# Cash in the certified safe: up to what sum insurance pays

> Cash at home: usual payout limits with and without a certified safe, the duty traps (key, anchoring), and what counts in a claim.
> Quelle: https://tresorrari.de/artikel/tresor-versicherung-bargeld · Stand: 2026-07-17 · Tresorrari Redaktion

Cash at home is allowed, in any amount. Surprisingly little of it is insured. The short answer: without a certified safe, most household contents policies replace cash only up to a low limit, often in the range of about 1,000 to 2,000 euros. In a certified safe the limit rises sharply. How high, exactly, is set by your own policy and by the resistance grade of the safe. If you keep larger sums at home, look at the policy conditions first and then choose the safe, not the other way around.

## The three levels of compensation

Household contents policies usually distinguish three situations:

| Situation | Usual order of magnitude* |
|---|---|
| Cash loose in the home (drawer, hiding place) | about 1,000 to 2,000 € |
| Cash in a locked security cabinet (S1/S2) | about 5,000 to 20,000 € |
| Cash in a certified safe to EN 1143-1 (grade 0 and up) | about 40,000 € and more, rising with each grade |

*Guide values: the binding figures are only in your own policy. Some insurers scale differently, require minimum grades, or offer individual agreements. What each class means is explained in the [security grades guide](/artikel/tresor-sicherheitsstufen).

Important: these limits apply per loss, not per banknote. And they concern cash: jewelry, watches, and securities have their own, usually higher, valuables limits (often defined as a percentage of the sum insured).

## The duties: where payouts really fail

After a loss the insurer checks not only the sum, but conduct. The most common traps:

1. **The key was "within reach".** If you keep the safe key in the desk drawer next to the safe, you risk the payout. Keys belong outside the home, in another secured container, or replaced by an electronic lock.
2. **The safe was not anchored.** Certified safes under 1,000 kg must be fixed properly to the manufacturer's instructions, otherwise the offender simply takes the cabinet. Guidance is in [Anchor a certified safe correctly](/artikel/tresor-verankern).
3. **The code was still the factory setting.** 0-0-0-0 or 1-2-3-4 after years in use does not look good in court. Change the code, and do not write it down anywhere nearby.
4. **No records.** Without proof of where larger amounts of cash came from, settlement drags. Keep withdrawal slips or sales receipts, ideally digital and outside the home.

## What to do after a loss

Call the police and file a report (every insurer asks for the case number), do not tidy up, take photos, draw up a list of stolen property, and file it within the policy deadline. The more precisely the contents and the records are documented, the faster settlement runs. It helps to have the safe invoice and the certificate (VdS/ECB-S plate) at hand: they prove the agreed standard of protection.

## Is raising the limits worth it?

Many policies let you raise valuables and cash limits for an extra premium, or insure individual items on their own. From low five-figure values, the talk with the insurer is almost always cheaper than the next higher safe grade on its own. What works best is the combination: a matching resistance grade plus an adjusted policy. For very high values (collections, heirlooms), valuables policies are the cleaner solution than any household-contents clause.

## Conclusion

Read the policy first, then buy the safe: insurance does not pay according to how secure something feels, but according to resistance grade, duties, and the limits in the contract. If you know the three levels and have keys, anchoring, and records in hand, you are paid in a real loss for what was agreed.

## Häufige Fragen

### How much cash are you allowed to keep at home?

Legally, as much as you like: there is no upper limit and no duty to report cash in your own home. Without a certified safe, though, what is insured is usually only a sum in the low four figures.

### Does household contents insurance always pay for theft from the safe?

Only within the policy limits, and only if the duties were met: a matching resistance grade, proper anchoring under 1,000 kg, the key not near the safe, signs of burglary, and a report to the police.

### What limit applies to jewelry in the safe?

Jewelry has its own valuables limits, often as a percentage of the sum insured. In a certified safe they sit clearly higher than when the jewelry is loose in the home. The exact figures are in the policy.

### Do you have to report your safe to the insurer?

Reporting it as a duty, usually not. But if you want to use higher limits, you need proof of the class and the certificate. Putting the invoice and the plate details with the contract papers is worth it.

### What happens if the safe key is stolen as well?

If the key was poorly secured in the home, the payout can be reduced or refused. Keys belong outside the home or in a separate security container, or you choose an electronic lock from the start.