Hausratversicherung is the name given in Germany to contents insurance.

Put quite simply, Hausratversicherung covers the contents of your flat or house and insures them against theft or damage through fire, water, or vandalism. Depending on which insurance company you select, it may also cover other events.

The insurance premium depends on the size of the flat that you wish to insure, but may also take into consideration the type of locks used. It is important to ensure that the amount you insure the contents for does actually cover the entire value, otherwise you may be in a situation of Unterversicherung - being underinsured.

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Disclaimer: this podcast is a simple explanation for non-native speakers. For insurance advice, please contact a Versicherungsvertreter or Versicherungsmakler.

Haftpflichtversicherung is the name given to liability insurance in Germany.

Some forms of Haftpflichtversicherung are compulsary, such as 3rd party insurance for cars.  Certain career groups such as lawyers, tax advisors, auditors and hunters are also required to have the relevant type of insurance.

Many people have a Privathaftpflichtversicherung - a liability insurance for individuals or families to cover themselves, eg. in case they damage a rented flat or knock over a display in a shop.

Pet owners in particular may consider the Tierhalterhaftpflichtversicherung, especially if they have pets that they take outside with them.

To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:

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Disclaimer: this podcast is a simple explanation for non-native speakers. For insurance advice, please contact a Versicherungsvertreter or Versicherungsmakler.

Das Standesamt is an office, usually located in the town hall, where births, marriages and deaths are registered.  The office also issues the relevant certificates for these occasions.

The civil part of the marriage ceremony takes place at the Standesamt itself, often in a room specially decorated and set aside for this purpose.

Some towns have rooms, dedicated as a Standesamt in other buildings, such as the Kaiser-Friedrich-Bad in Bad Homburg or the Brauhaus in Oberursel.

If either the wife or husband is not a German national, or if one of the parents are not German, then the application to marry or to register the name of a child can get very complicated.  The non-German half may be required to sign away their right to use their national laws, eg. in naming their child, in order to simplify the situation.

To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:

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