Household management loss: compensation when you cannot manage the household after the accident

Injuries after an accident that was not your fault can mean you can no longer do household tasks, cooking, cleaning, shopping, gardening, or only to a limited extent. This loss is a recoverable damage, the so-called household management loss, even if no helper was hired.

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Your chances of getting your money back

If you cannot run the household as before due to injury, you are entitled to reimbursement of this household management loss, regardless of whether you pay for help or relatives step in (§ 249 BGB).

The damage is calculated according to the specific loss: the hours you could not perform due to the injury, valued at a customary hourly rate for a replacement helper.

What you should do now

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1. Record the tasks
List which household tasks you performed before the accident and how much time they took.
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2. Document the limitation
Record with medical certificates to what extent and for how long you were impaired.
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3. Calculate the damage
Multiply the lost hours by a customary hourly rate. Reference tables help with the classification.
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4. Register the claim
Assert the household management loss with the opposing insurer. Because of the calculation, legal help is worthwhile.

How to spot the scam

The insurer rejects the damage because you did not hire help.
The extent of your former household activity is played down.
Only a very short period of impairment is recognized.

Frequently asked questions

What is a household management loss?

Compensation for the fact that, after an accident-related injury, you can no longer run the household to the usual extent. It exists regardless of whether you use paid help or relatives step in (§ 249 BGB).

How is it calculated?

According to the specific loss: it is determined which household tasks you performed before the accident and to what extent you were unable to due to the injury. The lost hours are valued at a customary hourly rate.

Do I get money even without paying for a cleaner?

Yes. The claim exists even if you do not hire a replacement helper but the work is left undone or taken over by relatives. What matters is documenting the tasks and the impairment.

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General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.