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How to check flood, landslide and other hazard maps in Germany — and realistic insurance options
Step‑by‑step guide for foreign buyers: which federal and state hazard maps to check, how to read them, limits of the data, and realistic insurance choices including the debate over compulsory elementar cover.
Which official maps to check first
Start with the federal and state official portals that aggregate the legally relevant hazard maps. For river flooding and officially reported flood risk maps (Hochwassergefahren‑ und Hochwasserrisikokarten) use the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BfG) / Wasserblick and the BfG map portal (the HWRM application). For a nationwide overview the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) publishes the digital Hochwasseratlas and a dedicated Starkregen (pluvial flood) hint map project. State geoportals (example: geoportal.de and each Bundesland’s map service) host the local hazard layers and the official land registers. These sources are public and free to use.
Where to find landslide / mass‑movement information
Landslide and slope‑instability information is produced by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and by state geological services. The BGR’s Massenbewegungen in Deutschland (MBiD) project provides susceptibility and hazard‑indication maps (hangrutschungs‑/Massenbewegungs‑Gefahrenkarten). Not every municipality will have a formally adopted 'Gefahrenkarte' for mass movements; where it exists it is typically held at the state geological office or the local building or environmental authority.
How to check a specific property (practical steps)
1) Get the exact address and parcel (Flurstück) number. 2) Open the BfG HWRM map application (Hochwassergefahren‑ und Hochwasserrisikokarten) and the BKG Hochwasseratlas; next, open the relevant state geoportal (search by Bundesland) and the local municipality map service to load layers for "Hochwassergefahrenkarte", "Überschwemmungsgebiet" and "Starkregengefährdung". 3) For slope hazards, consult the BGR MBiD outputs and the state geological service. 4) If the online layers are unclear, request a printout or written statement from the municipality’s Bauamt/Umweltamt: Überschwemmungsgebiete are designated under the Water Resources Act (Wasserhaushaltsgesetz) and the municipality can confirm local planning constraints.
What the maps do — and what they don’t tell you
Official flood maps (Hochwassergefahren‑/Risikokarten) show modelled extent and typical water depths or flow directions for standard return periods; the federal HWRM data set available through BfG represents the status reported under the EU HWRM directive (reporting status 2019). The BKG Starkregen hint maps are intended as first‑order information for pluvial (surface water) risk. Limitations: many datasets are not parcel‑level precise, maps are produced at differing scales and dates, and local drainage, recent flood‑protection work, or micro‑topography may change actual risk. For landslides, the BGR susceptibility maps indicate potential, not a guaranteed future event.
Insurance: realistic options and the legal situation
Two standard products matter for buyers: a building (Wohngebäude) insurance for structural damage and a contents (Hausrat) policy for movable property. Insurers offer an "Elementar" endorsement (Elementarschäden) that covers flood, surface‑water inundation from heavy rainfall (Starkregen), backwater (Rückstau) and certain types of mass movement/landslide damage — check policy definitions. Availability and premiums depend on the property’s assessed hazard. There is active political debate in Germany about making elementar cover compulsory for residential buildings, but (in the sources consulted) no single nationwide compulsory elementar‑insurance law is in force; discussion continues between policymakers and industry. For any purchase, obtain written quotations detailing covered perils, sums insured, excess (Selbstbehalt) and exclusions, and ask insurers whether historic claims exist for the property.
Quick buyer’s checklist (what to request before signing)
• Map printouts or screenshots from the BfG HWRM map and the local geoportal showing the parcel and active hazard layers. • A written statement from the municipality (Bau‑/Umweltamt) confirming whether the parcel lies inside an Überschwemmungsgebiet or other planning constraint. • Copies of past insurance policies and claim history for the property. • Written insurance quotations (building and contents) that explicitly list elementar perils and any higher excess for flood/landslide. • If hazards are material, commission a local engineer or geologist for a short technical due diligence (check drainage, cellar level, ground type).
Nothing on this page is investment, tax or legal advice. Price bands are indicative asking prices and disagree between sources by design. Verify every figure with a qualified German notary, tax adviser (Steuerberater) or lawyer before committing capital.
