Home insurance in Sweden, or insurance in general, is probably not on the 10-ten-list of hottest things you want to think about when you are planning your move. But it is probably on the top-10-list of things you really want to have when the s**t hits the fan.
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To be honest with you, insurance confuses me a bit. When they start talking about the details, I tune out. I just want to know that the things I care about, myself and my family included are taken care of if I need it. But if insurance is confusing when you know the country and the language, it is just a liiiiiitle more complicated when you are new to a country. So, here we have tried to put together the ultimate guide to home insurance in Sweden, which is one of the basic insurances to start with. So here goes!
Is it a legal requirement to have home insurance?
Nope! There is no law in Sweden saying you must have a home insurance. But almost 95% of people living in Sweden have home insurance.
What does home insurance cover?
What is included in home insurance varies between companies. However, most home insurance covers the following:
- property in the event of fire, damage, and theft,
- third party liability,
- legal protection,
- assault cover and
- travel insurance.
How much does home insurance cost in Sweden?
There is no fixed price that applies to everyone. The cost of a home insurance policy is based on different factors in your life and housing situation, such as:
- where you live,
- if you rent or own your home,
- square footage,
- your life and family situation.
The price can therefore vary significantly depending on your life situation and between insurance agencies. So once again, it pays to look around before you shop.
Should I get home insurance as a newcomer?
Generally, we would say yes but it is of course entirely up to you. However, if anything is stolen or broken in the place you are staying, you are responsible for repairs or replacement. The home insurance also usually include liability protection, legal protection and travel insurance.
If you are staying in Sweden less than a year, you can usually have home insurance from your home country. Just make sure that the home insurance covers your home abroad as well.
Can I get home insurance as as newcomer?
Well now this is a somewhat tricky question with no simple answer.
- The short answer is, if you do not have a Swedish identification number – you will struggle to get home insurance in Sweden and you are better off getting one from your home country.
- If you do have a Swedish identification number – just go ahead and compare to your hearts content.
- Some insurance companies such as IF and Folksam may accept a so-called coordination number.
Most insurance companies also require that a person who is to be included in someone else’s home insurance (for instance if you are moving to live with someone in Sweden) must be registered at the address. In order to be registered in the national register, you must have a social security number.
Do I need home insurance as a foreign student in Sweden?
Short answer: Yes. Long answer: your apartment, your things, your mobile, computer, sofa, freezer, bike… Basically everything you care about or need is protected with home insurance. And the all risk insurance covers stuff that breaks due to sudden and unexpected accidents.
However, as a foreign student in Sweden you may not have the possibility to get a Swedish identification number if you are here for a limited time. If that is the case, make sure you get home insurance from your home country that covers your home abroad.
If you are staying here longer than a year you should get home insurance and make sure you get an insurance for students as they tend to be a lot cheaper.
How long can I go without home insurance?
You can go without home insurance your entire life if you so choose. But the general recommendation is to have home insurance of some kind, such as:
- Home insurance from your home country that covers your home abroad (a good choice if you plan to live less than a year in Sweden).
- Home insurance in Sweden which you can get a soon as you have a Swedish identification number.
- Home insurance in Sweden with a coordination number (usually given to those that arrive as refugees in Sweden).
Where do I find home insurance?
As always Google is there to offer a helping hand. Simply google “hemförsäkring” and you will get a bunch of different hits to explore.
We also have a few collaborations with insurance companies we like. However, none of these offer insurance if you do not have a Swedish identification number. In fact, as far as we know, no insurance company in Sweden currently offers home insurance without a Swedish identification number.
- Hedvig* says they disrupt the old insurance industry by offering a fully mobile based, fast, simple and fair insurance. They also have options for rentals and students.
- ICA Försäkring* – Offer home insurance and holiday house insurance.
Also as we keep telling you to compare services, it is only be fair that we tell you where to do this. On Compricer* you can make comparisons for electricity contracts, bank loans, house mortgage and different types of insurance such as home, pet, child and car insurance. It is free to use their website but you will have to answer a few questions in order to get deals that fit you.
Which are the best home insurances in Sweden?
Ultimately, what is the best home insurance for YOU, depends on your situation, needs and finances. However, it is nice when someone has done the work for you. Försäkringsguiden for instance has done a comparison of 11 insurance companies and put Hedvig and ICA Försäkringar among the top 3 in 2023.
Konsumenternas.se (a collaboration between the Swedish Consumers’ Banking and Finance Agency and the Consumers’ Insurance Agency.) on the other hand has Folksam Stor, Dina with some extras and ICA Försäkring Plus as their top 3 in 2023.
So, even though I’ve said it before, I will say it again, compare before you buy!
Make sure you have the cheapest insurance
A hot tip if you already have insurance, is to sign up to Påmind*. This is a free service that keeps track of a lot of different types of contracts and negotiates better prices. Types of contracts they handle are mobile subscriptions, electricity contracts, mortgages, car insurance, broadband, home insurance, private loans. According to Påmind, their users save an average of 2000 sek per year. So definitely worth a try.
Final words
This is all we have on home insurance right now. Hopefully it will answer whatever questions you had on home insurance in Sweden. And if it didn’t, write your question in the comments and we will add to the post as soon as we can.
And check out this article if you want to find information on other types of insurance in Sweden.
