Quick orientation — home insurance Luxembourg
Home insurance is not legally mandatory in Luxembourg, but virtually every rental contract and mortgage requires it. The four main insurers are AXA, Baloise, LALUX, and Foyer — each with a distinct product structure. The most important difference: only Baloise includes flood coverage in its base formula. For most tenants, AXA OptiHome Active offers the best all-in-one value. Prices range from €80 to €450/year depending on property type and coverage level.
🏠 The Basics
Home insurance is not legally mandatory for private individuals in Luxembourg. However, most landlords require proof of at least liability insurance (RC locataire) in the lease contract, and all mortgage lenders require building insurance as a loan condition. Going without it is legal but financially very risky — a single water damage event can generate €15,000–€50,000 in liability costs.
Standard Luxembourg home insurance covers: fire and explosion, storm and hail, water damage and burst pipes, glass breakage, and electrical damage. Most formulas also cover theft (from Confort/Active level), emergency assistance (24/7 for AXA and Baloise), and building liability. Flood, personal liability (RC vie privée), green energy equipment, and portable electronics are generally add-ons — except for LALUX Performance (which bundles them) and Baloise (which includes flood in base).
Annual premiums range from €80 to €450 depending on your profile. Tenant in 60m² apartment: €90–€160/yr. Owner-occupant of 120m² apartment: €160–€280/yr. Owner of 180m² house: €250–€450/yr. Non-occupant landlord with 150m² house: €200–€400/yr. See the full price guide for per-insurer breakdowns.
The four main home insurers in Luxembourg are: LALUX Assurances (easyPROTECT Habitation — 3 tiers: Sécurité, Confort, Performance), AXA Assurances Luxembourg (OptiHome — Active for apartments, Privilège for houses), Baloise Assurances Luxembourg (Home — Essentielle and Intégrale formulas), and Foyer Assurances S.A. (Mozaïk — à-la-carte model, 100% Luxembourg company). All are regulated by the Commissariat aux Assurances Luxembourg (caa.lu).
Yes. AXA Luxembourg's website and online quote tool support English, and their customer service handles English calls. Baloise's GoodStart platform uses clear plain language and agents are English-speaking. LALUX and Foyer operate primarily in French, Luxembourgish, and German, but agents in Luxembourg City typically handle English. For full digital autonomy in English, AXA or Baloise are the best choices.
🛡️ Coverage Questions
Yes, but only as standard with Baloise. Baloise Home Essentielle is the only Luxembourg formula that includes flood (inondation) in the base contract. AXA requires the Sérénité Max optional pack. LALUX only covers flood in the Performance formula. Foyer lists it as an optional add-on. If you live near the Alzette, Sûre, Pétrusse, or Moselle rivers, this difference is critical — Storm Bernd in July 2021 caused over €300 million in Luxembourg flood damage.
It depends on the formula. AXA OptiHome Active includes theft up to €5,000 as a standard feature. Baloise Home Essentielle does NOT include theft in the base — it's an option. LALUX easyPROTECT Sécurité excludes theft; it's available from Confort onward. Foyer Mozaïk includes theft as an option when content is insured. AXA Active is therefore the only base formula with meaningful theft coverage without an add-on.
All four insurers offer green energy coverage, but as an option in most cases. Exception: LALUX easyPROTECT Performance includes it automatically (solar panels, heat pumps, wind turbines, EV charging stations). Baloise offers a dedicated Pack Energie Renouvelable with three levels: €10,000 / €20,000 / €30,000. AXA covers it via the Sérénité Max option. Foyer lists "installations d'éco énergies" as an optional guarantee. If you have solar or a heat pump, LALUX Performance or Baloise are the strongest choices.
Damage you accidentally cause to your neighbours (water damage from a burst pipe in your apartment reaching the floor below) is covered by RC locataire (tenant liability) or RC vie privée (personal liability). Most Luxembourg base formulas include RC immeuble (building liability), but RC vie privée — which covers personal daily life liability — is typically an add-on. This option costs approximately €15–25/year and covers significant risks including accidental damage to others' property, personal injury claims, and pollution liability.
Only with specific add-ons. LALUX easyPROTECT Performance automatically covers portable multimedia devices worldwide. AXA's multimedia option covers portable devices globally (theft, breakage, loss). Baloise's Pack Multimédia extends to nomadic devices. Standard base formulas typically only cover electronics at the insured Luxembourg address. If you travel frequently with expensive equipment, confirm worldwide portable device coverage is explicitly included before assuming it is.
