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Insurance for agricultural contractors in Germany

An agricultural contractor works with machines worth as much as a family home on other people's fields, under time pressure and often late into the night. A stone in the forage harvester, a field fire during combining or slurry in a stream, and the bill quickly runs to six figures. This page explains what insurance is compulsory in Germany, what it costs and where gaps appear.

Insurance for agricultural contractors in Germany

The question almost everyone asks first

Isn't motor liability enough for my machines?

No. Motor liability is designed for damage caused by using the vehicle, for example on the road. But if the forage harvester throws stones at a car in the field, spray drifts onto a neighbouring crop or slurry runs into a ditch, you need public liability with environmental cover. Both policies have to fit together so that nothing falls between driving and working.

What goes wrong in this trade

  1. 01

    Breakdown at harvest

    A foreign object destroys the cutterhead and feed rollers of the forage harvester. In the middle of the maize harvest the machine is out for weeks.

  2. 02

    Field fire

    An overheated bearing on the combine sets dry straw alight. The fire spreads to neighbouring fields and a wood edge.

  3. 03

    Slurry and spraying

    A hose bursts and slurry runs into a stream. Or spray drifts onto a vegetable crop next door.

  4. 04

    Road accidents

    Wide machines, dusk and narrow country roads: collisions with cars and motorbikes are serious.

  5. 05

    Seasonal drivers

    Seasonal staff work long shifts on dangerous machines. Injuries are common.

  6. 06

    Theft of technology

    GPS receivers, terminals and diesel are stolen overnight from the field edge or the shed.

Risk radar
Liability 5Fire and water 4Theft 3Cyber 2Downtime 5Health 4

Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.

The insurance you need

Essential

Car insurance

Motor liability is required by law for tractors, trailers and self propelled machines on public roads.

Business liability

For damage while working on other people's land, with environmental liability and environmental damage cover for slurry, diesel and crop protection products.

Strongly advised

Machinery breakdown

Machinery breakdown cover pays for operating errors, foreign objects and fire on harvesters, combines and sprayers.

Fleet insurance

With several vehicles, a fleet policy brings tractors, self propelled machines and vans together with one renewal date.

Commercial buildings

For the machinery shed and workshop against fire, storm and hail; a shed full of machines is a major fire risk.

Depends on the business

Business contents

For tools, spare parts, diesel and technology in the shed, including burglary.

Business interruption

Replaces lost contribution and running costs if insured damage interrupts the season.

Occupational disability

If you drive the machines yourself, you live off your health; statutory accident insurance covers only accidents at work and occupational diseases.

What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on machine values, types of work, turnover and claims history. Contractors who spread slurry or spray crops pay more for liability than a pure mowing service.

InsuranceExampleTypical range
Business liabilityContractor with three staff, harvesting and slurry, with environmental damage cover, €5 million limitabout €1,200 to €3,000 a year
Machinery breakdownForage harvester worth €450,000, machinery breakdown with excessabout €3,500 to €7,000 a year
Car insuranceLarge tractor, liability and partial coverabout €350 to €900 a year
Commercial buildingsMachinery shed with workshop, rebuild value €600,000about €900 to €2,000 a year
Business interruptionLoss of a forage harvester during the season, three month indemnity periodabout €800 to €2,500 a year

For comparison: Machinery breakdown cover for a forage harvester costs about as much a year as a set of new chopping knives.

All prices are guide figures from our own quoting practice, 2026,

excluding German insurance premium tax.

Your premium depends on your machinery, work and claims history.

Legal points come from the linked statutes.

Sources of the price examples

Our suggestions: three packages

01

Starter

For: Side business with tractor, mower and baler

  • Car insurance
  • Business liability
  • Machinery breakdown

Together about €1,500 to €3,500 a year

Request this package

02

Harvest business

For: Contractor with forage harvester or combine and seasonal staff

  • Fleet insurance
  • Business liability
  • Machinery breakdown
  • Commercial buildings
  • Business interruption

Together about €9,000 to €25,000 a year

Request this package

03

Full service

For: Business with harvesting, slurry, crop spraying, earthworks and winter service

  • Fleet insurance
  • Business liability
  • Machinery breakdown
  • Commercial buildings
  • Business contents
  • Business interruption

Together priced individually, usually from about €25,000 a year

Request this package

The worst day for an agricultural contractor

Six losses agricultural contractors really face, all on one day of the maize harvest. Tap through and see which policy steps in.

