Insurance for bricklaying and building contractors in Germany
In building construction a lot hinges on a few decisions: how deep to excavate, how to support the neighbouring house, who locks the container at night. The big claims here do not come from tools but from the building shell itself. This page explains which insurance your business needs and what it costs.
Who pays if the house next door cracks while we dig the foundation pit?
Your public liability policy, if damage from underpinning, undermining and subsidence is included. Exactly this kind of damage is excluded or capped in many standard policies because it can get expensive. Get the extension confirmed in writing and have the condition of the neighbouring house recorded in a pre-construction survey before work starts.
What goes wrong in this trade
01
Cracks next door
Excavation, underpinning and vibrating plates set neighbouring buildings moving. Cracks in facades and cellars quickly lead to six-figure claims.
02
Your own building shell
A storm topples freshly built gables, rain floods the basement slab, vandals spray the walls: until handover, that is your loss.
03
Theft from the site
Plate compactors, lasers, generators and copper disappear from containers overnight.
04
Cranes and loads
Suspended loads over other people's land, a toppled crane: few events are as expensive.
05
Cables and pipes in the ground
When digging for foundations, power, gas and fibre optic lines get hit. The network operator invoices the repair and the outage.
06
Accidents on site
Falls from scaffolds and floor openings, falling bricks, machinery accidents: building construction is among the most accident-prone sectors.
Contract works insurance protects the building shell until handover against storm, water, vandalism and theft of installed parts; as an annual policy for all sites.
Business legal expenses cover for disputes over variations, interim invoices and delays with clients and main contractors.
What it costs: example prices
Building contractors pay more than finishing trades, because damage to neighbours, underground lines and crane claims are expensive. As turnover grows, insurers' quotes vary widely.
Insurance
Example
Typical range
Business liability
€50,000 turnover, €3 to €5 million cover, €250 excess
about €430 to €900 a year
Business liability
€200,000 turnover, €3 to €5 million cover
about €490 to €970 a year
Business liability
€1 million turnover, €3 to €5 million cover
about €1,330 to €4,050 a year
Contractors all risks
single house with €900,000 construction value, up to 24 months
about €1,100 a year according to a sample calculation
Machinery breakdown
Construction machinery and small equipment worth €100,000
about €1,000 to €2,500 a year
For comparison: Liability insurance for a small bricklaying business costs about as much per year as ten to fifteen square metres of internal brick wall.
Guide prices excluding German insurance premium tax, as of September 2026.
Liability and contract works come from published examples;
machinery is a guide value from our quoting practice.
For contractors an annual policy covering all sites, charged on annual construction output,
Six claims that really happen in building construction, all on a single Monday in autumn. Go through the day and see who pays.
Damage so far€158,700
The site container has been cut open with an angle grinder: plate compactor, rotating laser and two generators are missing.
€11,500 · Paid by: Machinery breakdown
Last night's storm has blown down the freshly built gable of a detached house.
€19,000 · Paid by: Contractors all risks
While digging for the strip foundation, the excavator tears a fibre optic cable. The network operator invoices repair and outage.
€14,000 · Paid by: Business liability
A skip of mortar swings on the crane and damages the neighbour's carport roof and a car.
€9,200 · Paid by: Business liability
The neighbour reports cracks in the cellar wall and facade since the foundation pit was opened.
€75,000 · Paid by: Business liability
A site foreman falls through an unsecured floor opening and breaks his pelvis. Group accident insurance pays on top of the Berufsgenossenschaft.
€30,000 · Paid by: Group accident insurance
Which package would you have had?
Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €158,700
Illustrative amounts before any excess.
What is paid depends on the policy terms.
Practical tips from your broker
Have damage from underpinning, undermining, subsidence and vibration included with an adequate limit.
Take out contract works insurance as an annual policy instead of insuring each site separately.
Choose at least €5 million combined cover, and rather €10 million for public clients and blocks of flats.
Commission a pre-construction condition survey before excavating next to existing buildings; it settles disputes about old and new cracks.
Obtain utility plans and document your enquiries: without proof, the insurer can reduce payment for damage to underground lines.
Check whether joint ventures and subcontractors are covered under your policy.
Why NAMMERT for your business
We know the gaps in construction
Underpinning, crane work and damage to underground lines decide real claims in building construction. We compare these points across several insurers before we talk about price.
Claims handling in our own hands
As underwriting agent for boats we handle claims ourselves. We know what documentation an insurer needs to pay quickly.
One contact for the whole business
Machinery, fleet, sites and your personal cover are handled by us in one place.
Free of charge and independent
The insurer pays our remuneration. You work with a family business that has been advising companies since 1989.
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers
What insurance does a bricklaying business need?
Public liability is essential.
If you build new houses, you also need contract works insurance,
and machinery insurance for expensive equipment.
How much does liability insurance cost in building construction?
Published comparisons show about €430 to €900 a year at €50,000 turnover and about €1,330 to
€4,050 at €1 million turnover.
What is contract works insurance?
In German it is called Bauleistungsversicherung.
It protects the building under construction until handover against unforeseen damage such as
storm, water, vandalism and theft of installed parts.
Liability insurance does not pay for this damage.
Are cracks in the neighbouring house covered?
Only if underpinning and subsidence damage is included.
That is an important point when comparing, because basic tariffs exclude this damage.
Who pays if the excavator hits a gas pipe?
Your public liability policy, if you obtained the utility plans and worked carefully.
Without those enquiries, the insurer can reduce payment for gross negligence.
Are subcontractors covered by my insurance?
Your liability for subcontractors you hire is usually covered, but their own liability is not.
Ask subcontractors for their own proof of insurance.
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