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Insurance for building drying, leak detection and water damage restoration in Germany

After a burst pipe, your dryers run day and night in other people's homes, often for weeks. Leak detection means drilling and opening up; water damage restoration means removing screed and insulation. This page explains which insurance firms for building drying, leak detection and water damage restoration in Germany need and what it costs.

Insurance for building drying and water damage restoration

The question almost everyone asks first

Are my dryers insured while they are at the customer's home?

Usually not under normal contents insurance, which only covers your premises. Equipment on site needs electronics or equipment cover that applies away from your premises and includes theft. With a large fleet of dryers, a blanket policy based on total value is worth it.

What goes wrong in this trade

  1. 01

    Equipment fire

    A dryer overheats in a cellar at night and the fire spreads to the house.

  2. 02

    Drilling into a pipe

    During leak detection or insulation drying, the drill hits a cable or heating pipe.

  3. 03

    Incomplete drying

    Screed is signed off too early and mould appears under the new floor months later.

  4. 04

    Theft

    Dryers and meters disappear from building sites and underground car parks.

  5. 05

    Invoice disputes

    Owners or insurers paying the bill cut run times and electricity costs.

  6. 06

    Water from your own work

    A hose comes loose and condensate damages parquet and furniture.

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

Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.

The insurance you need

Essential

Business liability

Pays for injury and property damage at the customer's home, including damage from your work, to pipes and from your equipment.

Strongly advised

Electronic equipment

Covers dryers, leak detection and measuring equipment on site against breakdown, theft and water.

Car insurance

Compulsory for every vehicle; from three vehicles a fleet policy is worth considering.

Depends on the business

Business contents

Replaces stores and equipment at your premises after fire, burglary or water damage.

Cyber insurance

For job software, measurement logs and customer data that are encrypted or stolen.

What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on turnover, staff, the value of your equipment and whether you only dry or also remove screed, insulation and floors.

InsuranceExampleTypical range
Business liabilitySmall drying firm, two people, €5 million coverabout €400 to €800 a year
Business liabilityRestoration firm with eight staff, leak detection and strip outabout €1,200 to €2,800 a year
Electronic equipment60 dryers and meters worth €120,000, with off premises and theft coverabout €1,200 to €3,000 a year
Business legal expensesContract and debt collection legal expensesabout €450 to €1,000 a year
Car insuranceVan up to 3.5 tonnes, liability and partial coverabout €700 to €1,400 a year

For comparison: Equipment cover for a mid sized fleet of dryers costs about as much a year as two new condensation dryers.

Guide figures from our quoting work, excluding German insurance premium tax, October 2026.

Your premium depends on your business, region and claims history;

we obtain the exact quote for you.

Sources of the price examples

Our suggestions: three packages

01

Start

For: small drying firm with a few machines

  • Business liability
  • Electronic equipment
  • Car insurance

Together about €1,600 to €3,200 a year

Request this package

02

Restoration

For: firm with leak detection, strip out and several vehicles

  • Business liability
  • Electronic equipment
  • Car insurance
  • Business legal expenses

Together about €3,500 to €8,000 a year

Request this package

03

All round

For: restoration company with store, large equipment fleet and vehicles

  • Business liability
  • Electronic equipment
  • Car insurance
  • Business legal expenses
  • Business contents
  • Business interruption
  • Cyber insurance

Together individual, usually from about €8,000 a year

Request this package

The worst day in building drying

Six claims drying and restoration firms really see, all on one day. Click through and see who pays.

Damage so far€67,500
  1. Four dryers have disappeared overnight from an underground car park.

    €5,200 · Paid by: Electronic equipment

  2. Drilling for insulation drying hits the underfloor heating.

    €6,800 · Paid by: Business liability

  3. A condensate hose comes loose and water runs under the living room parquet.

    €7,500 · Paid by: Business liability

  4. The equipment van scrapes a pillar while manoeuvring.

    €2,400 · Paid by: Car insurance

  5. A property manager cuts the invoice by half the drying time.

    €3,600 · Paid by: Business legal expenses

  6. A dryer overheats in a cellar; the fire damages storage rooms and stairwell.

    €42,000 · Paid by: Business liability

Which package would you have had?

Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €67,500

Illustrative amounts before any excess.

What is paid depends on the policy terms.

Practical tips from your broker

  1. Insure dryers and meters with off premises and theft cover, not just at your base.
  2. Have damage from your work and to pipes expressly included in public liability.
  3. Check equipment regularly and keep records; after a fire you will be asked.
  4. Record moisture readings at the start and end of drying; they prove your work.
  5. Agree run times and electricity costs in writing before you start.
  6. Tell the insurer if you also strip out screed and insulation or treat mould.

Why NAMMERT for your business

We know water damage

In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves, including water in the hull. We know how drying is documented and billed.

We compare for you

As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert compares several insurers and checks off premises cover and damage from your work.

Business and fleet in one place

Equipment, vehicles and private provision are handled together.

Family run since 1989

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

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

What insurance does a building drying firm need?

Public liability including damage from your work and to pipes,

equipment cover that applies on site,

and compulsory motor liability for your vehicles.

Is public liability compulsory?

Not by law.

Property managers and clients regularly ask for proof.

Who pays if my dryer starts a fire at the customer's home?

Public liability pays for the damage to the house.

The dryer itself is only replaced under equipment or electronics cover.

Are stolen dryers on site covered?

Only with off premises and theft cover in your electronics or equipment policy.

Contents insurance usually only applies at your premises.

What does insurance for a drying firm cost?

From our quoting work, public liability starts at about €400 a year;

with equipment cover and a van, a small firm usually pays €1,600 to €3,200.

Are my employees covered for accidents at work?

Yes, employees are insured by law through the Berufsgenossenschaft.

As the owner you can join voluntarily.

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request quotes for Building drying

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

Business legal expenses insurance in Germany (Firmenrechtsschutz)

For example plumbing business, tax practice, online shop for electronics

Existing disputes cannot be insured, but knowing about them helps us advise you

Electronic equipment insurance in Germany (Elektronikversicherung)

For example single expensive devices, extra costs, practice downtime

4Your current policy
5How can we reach you?

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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