Court Rejects Insurance Claim Over Husband's Death

The widow of a man killed as a result of an accident does not have the right to obtain damages because her husband will no longer be able to renovate the family home himself, a court in Karlruhe ruled on Wednesday. The women sought €51,000 ($62,700) from insurers to cover the costs of renovations. According to the decision, the woman is only entitled to compensation for the things which the deceased -- at the time of his death -- was himself entitled to. In this case, the court ruled that did not apply to home renovation. Nor does the widow have the right to damages because she is expected to contribute to the upkeep of the house over the long term now as the property's sole owner.