AXA's Emergency@home is a 24/7 emergency repair service included in both OptiHome Active and Privilège formulas (i.e., in every AXA home insurance contract). It covers the cost of a professional called out for emergencies rendering the home inaccessible or uninhabitable: lost keys, heating breakdown in winter, major water leak, damaged roof. AXA covers intervention costs up to €400 per call. No other Luxembourg insurer includes an equivalent service with a specified monetary limit in every base contract — making it a genuine differentiator for AXA.
✈️ Expat-Specific Questions
Yes — your residency duration doesn't affect the legal or financial risk exposure. Most Luxembourg rental contracts require insurance from day one. The good news: under Luxembourg law, you can cancel any home insurance contract with 30 days written notice before the annual renewal date. There is no minimum contract duration requirement. If you leave Luxembourg, you can cancel immediately with proof of departure at no penalty. Short-term expats on relocation packages often have these costs covered by their employer — check your relocation agreement.
If your company is the named tenant on the lease, the legal insurance obligation may fall on them. However, the company's policy typically covers the apartment structure and corporate liability — not your personal belongings (clothing, personal electronics, valuables). If you want your personal items covered, you need your own renter's policy. Check whether your employer's relocation package includes personal effects coverage. Even if it does, the limits are often low (€5,000–€15,000) — consider supplementing with your own policy for high-value items.
If you live in France, Belgium, or Germany and commute to Luxembourg, your home is in your country of residence — you need a home insurance policy in that country, not Luxembourg. Luxembourg home insurance policies cover property located within Luxembourg's borders. However, if you own an investment property in Luxembourg (while living abroad), you need a Luxembourg policy for that property specifically. Luxembourg regulations require all property located in Luxembourg to be insured by a Luxembourg-licensed insurer (regulated by the CAA at caa.lu).
🏢 Landlord & Non-Occupant Questions
A non-occupant landlord in Luxembourg (propriétaire non-occupant or PNO) typically needs: (1) Building coverage — covering the property structure against fire, water damage, storm, etc. (2) RC propriétaire non-occupant — liability toward tenants and third parties for damage caused by the property. (3) Optionally: rent guarantee (loyer garanti, available from Foyer Mozaïk and Baloise), property deterioration coverage, and legal protection. Foyer Mozaïk is the most developed PNO product with all of these as named options. AXA handles non-occupant properties via a separate product — OptiHome Résidence.
Rent guarantee insurance (loyer garanti or assurance loyers impayés) is available from two of the four main insurers as an option. Foyer Mozaïk explicitly names it as a "loyer garanti" guarantee for non-occupant landlords in their coverage documentation. Baloise also mentions unpaid rent protection for non-occupant owners. AXA and LALUX do not list it as a specific named option in their published official coverage documents. This coverage is an add-on, not a standard feature, and typically covers 6–12 months of unpaid rent after a defined claim procedure.
Tenants are legally responsible for insuring their personal liability (damage they cause to the apartment or neighbours). Lease contracts in Luxembourg typically make this mandatory. As a landlord, you cannot legally require a specific insurer, but you can require proof of at minimum RC locataire coverage. You can also require tenants to name you as a co-beneficiary on their policy (bénéficiaire en cas de sinistre) — this allows direct claim handling between your insurers without going through the tenant.
📋 Claims Process
All four Luxembourg insurers require you to declare a claim within 8 days of the event (as per Luxembourg insurance law). For theft, an additional police report is required immediately. The typical process: (1) Secure the property to prevent further damage. (2) Document everything with photos. (3) Notify your insurer within 8 days — by phone or via their online client portal (Baloise: myBaloise, AXA: Mon Espace AXA). (4) Do not undertake repairs before the insurer has inspected or given written agreement. (5) Keep all receipts related to emergency measures.
Simple claims (e.g., glass breakage, small water damage) are typically assessed and paid within 2–4 weeks. Complex claims requiring an expert assessment (expertise d'assurance) take 4–8 weeks. Claims involving third-party liability disputes can extend to several months if legal proceedings are involved. Emergency assistance (available 24/7 from AXA and Baloise) covers immediate costs on-the-spot — this is separate from the main claim reimbursement process.
Under Luxembourg law, you have the right to dispute a claim settlement. First step: formal written complaint to your insurer's claims department. If unresolved, you can escalate to: La Médiation de l'Assurance (mediation service for insurance disputes), or the Commissariat aux Assurances Luxembourg (caa.lu) for regulatory complaints. Foyer's official coverage document explicitly mentions psychological support as a post-claim service. All four insurers also offer legal protection (protection juridique) as an option, which covers lawyers' fees in dispute situations.
📄 Contract & Cancellation
You can cancel at the annual renewal date with 30 days written notice (registered letter, bailiff's deed, or written receipt). You can also cancel within 30 days of receiving notice of a premium increase. Immediate cancellation rights apply if the insurer cancels another guarantee on your contract. If you move permanently outside Luxembourg, cancellation is typically possible without penalty — LALUX explicitly excludes tacit renewal for cross-border departures. The 30-day notice period starts from the postmark date of your letter.
Yes. All four main Luxembourg insurers offer monthly payment (mensualisation) by direct debit. LALUX and Foyer offer this without additional fees. AXA and Baloise may charge a small administration fee for monthly payment. The annual premium is simply divided by 12 — coverage is identical whether you pay monthly or annually. Monthly payment does not reduce or restrict your coverage in any way.
A change of address requires a declaration to your insurer, who will re-assess the risk at the new address. The premium may change based on the new location's flood risk, commune, surface area, and construction type. The contract continues without interruption — you don't need to cancel and re-subscribe. However, failing to declare a change of address can void your coverage in the event of a claim. Most insurers require notification within 30 days of moving.
🔍 Specific Situations
Yes. LALUX easyPROTECT Discover is a specific product for people aged 15–27 who are preparing their professional entry (e.g., students). It covers liability (RC vie privée) and legal protection, with an extension for student housing. Optional add-ons include mobile device coverage and health/repatriation coverage. This makes it uniquely relevant for Luxembourg university students and young professionals in their first apartment. No other main Luxembourg home insurer has an explicitly branded student-age product.
Baloise has the most comprehensive garden and pool pack, covering: garden furniture, tools, robotic mowers, greenhouses, pergolas, automatic irrigation, water storage, and outdoor lighting — as well as the full pool (structure, cover, electrical equipment). LALUX Performance includes a garden and pool pack covering similar items. Foyer Mozaïk offers optional garden and pool coverage. The Baloise Pack Jardin/Piscine and Pack Énergie Renouvelable can be combined at three coverage levels — an advantage for property-rich homeowners.
Accidents de la vie privée is an optional guarantee available from Foyer Mozaïk that covers personal injury accidents occurring in private life — not just accidents caused to others (which is RC vie privée), but accidents causing harm to yourself or family members: a fall at home, a sports injury, a gardening accident. This is a distinct coverage category that none of the other three main Luxembourg home insurers (AXA, Baloise, LALUX) list as a named option in their current official coverage documents, making it a unique Foyer differentiator for families concerned about personal injury protection.
All four main insurers offer e-bike and light electric vehicle coverage, but as an optional add-on. Coverage typically includes: theft, accidental damage, and bodily injury for vehicles up to 25 km/h. Baloise's Pack Équipements de Mobilité Durable has three coverage levels (€2,500 / €5,000 / €10,000) and is available for both Essentielle and Intégrale. LALUX Performance includes a cycling and soft mobility pack. Note: e-bikes exceeding 25 km/h are typically classified as motor vehicles and require separate motor insurance — not home insurance.
All four Luxembourg home insurers impose vacancy exclusions, but the thresholds differ. LALUX easyPROTECT excludes theft coverage after 45 consecutive days of vacancy. Foyer Mozaïk excludes damages occurring after 120 consecutive days of continuous vacancy (for occupant profiles). AXA and Baloise also have vacancy conditions in their full policy terms — check your Conditions Générales. If you leave Luxembourg for an extended period (renovation work, travel, between tenants), notify your insurer in advance. Most will grant a vacancy extension for an additional premium rather than simply voiding coverage.
The proportionality rule (règle proportionnelle de primes or règle de sous-assurance) applies when you have declared a lower contents value than the true replacement cost. In a claim, your insurer will reduce the payout proportionally. Example: you declared €20,000 in contents but the real value is €40,000. You suffer a €10,000 theft. Your insurer pays only €5,000 — because you only insured 50% of the actual risk. This rule applies to all four main Luxembourg home insurers and is one of the most common reasons claim payouts are lower than expected. Always declare contents at full replacement-cost value, not market or purchase price. A furnished 2-bedroom Luxembourg City apartment typically contains €25,000–€50,000 in replaceable contents at current market prices.
Sources: LALUX easyPROTECT documentation · AXA OptiHome documentation · Baloise Home documentation · Foyer Mozaïk documentation · Loi du 27 juillet 1997 sur le contrat d'assurance (Luxembourg) · Commissariat aux Assurances Luxembourg (caa.lu). For a full comparison of home insurance in Luxembourg, visit the independent comparison platform Switchr.lu.