It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the different things you need to check out when you are moving to Norway, and the different types of insurances are one of these.
Which insurances do you need, and which are just a waste of money? Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about home insurances in Norway!
You are generally strongly advised to have home insurance in Norway if you own a house or apartment, because you will need this if something bad happens to your property. The Norwegian home insurance typically covers all natural damages like fires, lightning strikes etc. as well as mechanical damage from busted water pipes.
So you do not “need” to have it in the sense that it’s mandatory but it’s extremely rare to see someone who owns an property without having a home insurance.
What home insurance in Norway cover, and what it does not
Home insurance is pretty much a type of insurance that covers everything physical with your house or apartment itself. This means the actually building and property, not the things inside it.
You find that people use their home insurance in cases where flooding has ruined the structure of the wall in the basement, but another type of insurance to actually replace the items in the basement that was ruined by the flood.
Some things a home insurance in Norway usually cover is:
- Fires.
- Water damages.
- Damages from third parties.
- Damages from natural sources (flooding etc.).
- Damages to your outside areas.
- Damage from rot, fungi or insects.
- A rebuilding of the house in cases of complete damage.
Keep in mind that this is a general view of what home insurances in Norway tend to include, and you should read up on the terms and conditions of your specific home insurance to be sure.
The home insurance in Norway typically includes all permanent structures, as well as structures that are permanently mounted.
Make sure not to mix up home insurance and home contents insurance
A home contents insurance is a type of insurance that covers everything not permanently mounted in the house, such as pretty much all your belongings.
This is not the same as a regular home insurance, but it’s still a type of insurance that you absolutely will want to get if you live in Norway.
In most cases, people own both a house insurance and a home contents insurance.
What happens if you don’t own home insurance in Norway?
Nothing will happen if you don’t own a house insurance in Norway, for better or worse. It might be just fine for a long time, but you’re really in for a bad time if you lose your house to a fire or another natural damage like that.
Without home insurance, you are not going to be paid a single Norwegian krone if your house is damaged or destroyed from a natural cause.
If you lose your entire house in a fire, though luck! Better start saving up money to build a new house.
You will also still need to pay back your mortgage even if you lose your house or apartment in a fire, so there are many reasons why you will want to have home insurance in Norway.
The house owner or landlord should own the home insurance in Norway
You don’t need to worry about home insurance if you are renting an apartment or even a house in Norway. Getting and paying for the home insurance is the responsibility of the landlord, and not the tenant. You are responsible for not setting the place on fire, but you won’t be responsible if any of the house damage comes from natural sources.
So you generally don’t need to worry about this as long as you are renting.
Apartment buildings tend to have home insurance as part of the shared costs
If you are living in an apartment complex or any other shared housing where you pay a “fellesgjeld” / joint shared cost or “husleie” / house payment, the home insurance is typically included in these costs.
You should absolutely read up on the terms of the agreement to be sure, but in most cases you will find that the home insurance is included, so getting your own personal one would be a total waste of money.
This makes a lot of sense when you think about it, since the entire building need to be fixed or replaced in cases of fires or other natural damages like that. So it makes a lot more sense for the building complex to be insured as its own unit, and not have individual apartments be insured on their own.
Frequently asked questions about home insurance in Norway
How much does home insurance cost in Norway?
The cost of home insurance in Norway is typically around 6,000 to 9,000 NOK per year, but it will depend a lot on your house or property. Each insurance is personal, and takes a lot of different factors into account when determining the price.
Is it mandatory to have home insurance in Norway?
It is not mandatory with home insurance in Norway, but it’s highly advised to get it. But you are not going to get fined for not having it, like you would with the mandatory car liability insurance.
Do you need to pay home insurance as a renter in Norway?
No, you do not need to give home insurance a second though as a renter in Norway, and this is the responsibility of the landlord.
What is the Norwegian word for home insurance?
The Norwegian word for home insurance is husforsikring.
Where can you get home insurance in Norway?
You can get home insurance from all the major insurance providers in Norway. Some of the most well-known as Tryg, If, Gjensidige and Storebrand, but you are free to choose any you like.