SIGNAL IDUNA Bauspar review 2026

The arrangement fee in the standard variant is 1.0 percent of the building savings sum. Anyone who chooses the tariff variant with a 1.6 percent arrangement fee gets in return different interest and allocation terms and a free increase of the building savings sum up to a doubling. With a building savings sum of €50,000, that is €500 or €800 respectively, which is offset against the first savings instalments. On top comes a service fee of €15 a year during the savings phase. That is standard in the market but above the €12 threshold from which we award the full score. On the positive side, no separate loan fee and no loan premium (Agio) are charged on payout of the building society loan – a cost block that some competitors still charge. Scoring (14/25): For the arrangement fee of 1.0 percent there are 8 out of 15 points. The service fee of €15 a year is in the up-to-€24 level and brings 2 out of 6 points. Because no fee is charged on the building society loan, the full 4 points go to SIGNAL IDUNA.

The loan interest rates are the provider's strength. The nominal borrowing rate is, depending on the variant, 2.48 percent (F30), 2.49 percent (F40) and 1.78 percent (F50). On 01.07.2025 the building society cut the borrowing rates of the F30 and F50 variants by 0.30 percentage points each. Effectively – i.e. including arrangement and service fee at a 1.0 percent arrangement fee – the result is around 3.04 percent (F30), 2.75 percent (F40) and 2.33 percent (F50). Decisive for a building savings contract is interest rate certainty: the loan interest rate is fixed when the contract is concluded and applies unchanged until the loan is fully repaid. Anyone who takes out a contract today therefore secures the current interest rate level for a period that cannot be achieved with traditional property loans with a 10 or 15-year fixed rate. The loan term is designed for up to 25 years, and the repayment instalment is in line with the market. Scoring (23/28): We assess the cheapest verifiable variant. With an effective annual rate of 2.33 percent in the F50 variant, SIGNAL IDUNA is below the 2.5 percent threshold, which gives 15 out of 18 points. For the interest rate guaranteed from the conclusion of the contract there are the full 5 points. The repayment instalment and term are standard in the market, for which we award 3 out of 5 points.

In the savings phase, SIGNAL IDUNA pays, depending on the variant, between 0.20 percent base interest and 0.70 percent in the F40 variant. That is little compared with a call money account, but for a building savings contract with interest rate security on the loan side it is an above-average figure. Anyone who uses the contract only as a savings investment is better off with a fixed-term deposit – a building savings contract pays off through the loan. For allocation, 30 percent (F30) or 40 percent (F40) of the building savings sum, depending on the variant, must have been saved. A minimum savings balance of 30 percent is a good figure, because the loan then becomes available sooner. The regular savings instalment is 5.00 per mille of the building savings sum per month – with a building savings sum of €50,000 that is €250 a month. The minimum building savings sum is €5,000. Scoring (13/17): The credit interest of 0.70 percent in the F40 variant is in the 0.5-percent-and-above level and brings 7 out of 10 points. The minimum savings balance of 30 percent is below 40 percent, for which there are the full 4 points. The regular savings instalment of 5.00 per mille reaches the up-to-5-per-mille level and thus 2 out of 3 points.

The allocation conditions are well documented. SIGNAL IDUNA states a minimum evaluation number (Bewertungszahl) of 3.2 and the evaluation number factors of the individual variants (0.600 for F30, 0.450 for F40 and F50). That makes it possible to calculate the expected allocation date before signing the contract, which is far from possible at all building societies. Special repayments on the building society loan are possible at any time, without limit and free of charge. Anyone who receives an inheritance or severance pay can therefore pay off the loan without a prepayment penalty. A switch between the F30 and F40 variants is also possible. The adjustment of the building savings sum is less transparent: a free increase up to a doubling is documented in the variant with a 1.6 percent arrangement fee, while there is no complete public information on reduction and splitting. Scoring (16/18): For the published minimum evaluation number and the evaluation number factors there are the full 5 points. Free special repayment possible at any time brings 6 out of 6 points, and the possible tariff switch 3 out of 3 points. Because only the increase can be verified for adjusting the building savings sum, we award 2 out of 4 points here.

On state support, SIGNAL IDUNA covers the complete spectrum. The tariffs are approved for the housing bonus (Wohnungsbauprämie), provided the income limits are met. Employer-funded capital formation benefits (vermögenswirksame Leistungen, VL) can be paid directly into the contract, and the contract qualifies for the employee savings bonus (Arbeitnehmer-Sparzulage). In addition, SIGNAL IDUNA offers a Riester-certified building savings tariff for the owner-occupier pension (Eigenheimrente, or Wohn-Riester). This allows the basic allowance and child allowances to be channelled into the mortgage, which significantly improves the effective return of a building savings contract – in return, the usual restrictions of Wohn-Riester support apply, including deferred taxation via the housing support account (Wohnförderkonto). Scoring (7/7): Eligibility for the housing bonus (3 points), VL eligibility including the employee savings bonus (2 points) and a Riester-certified tariff (2 points) give the full score in this chapter.

SIGNAL IDUNA Bauspar AG is subject to BaFin supervision and is a member of the statutory deposit protection, which secures balances up to €100,000 per customer. There is no additional voluntary protection above this amount – in practice, however, that is sufficient for typical building savings balances. Contract administration runs through the customer portal Meine SI, which is also available as a mobile app and includes building savings contracts. The building society can be reached by phone on 0231 135-7333 Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm. Scoring (5/5): BaFin supervision and statutory deposit protection bring 2 points, the customer portal including app a further 2 points and the reachable hotline the last point.