Property Insurance in Sweden

Unlike car insurance, property insurance is not legally mandatory in Sweden. However, if you have a mortgage, your lender will typically require it. For renters, while not legally required, most housing contracts strongly recommend or require basic hemförsäkring. Even without such requirements, property insurance is considered essential protection in Sweden and over 95% of households have some form of coverage.

Hemförsäkring is basic home insurance that covers your personal belongings, liability, legal protection, and travel coverage. It's appropriate for renters or as a base policy for all residents.

Bostadsrättsförsäkring includes hemförsäkring plus bostadsrättstillägg, which covers the interior fixtures and your maintenance responsibility within a owned apartment (bostadsrätt). This includes coverage for permanent fixtures like bathroom installations, kitchen cabinets, and flooring that are your responsibility as an apartment owner.

Most Swedish property insurance provides coverage for certain natural events such as storms (winds over 21 m/s), lightning strikes, and heavy snow damage. However, coverage for flooding, landslides, and other ground movement varies significantly between insurers and may have limitations, especially in high-risk areas.

If your property is in an area prone to specific natural disasters, you should carefully review policy details and potentially seek specialized coverage. Read our detailed article on Natural Disaster Coverage in Swedish Property Insurance for more information.

For shared housing arrangements:

• Each individual typically needs their own hemförsäkring to cover their personal belongings and liability
• Standard hemförsäkring covers related family members living at the same address (typically spouse/partner and children)
• Unrelated roommates are not covered under one person's policy
• Some insurers offer specific solutions for collective living arrangements, but these are less common

If you live in a shared housing situation, make sure everyone has appropriate coverage to avoid gaps in protection.

If you cause damage to the rental property or neighboring apartments (for example, through a water leak from your washing machine or a fire), your hemförsäkring's liability coverage typically covers your responsibility for these damages. This is one of the main reasons landlords often require tenants to have hemförsäkring.

The liability limits in most policies are substantial (often in the millions of SEK), but you should verify your specific coverage. Without insurance, you could be personally liable for all damages, which can be financially devastating.

Yes, foreign citizens can obtain property insurance in Sweden, but requirements vary by insurer:

• Most require that you have a Swedish personal number (personnummer)
• Some may accept coordination numbers (samordningsnummer)
• You generally need to be registered at a Swedish address
• Some policies have minimum residency requirements (e.g., being in Sweden for at least 6 months of the year)

If you're a non-resident property owner or have special circumstances, specialized insurers like SEB, Trygg-Hansa, or IF may offer tailored solutions, though potentially at higher premiums.