RIS decision →Burglary without clear traces
Although proof may be eased in burglary claims, the circumstances must still make an insured burglary probable. Locks, keys, traces and prompt documentation may be decisive.
Official RIS decision →Underinsurance: floor area alone may not be sufficient
The Court considered a settlement method based solely on a floor-area aid. Valuation method, sum insured and any underinsurance waiver must fit together.
Official RIS decision →Frequently asked questions
All questionsKey questions about home protection.
Are flood and inundation automatically insured?
No. Natural hazards are often subject to special sub-limits or separate cover.
What is the difference between building and contents?
Fixed components generally belong to the building, while movable property is usually contents. Detailed policy definitions apply.
How can underinsurance be avoided?
The insured value and floor area must be accurate and updated after alterations.
Who assists with a major claim?
We support notification, evidence, experts, communication and settlement through to completion.
Personal advice
Review home protection before a claim.
We align buildings, contents, perils and sums with the actual living situation.
Herbert Helm MBA
Insurance broker · adviser in insurance matters · licensed financial adviser
+43 7474 23456
helm@sichermithelm.at
Insurance broker · adviser in insurance matters · licensed financial adviser
+43 7474 23456
helm@sichermithelm.at