Calculate loss of household management capacity
If an accident means you can no longer run your household as before, you could be entitled to compensation — regardless of whether you hired paid help. The calculator below gives a first, non-binding estimate in under a minute.
Haushaltsgröße
Wie stark war die Beeinträchtigung im Haushalt?
Wie lange bestand die Beeinträchtigung bereits bzw. voraussichtlich?
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1. Hours needed
Recognised reference tables set out a weekly time requirement for running a household, depending on household size.
2. Impairment
What share of these tasks became impossible because of the accident.
3. Duration
The period over which the impairment existed or is expected to exist.
4. Hourly rate: statutory minimum wage
The range is deliberately conservative: as the hourly rate, we consistently apply the statutory minimum wage, not a higher, hypothetical market rate. The range shown instead reflects the uncertainty within the chosen level of impairment — each level is based on a plausible range rather than a single percentage.
Sources: Schulz-Borck/Pardey, Der Haushaltsführungsschaden (reference tables, orientation values for hours needed) · the statutory minimum wage under German law, applied consistently as the hourly rate — a deliberately conservative choice. From roughly 12 months onward, the calculator deliberately stops producing a figure — more on that right at the result.
What is loss of household management capacity?
Anyone who can no longer run their household, or only to a limited extent, because of an accident suffers an independent, compensable loss (§§ 842, 843 German Civil Code) — regardless of whether paid help was actually hired. That is the point most often overlooked: the claim arises abstractly, simply because your own household labour is impaired.
This is not a claim only for a 'housewife' — it belongs to anyone who runs a household: people living alone, working people, men, retirees, parents.
In practice, insurers scrutinise this item closely because it requires a concrete, comprehensible account: which tasks exactly were affected, to what extent, over what period. Case law has corrected in both directions here — courts have also reined in excessive demands on claimants' submissions. If the account stays too vague, reductions are still likely — and what isn't raised at first instance usually cannot be added later on appeal, due to German preclusion rules. What you state first is what counts.
More on our work in traffic law is on our main traffic law page; a deeper look at pleading requirements and preclusion on appeal is in our article on the BGH decision VI ZR 24/25.
Typical situations
Working sole earner
After the accident, he can no longer manage the evening and weekend household tasks as before — even without hired help, this is a compensable loss.
Person living alone
Anyone living alone runs their entire household themselves. If that ability is lost because of an accident, the loss is just as real as in a multi-person household.
Family with children
One parent can no longer manage childcare, cooking and organising family life to the usual extent — the father who previously took on these tasks has a claim too.
Limits of this calculator
A calculator produces a figure — but not an account. And the account is what matters: the figure is the easy part, a solid, concrete account is the hard part, and a calculator cannot provide that. It assumes a constant level of impairment throughout, does not know your specific tasks, and works with a fixed band rather than an assessment precise to your case.
The most important structural point: as soon as contributory fault for the accident is a possibility — for example at a junction, a lane change, or braking ahead of you — the decisive figure, the liability share, is itself a legal question depending on how the accident happened and the evidence. A calculator cannot assess that without pre-empting individual advice. The mere possibility of contributory fault is therefore not an edge case but the norm, requiring individual review — and even with contributory fault, a substantial amount often remains.
The calculator is a good first step for orientation. The estimate is rough — that does not mean your claim is uncertain.
Why Koch, Schatz & Kollegen
- Traffic law is a core focus: in 2025 alone, we handled roughly 900 traffic accident claims.
- Based in Offenbach am Main, Rhine-Main region — we handle personal injury claims nationwide as well, since this work is largely conducted in writing and independent of location.
- Contract lawyers of the GTÜ.
Let's talk about your case
Whether and to what extent loss of household management capacity can be claimed in your case is something we can clarify in a personal conversation — non-binding and with no cost risk for the initial consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Does this apply to me as a man or as an employed person?
Yes, in principle. The claim does not depend on gender or employment status, but on whether an accident means you can no longer run your household as before — whether all requirements are met in your case depends on your specific situation.
Does this still apply if I didn't hire paid help?
Yes. The claim arises abstractly, regardless of whether paid help was actually hired — what matters is the loss of your own household labour.
What if relatives stepped in instead?
That generally does not rule out the claim either — unpaid help from relatives doesn't change the fact that your own labour was lost. The exact assessment depends on the individual case.
How far back does this apply, and when does the claim expire?
The standard limitation period is three years from the end of the year in which you became aware of the loss and the person liable (§§ 195, 199 German Civil Code) — this is only a rough guide. When the period actually starts, and any grounds for suspension, depend on the individual case and should be reviewed individually.
Does a partial impairment count too?
Yes. The claim does not require a complete inability to run the household — a partial, accident-related limitation is generally compensable too, valued proportionately.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Contributory fault reduces the claim in line with the liability share, but generally does not rule it out — a substantial amount often remains. The liability share itself depends on how the accident happened and the evidence, and should be reviewed individually.
Can't I just claim this myself?
Legally, yes — in practice, case law requires a concrete, comprehensible account of tasks, extent and duration of the impairment. If that stays too vague, reductions are likely, and anything missed usually cannot be added on appeal. More in our in-depth article on pleading requirements.