Business liability
Pays when customers fall, react to testers or are harmed by products you filled yourself, with product liability included.
Insurance broker / Business types / Retail and wholesale
Insurance for chemists, drugstores and perfumeries in Germany
A German Drogerie packs perfume worth tens of thousands of euros, aerosol cans, cleaning products and natural cosmetics, some of them filled on site, into a small shop floor. The expensive claims come from three directions: repeated shoplifting, a fire in a stockroom full of aerosols and the customer who reacts badly to a tester. This page shows what to insure and what it costs.
The question almost everyone asks first
Will my insurer pay if perfume is stolen from the shelf?
Usually not. Contents insurance pays for burglary and robbery, meaning someone breaks in or uses force. A shopper slipping a bottle into a bag during opening hours is simple theft, and nearly every policy excludes it or covers only small amounts through an add-on. Security tags, locked cabinets and cameras are what really help against shoplifting.
What goes wrong in this trade
- 01
Aerosols in the stockroom
Hairspray, deodorant and room fragrance contain flammable propellants. A stockroom fire spreads fast, and the water used to put it out ruins whatever stock survives.
- 02
Shoplifting and break-ins
Perfume, branded cosmetics and razor blades are small, pricey and easy to resell. At night thieves break in on purpose; by day they steal again and again.
- 03
A reaction to a tester
A customer tries a cream or has a skin analysis and reacts badly. The claim is then about medical bills and compensation for pain and suffering.
- 04
Products you fill yourself
If you fill or blend fragrance oils, teas or natural cosmetics, German law treats you as the manufacturer, and you are liable for faults in the product and on the label.
- 05
Glass and gel on the floor
One broken bottle or a puddle of shower gel on the tiles, and the next customer goes down.
- 06
Till and loyalty card
The till system, web shop and customer accounts with addresses attract extortionists. When the till goes down, so do sales.
Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.
The insurance you need
Essential
Business contents
Replaces stock, shelving and tills after fire, burst pipes, storm and burglary; with perfume, this is where most of your capital sits.
Strongly advised
Business interruption
Keeps paying rent and wages while the shop stays shut after a fire or water damage.
Cyber insurance
Helps when the till is hacked, data is encrypted or customer data from a loyalty scheme or web shop leaks.
Depends on the business
Electronic equipment
Covers tills, scanners and skin analysis devices even after operating errors, power surges and short circuits.
Business legal expenses
For disputes with your landlord, suppliers or staff, for instance over service charges in a shopping centre.
Company pension (bAV)
A company pension helps you keep good sales and advisory staff when competitors are recruiting.
What it costs: example prices
Liability cover for a drugstore is cheap; insuring the stock is what costs money. The deciding factors are stock value, location, burglary protection and whether you fill products yourself or run a web shop.
| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Business liability | Small drugstore or perfumery, up to 3 staff, €3 million cover | about €80 to €250 a year |
| Business liability | With own filling and a web shop, extended product liability | about €200 to €500 a year |
| Business contents | Stock and fittings worth €80,000, burglary included | about €250 to €600 a year |
| Business interruption | Loss of income for up to twelve months, added to the contents policy | about €100 to €250 a year on top |
| Cyber insurance | Shop with till system and a small web shop | about €200 to €500 a year |
For comparison: Basic cover of public liability and contents insurance costs about as much a year as 60 bottles of branded shampoo at €5 each.
Guide prices as of September 2026, based on published tariff examples for retail and on our own quoting practice. Perfumeries with high stock values pay considerably more for contents cover; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Our suggestions: three packages
01
Starter
For: small shop, modest stock value, no own filling
- Business liability
- Business contents
Together about €300 to €700 a year
Request this package02
Specialist shop
For: drugstore or perfumery with staff and high value stock
- Business liability
- Business contents
- Business interruption
- Electronic equipment
Together about €600 to €1,300 a year
Request this package03
All round
For: shop with web store, loyalty card and own filling
- Business liability
- Business contents
- Business interruption
- Cyber insurance
- Business legal expenses
Together about €1,000 to €2,200 a year
Request this packageThe worst day in the drugstore
Six claims of the kind drugstores and perfumeries really see, all packed into one Saturday. Click through the day and see who pays.
Damage so far€138,200
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Opening up: the door was levered open overnight and the perfume cabinet is empty.
-
A customer slips on spilt shower gel and breaks her arm.
-
After a skin analysis with a sample, a customer comes out in a severe rash on her face.
-
The till is encrypted and loyalty data of 4,000 customers is affected; every one of them has to be notified.
-
A power surge after a thunderstorm destroys the tills and scanners.
-
A box of aerosol cans catches fire in the stockroom. Stock is covered in soot and the shop stays shut for four weeks.
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
- Have product liability written in explicitly as soon as you fill, blend or sell goods under your own name.
- Insure stock at full purchase value and report seasonal peaks before Christmas, otherwise you risk being underinsured.
- Ask which security the insurer expects for perfume: many require lockable display cabinets or a burglar alarm.
- Check that testers, skin analyses and hands on advice are described in the public liability policy.
- Include damage to rented premises, because damage to the shop you rent is often not covered otherwise.
- Store aerosols separately and agree the quantity with the insurer: a large aerosol store can change the premium and the conditions.
Why NAMMERT for your business
We read the theft clause with you
As a broker we compare several insurers and show you where burglary ends and simple theft begins, because that is where most retail expectations fall apart.
We know how claims are settled
In boat insurance we settle claims ourselves. We put that knowledge to work when the value of your stock is argued over after a fire.
Shop, van and private cover in one place
Your business, delivery van, home and your staff's pensions are all handled by one contact at NAMMERT.
Family business since 1989
Our advice costs you nothing, as the insurer pays our commission. You deal with people who know your policy.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
What insurance does a drugstore in Germany need?
Essential are public liability with product liability and contents insurance for stock and fittings. Loss of income cover makes sense, and cyber insurance once you run a web shop or loyalty card.
Can I insure against shoplifting?
Only to a very limited extent. Burglary and robbery are covered by contents insurance, simple theft during opening hours usually is not. Some insurers offer small amounts through an add-on.
How much does insurance for a drugstore cost?
Public liability starts at about €80 a year. With contents insurance, a small shop usually pays between €300 and €700 a year; a perfumery with valuable stock pays more.
Am I liable for cosmetics I only resell?
The manufacturer is liable first. But if you import, fill, relabel or sell under your own brand, the law treats you as the manufacturer, and you need product liability included.
Do I have to tell my insurer about aerosols?
Larger quantities, yes. Aerosols raise the fire risk and the insurer will ask. Getting this wrong can mean a reduced payout after a fire.
Are my staff insured at work?
Yes, through the BGHW, the statutory accident insurer for retail and logistics. A company pension and group accident cover for their free time are voluntary extras worth considering.
NAMMERT insurance broker
Request quotes for Chemist
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):
- 47.75 Einzelhandel mit kosmetischen Erzeugnissen und Körperpflegemitteln
Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), WZ 2025. All business types
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