Baloise Home (both Essentielle and Intégrale) is the only Luxembourg home insurance where flood coverage is included in the standard base formula — meaning inondation, sewer backflow and landslides are covered without an additional premium. Every other insurer requires a specific add-on: LALUX includes flood in its Performance formula and as a paid option on Confort (unavailable on Sécurité). AXA requires the Sérénité Max optional extension. Foyer requires the catastrophes naturelles optional pack. With any of these policies, if the specific flood option has not been activated, there is no flood protection.
Why flood coverage matters in Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a small, densely populated country with major rivers — the Sûre, Alzette, Moselle, Eisch, and Attert — flowing through many residential areas. Several communes sit in natural flood plains. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events.
In July 2021, Storm Bernd brought catastrophic rainfall. Echternach, the most severely affected town, saw floodwaters reach 5–6 metres in some streets. The Administration de la gestion de l'eau (AGE) has produced flood hazard maps identifying more than 30 communes at significant risk.
Flood coverage by insurer — what each coverage document says
Based on official official coverage documents. Updated 2026.
| Flood risk covered | Baloise | LALUX | AXA | Foyer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| River/stream flooding (inondation) | ✓ Base | Option † | Option †† | Option ††† |
| Sewer backflow (refoulement égouts) | ✓ Base | Option † | Option †† | Option ††† |
| Surface water runoff (ruissellement) | ✓ Base | Option † | Option †† | Option ††† |
| Landslide following rainfall | ✓ Base | Option † | Option †† | Option ††† |
| Storm & hail (tempête, grêle) | ✓ All formulas | ✓ All formulas | ✓ All formulas | ✓ All formulas |
| Water damage from burst pipes | ✓ All formulas | ✓ All formulas | ✓ All formulas | ✓ All formulas |
| Flood included without extra premium | ✓ Both formulas | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
† LALUX: included in Performance; optional "périls climatiques" add-on for Confort; unavailable for Sécurité. †† AXA: optional "Sérénité Max" extension required. ††† Foyer: optional "catastrophes naturelles" pack required.
What each insurer requires for flood cover
All flood perils — inondation, refoulement des égouts, glissement de terrain, ruissellement — are listed under the systematic base guarantees in both Essentielle and Intégrale, without any additional premium. Coverage applies from the start of the policy and cannot be accidentally omitted at subscription. This is the only Luxembourg home insurance product where flood protection is guaranteed by default across all contractual tiers.
Performance: The "périls climatiques" guarantee (inondation, refoulement des égouts, glissement de terrain, ruissellement) is included as standard — no add-on required.
Confort: Flood is available as a paid optional add-on that must be actively requested and will increase the premium.
Sécurité: Flood coverage is not available even as an option. If you are on Sécurité and require flood protection, you must upgrade to Confort with the add-on, or to Performance.
Flood and natural disaster coverage requires the "Option Sérénité Max" add-on, covering flooding, earthquakes and other natural events. It is not included in any base formula (Active or Privilège) and must be requested separately. Note: AXA offers a multi-option discount — combining Sérénité Max with at least two other optional packs reduces the total premium by up to 6%; four options give a 10% discount, partially offsetting the additional cost.
Flood is covered under the "catastrophes naturelles" optional guarantee, available to both occupant and non-occupant policyholders. Without it, Foyer's strong base guarantees — which include vandalism, terrorism, and glass breakage — provide no flood protection. For existing Foyer clients in flood-risk areas, requesting this option before any flood event is declared is essential.
Highest flood-risk areas in Luxembourg
Based on Administration de la gestion de l'eau (AGE) flood hazard maps and 2021 storm damage data.
Very high risk — Sûre valley
Echternach, Bech, Beaufort, Larochette, Diekirch, Ettelbruck, Rosport. These communes experienced the most severe 2021 flooding. Flood coverage should be treated as essential here, not optional.
High risk — Alzette valley
Luxembourg City (Pfaffenthal, Clausen, Grund), Mersch, Walferdange. The Alzette runs well below the plateau through central Luxembourg City. Ground-floor and basement properties face real flood risk.
Moderate risk — Attert & Eisch
Steinfort, Koerich, Reckange-sur-Mess. Flash flooding from the Attert and Eisch rivers during prolonged rainfall. Flood cover recommended for all ground-floor and lower properties.
Lower risk — plateau areas
Kirchberg, Cessange, Gasperich (elevated), Esch Belval. Properties well above river level. Note: surface water runoff and sewer backflow from heavy rainfall can still cause basement damage even here.
Check your address: The official Luxembourg flood hazard map is available at geoportail.lu → — search for "Inondation" in the map layers. If your property appears in any hazard zone, verify your flood coverage status before your next policy renewal.
What flood coverage pays for
Structural damage to the building
Floodwater entering walls, floors, foundations or electrical systems. Includes drying structural elements, replacing damaged flooring, rewiring submerged installations, and repairing flood-damaged doors and windows. Covered up to the building reconstruction value declared at subscription.
Contents and furniture
Furniture, appliances, clothing and household goods submerged or damaged by floodwater. The coverage amount equals the content value declared at subscription. Underinsuring contents means proportionally reduced payouts after a claim.
Temporary accommodation (chômage immobilier)
If your home is uninhabitable after a flood, all main Luxembourg insurers cover alternative accommodation costs typically for 12–24 months while repairs are completed. This benefit was critical for Echternach residents who could not return home for 6–18 months after 2021.
Cleanup and debris removal (frais de déblais)
Professional cleaning, mud and silt removal, disinfection, and demolition of non-salvageable elements. Flood cleanup typically costs €5,000–€15,000 before any structural repair begins. All main Luxembourg insurers include these accessory costs in flood claims.
Sources: Baloise Home documentation · LALUX easyPROTECT documentation · AXA OptiHome documentation · Foyer Mozaïk documentation · Administration de la gestion de l'eau Luxembourg (AGE). For a full comparison of home insurance in Luxembourg, visit the independent comparison platform Switchr.lu.