Damage so far€247,800
  1. On a country road the wide forage harvester clips an oncoming car on a bend.

    €14,000 · Paid by: Car insurance

  2. A stone in the swath wrecks the cutterhead and shear bar of the harvester.

    €38,000 · Paid by: Machinery breakdown

  3. A stone thrown by the harvester smashes the rear window of a car on the farm track.

    €1,800 · Paid by: Business liability

  4. A slurry tanker leaks on a neighbouring field and slurry runs into a drainage ditch.

    €22,000 · Paid by: Business liability

  5. Without the harvester, three haulage teams stand idle and jobs slip by days.

    €12,000 · Paid by: Business interruption

  6. A short circuit in the workshop sets the machinery shed on fire.

    €160,000 · Paid by: Commercial buildings

Which package would you have had?

Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €247,800

Illustrative amounts before any excess.

What is paid depends on the policy terms.

Practical tips from your broker

  1. Make sure the policy states that damage caused by the machine's work, such as stones thrown while mowing, is covered under public liability.
  2. Name every activity: crop spraying, slurry, earthworks and winter service must be included expressly.
  3. Check environmental liability and environmental damage cover separately; a slurry spill can cost far more than you might expect.
  4. Insure large machines at new value and work out whether a higher excess on breakdown cover pays off.
  5. Keep your drivers' certificates of competence current and notify the authority before spraying for others.
  6. Remove GPS receivers and terminals in the evening; many policies only pay for theft from the field with a special clause.

Why NAMMERT for your business

No gap between driving and working

We lay motor liability, public liability and machinery breakdown side by side so no loss falls between the policies.

Independent comparison

Norman Nammert acts as an insurance broker. We approach insurers that cover farm machinery and compare terms and price.

Business and private in one place

Machines, shed, farm and pension all sit with us, with one contact person.

Family run, brokering since 1989

Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Which insurance is compulsory for an agricultural contractor?

Motor liability for vehicles on public roads, with at least €7.5 million for injury,

€1.3 million for property damage and €50,000 for pure financial loss.

Statutory accident insurance comes on top.

Which Berufsgenossenschaft covers agricultural contractors?

Under section 123 of Social Code VII,

agricultural and forestry contractors belong to agricultural accident insurance.

The insurer responsible is the SVLFG.

Do I need permission to spray crops for customers?

Anyone applying plant protection products needs a certificate of competence.

If you do it for others, you must notify the competent authority before you start.

What does insurance for a forage harvester cost?

Machinery breakdown cover for a harvester worth €450,000 is about €3,500 to €7,000 a year,

depending on excess and claims history.

Who pays if slurry runs into a stream?

Public liability with environmental liability is designed for that,

and environmental damage cover for clean up of water and soil.

Both must include slurry spreading.

Are my seasonal workers covered for accidents?

Employees are covered by statutory agricultural accident insurance.

Group accident insurance can top up the benefits.

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request quotes for Agricultural contractors

The recommended covers are ticked.

Change what does not fit; we compare quotes, in English.

1Who is it for?
2Which insurance?

Choose as many as you like. For each one, the details an insurer needs for a quote appear below.

Personal

Business

3Details

Car insurance in Germany (liability, partial and fully comprehensive)

Most precise with the HSN and TSN codes from the registration document

Business liability insurance in Germany (Betriebshaftpflicht)

For example electrical installation in homes, café with outdoor seating, online shop for furniture

For example work at clients' sites, own products, exports to the US, parent company abroad

Commercial buildings insurance in Germany (Gebäudeversicherung)

From a valuation or your current policy

For example flood cover, solar panels, loss of rent, planned refurbishment

Machinery breakdown insurance in Germany

Today's price for equivalent new machines including freight and installation

For example machine list, leasing, security measures, previous claims

Fleet insurance in Germany (Kfz-Flottenversicherung)

For example leasing, insurer's claims report, foreign trips, renewal date

4Your current policy
5How can we reach you?

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Who pays if someone falls on an area I was supposed to clear?

Boat or yacht? NAMMERT has its own cover concepts for boats, arranged by the same broker.

Boat insurance

Your broker: Norman Nammert, trading as NAMMERT.

Insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act.

Broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37.

NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH is a separate company.

It does not arrange your contract.

Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated