Business contents
Replaces stock and fittings after fire, burst pipes, storm and burglary; consignment goods must be expressly included.
Insurance broker / Business types / Retail and wholesale
Insurance for antiques, second hand and vintage shops in Germany
Every piece in your shop is one of a kind, and that is exactly what makes a claim difficult: a Biedermeier chest of drawers cannot be reordered, and its value is on no invoice. Add consignment goods that are not yours, house clearances in other people's homes and trips to fairs and customers. This page explains how to cover all of that and what it costs.
The question almost everyone asks first
How do I insure stock whose value nobody knows exactly?
With contents insurance for a sufficiently high sum and good records: purchase receipts, photos, valuations for important pieces and an inventory you keep up to date. After a loss you have to prove the value. For individual very valuable items such as paintings or jewellery, separate fine art or valuables cover with agreed values is worth it.
What goes wrong in this trade
- 01
Night time burglary
Silver, watches, jewellery and small objets d'art are sought after, and burglars know antique shops rarely have an alarm.
- 02
Fire and firefighting water
Old wood, upholstery, books and paper burn well. Whatever survives the fire is often ruined by the water used to fight it.
- 03
Other people's goods in your shop
Consignment pieces belong to the people who brought them in. If they burn or vanish, the owners will ask you for the agreed price.
- 04
House clearances
Clearing a flat, you knock a door frame, scrape the stairwell or dent a neighbour's car. That is a liability claim.
- 05
Taking stock to customers and markets
A mirror topples while loading, a glass cabinet breaks on the way to the antiques fair. On the road, goods are often not covered by the shop policy.
- 06
Heavy furniture
Wardrobes, chests and dressers are carried by hand. The owner's back and hands are the real working capital.
Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.
The insurance you need
Essential
Business liability
Pays when customers are hurt on furniture or when you damage someone else's property during a clearance or delivery.
Car insurance
Motor liability for vans and trailers is required by law; comprehensive cover protects the vehicle itself.
Strongly advised
Cargo insurance
Covers goods on the way to customers, markets and fairs, where contents insurance no longer applies.
Accident insurance
Protects you as the owner if something happens while carrying heavy furniture, because self employed owners are not automatically covered by the Berufsgenossenschaft.
Depends on the business
Business interruption
Pays rent and fixed costs if the shop stays shut for months after a fire.
Business legal expenses
For disputes with buyers over authenticity and condition, or with consignors over settlement.
What it costs: example prices
Public liability for an antique shop is cheap. The premium depends mainly on contents cover: stock value, silver and jewellery in stock, location and how well doors and windows are secured.
| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Business liability | Shop without staff, €3 million cover, house clearances included | about €80 to €200 a year |
| Business contents | Furniture and stock worth €60,000, burglary included | about €200 to €500 a year |
| Business contents | Stock of €150,000 including silver and jewellery | about €600 to €1,500 a year |
| Cargo insurance | Own trips to customers and markets, up to €20,000 per trip | about €150 to €350 a year |
| Business interruption | Loss of income for up to twelve months, added to the contents policy | about €60 to €180 a year on top |
For comparison: Basic cover of public liability and contents insurance costs about as much a year as one Biedermeier chair from a flea market.
Guide prices as of September 2026, based on published tariff examples for retail and on our own quoting practice. For jewellery, watches and art, insurers often require specific security and itemised values; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Our suggestions: three packages
01
Starter
For: second hand shop or vintage boutique with manageable stock
- Business liability
- Business contents
Together about €300 to €700 a year
Request this package02
Dealer
For: antique shop with consignment goods and house clearances
- Business liability
- Business contents
- Cargo insurance
- Car insurance
Together about €1,000 to €2,200 a year
Request this package03
All round
For: trade in silver, jewellery and art, with fairs and a warehouse
- Business liability
- Business contents
- Cargo insurance
- Car insurance
- Business interruption
- Business legal expenses
Together about €2,000 to €4,500 a year
Request this packageThe worst day in the antique shop
Six claims of the kind antique and second hand dealers really see, all on a single Friday. Click through the day and see who pays.
Damage so far€99,600
-
Break-in through the back window: table silver, three pocket watches and a jewellery box are gone.
-
During a house clearance, a wardrobe scrapes the freshly painted stairwell wall over three floors.
-
On the way to the antiques market, a display cabinet tips over in the van and shatters.
-
A customer leans on a wobbly shelf, it topples and he injures his hand.
-
Parking, the van hits another car.
-
An electrical fire in the workshop spreads to the store room, which holds consignment furniture from four consignors.
Which package would you have had?
Illustrative amounts before any excess. Whether and how much is paid depends on the policy terms.
Practical tips from your broker
- Keep an inventory with photos and purchase prices and store a copy away from the shop, for example in the cloud.
- Have consignment goods named as third party property in the contents policy and keep the sum insured up to date.
- Ask about payout limits for jewellery, silver and cash: without a safe they are often far below what you hold.
- Include damage caused while working, during house clearances and deliveries, in your public liability policy.
- Cover goods at fairs and markets with transit or exhibition insurance, because the shop policy ends at the door.
- Check your own accident cover: as the owner you are only insured with the Berufsgenossenschaft if you sign up voluntarily.
Why NAMMERT for your business
We understand the valuation problem
As a broker we compare several insurers and look at how they value unique pieces and consignment goods after a loss, not just at the premium.
We know claims settlement from the inside
In boat insurance we settle claims ourselves. When the value of a piece is disputed after a burglary, we know which evidence counts.
Shop, van and private cover together
Your business, vehicle, goods at fairs and your private cover are handled together, with one phone number and one email address.
Family business since 1989
Our advice is free for you, as the insurer pays our commission. You always speak to the same people.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
What insurance does an antique dealer in Germany need?
Contents insurance for stock and fittings plus public liability are the foundation. If you transport goods or trade at markets, add transit insurance, and motor liability for the van.
Are consignment goods covered automatically?
No. Third party property has to be named in the policy and included in the sum insured. Otherwise you pay the consignors out of your own pocket.
How much does insurance for an antique shop cost?
Public liability starts at about €80 a year. With contents insurance, a small shop usually pays between €300 and €700 a year, considerably more with silver, jewellery and art.
Does the insurer pay market value or purchase price?
For trade stock it usually pays replacement cost, meaning what you would have to pay for an equivalent piece. With unique items this is open to negotiation, which is why receipts and photos matter so much.
Am I covered during house clearances?
Only if the activity is written into the policy. Damage to stairwells, doors or floors while clearing is typical damage caused while working and must be included.
Does a second hand shop need less cover?
Often yes, because the stock is worth less. You should still have public liability and contents insurance for fittings and stock, especially if you take goods on consignment.
NAMMERT insurance broker
Request quotes for Antiques
The recommended covers are already ticked. Change what does not fit; we obtain quotes and come back with a comparison. You can write in English.
Thank you, we have your request.
We will be in touch within one working day. If it is urgent: +49 3375 29 12 77.
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Official classification
This page covers the following classes of the German WZ 2025 (identical to NACE at four digits):
- 47.79 Einzelhandel mit Antiquitäten und Gebrauchtwaren
Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), WZ 2025. All business types
Boat or yacht? Here we are not the broker but the underwriting agency, with our own policies and our own claims handling.
Boat insuranceNAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker. Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated