What insurers ask for — and why paperwork decides the payout

Updated 29 July 2026 · 6 min read

The short version: a Czech insurer deciding a claim will ask whether the property was properly maintained — and will ask for inspection reports: chimney, electrical, lightning protection, and evidence of servicing. Missing paperwork is the most common reason a payout is reduced. The second most common is underinsurance: if the sum insured is below the real value of the house, the insurer reduces the payout proportionally even when everything else is in order.

This is the article that explains why the rest of this guide matters. Very little of Czech maintenance law carries a direct penalty for a homeowner. The consequence arrives later, on a claim.

What insurers ask for

Flue inspection report — decisive after a fire that started at the chimney.
Electrical inspection report — particularly for older wiring, and after any fire of electrical origin.
Lightning protection inspection — for damage after a strike.
Servicing records for the boiler and other equipment.

Notice that several of these are things Czech law does not strictly require of an owner-occupier. That is the point: the legal duty and the insurance expectation are two different things, and it is the second one that costs you money.

Underinsurance: the quiet one

Check periodically that the sum insured still matches what the house is worth to rebuild. Construction costs have moved a great deal; a policy written years ago may cover a fraction of today’s replacement cost. Where a property is underinsured, the insurer pays proportionally — so a house insured for half its value receives roughly half of even a small claim. Nothing about your maintenance changes that.

If you let the property

Landlord cover is a different product from owner-occupier cover, and many policies require you to declare that the property is let. If your insurer does not know, it may decline the claim outright. This is the single most expensive oversight a foreign landlord can make in Czechia.

What to do when damage happens

Make it safe. If gas, electricity or the structure is involved, call the emergency services.
Prevent further damage — turn off the water, for instance. But do not clear up or repair more than necessary before the loss adjuster has seen it.
Photograph and film everything — the extent, the damaged items, and the cause if it is visible.
Report it promptly and have your policy, inventory and inspection reports to hand.

The cheapest insurance policy is an orderly file of paperwork. A single sheet from a technician costing a few hundred crowns can decide a claim worth hundreds of thousands. Whatever you have done to the house, get it documented and keep the document.

Your own policy wording always governs. This is general information, not insurance advice.

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General information about Czech rules as of 2026, not legal advice. Requirements depend on your specific property and can change. Where it matters, follow the applicable regulations and consult a qualified professional.

What insurers ask for — and why paperwork decides the payout