Skip to content

Insurance broker / Business types / Property and finance

Insurance for condominium owners' associations in Germany: building, liability and the advisory board

If you own a flat in Germany, you are also a member of the owners' association, the Wohnungseigentümergemeinschaft or WEG. The association owns the roof, the pipes, the stairwell and the grounds together. German law counts insuring the building at rebuild value and the owners' liability as part of proper management. This page explains what the association needs, what it costs and what to look out for as an owner or advisory board member.

Insurance for condominium owners' associations in Germany

The question almost everyone asks first

Do I need to insure my own flat as well?

The association insures the building as a whole, usually in one policy for the entire property. As an owner you need contents insurance for your furniture and personal liability insurance for yourself. If you let your flat, check whether your own fittings, such as a new kitchen or flooring, are included in the buildings policy.

What goes wrong in this trade

  1. 01

    Escape of water

    A riser pipe bursts and water runs through three flats into the basement. In blocks of flats this is the most frequent building claim.

  2. 02

    Underinsurance

    The sum insured was set years ago and never updated. After a fire there is not enough money to rebuild, and owners face a special levy.

  3. 03

    Duty of care on the grounds

    Icy steps, loose paving or a falling tree: injured visitors claim damages from the association.

  4. 04

    Heavy rain and backflow

    A thunderstorm pushes water from the sewer into the underground car park. Without natural hazards cover, the buildings policy pays nothing.

  5. 05

    Refurbishment

    Roof, facade or heating are replaced. During the works there is a risk of damage and disputes with contractors over defects.

  6. 06

    Decisions and the board

    Volunteer board members check the accounts and the budget. If something goes wrong, their own money can be at stake.

Risk radar
Liability 4Fire and water 5Theft 2Cyber 1Downtime 2Health 3

Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.

The insurance you need

Essential

Buildings insurance

Covers roof, walls, pipes and common areas at rebuild value against fire, escape of water, storm and hail, as § 19 WEG describes for proper management.

Business liability

As property owners' liability it pays when third parties are injured on the property. With an oil tank, water pollution liability belongs in the policy too.

Strongly advised

Natural hazard cover

Adds heavy rain, flooding, sewer backflow and landslip, which a standard buildings policy excludes.

D&O insurance

Protects advisory board members if they are accused of gross negligence or are paid for their work.

Depends on the business

Contractors all risks

Covers unforeseen damage to the building during major works, such as a storm hitting an open roof.

Solar panel insurance

If the association owns solar panels on the roof, this covers the equipment and lost yield.

What it costs: example prices

The buildings policy is by far the largest item. It depends on floor area, year of construction, building type, region and claims history. Liability cover is cheap and is often priced per flat.

InsuranceExampleTypical range
Buildings insuranceBlock of ten flats, about 750 square metres, built 1985, fire, water, storm and hailabout €1,800 to €4,000 a year
Buildings insuranceDevelopment with 60 flats and an underground car parkabout €9,000 to €20,000 a year
Natural hazard coverNatural hazards add on for the ten flat block in a normal risk zoneabout €200 to €800 a year
Business liabilityProperty owners' liability, ten flats, €10 million limitabout €100 to €250 a year
D&O insuranceAdvisory board with three members, €250,000 limitabout €150 to €400 a year

For comparison: For a building with ten flats, the buildings policy usually costs €15 to €35 per flat a month, less than one tank of fuel.

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

Your premium depends on the building, location, excess and claims history.

The legal points come from the German Condominium Act.

Sources of the price examples

Our suggestions: three packages

01

Essentials

For: small association with two to eight flats

  • Buildings insurance
  • Business liability
  • Natural hazard cover

Together about €1,000 to €3,500 a year

Request this package

02

Apartment block

For: association with ten to 30 flats and an advisory board

  • Buildings insurance
  • Business liability
  • Natural hazard cover
  • D&O insurance
  • Business legal expenses

Together about €2,500 to €9,000 a year

Request this package

03

Large development

For: large property with car park, solar panels and planned refurbishment

  • Buildings insurance
  • Business liability
  • Natural hazard cover
  • D&O insurance
  • Business legal expenses
  • Contractors all risks
  • Solar panel insurance

Together individual, usually from about €10,000 a year

Request this package

The worst day for an owners' association

Six things that really happen to owners' associations, all on one autumn Sunday. Tap through and see who pays.

Damage so far€98,300
  1. The riser pipe on the second floor bursts. Water runs through three flats into the basement.

    €38,000 · Paid by: Buildings insurance

  2. A newspaper carrier slips on wet leaves on the outside steps and breaks a wrist.

    €9,000 · Paid by: Business liability

  3. Gusts tear off part of the roof, and tiles damage a parked car.

    €14,000 · Paid by: Buildings insurance

  4. A thunderstorm forces water from the sewer into the underground car park.

    €26,000 · Paid by: Natural hazard cover

  5. An owner accuses the advisory board of approving faulty accounts and claims compensation.

    €6,500 · Paid by: D&O insurance

  6. The roofer from the last refurbishment rejects his warranty. The association needs a lawyer.

    €4,800 · Paid by: Business legal expenses

Which package would you have had?

Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €98,300

Illustrative amounts before any excess.

What is paid depends on the policy terms.

Practical tips from your broker

  1. Have the rebuild value assessed and agree a waiver of underinsurance with the insurer.
  2. Add natural hazards cover even if the building is nowhere near a river. Heavy rain can hit anywhere.
  3. Decide by resolution who pays the excess on water claims, the association or the affected owner.
  4. Check whether bathrooms and floors inside the flats are included in the buildings policy and tell the owners.
  5. Declare oil tanks, solar panels and car parks to the insurer so that the cover fits.
  6. Have the policies compared every three to five years. Premiums often rise sharply after claims.

Why NAMMERT for your business

We compare for the whole property

As an insurance broker we obtain quotes from several insurers for building, liability and natural hazards and set them out side by side for the board.

We work with your property manager

The manager prepares the resolution, we supply the figures. The owners' meeting can then decide on a clear basis.

We understand claims work

From boat insurance we know how to report and document a large property claim properly.

Family run since 1989

Arranging insurance since 1989, with the same people on the phone. Free for the association; the insurer pays our commission.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Does a German owners' association have to insure the building?

Under § 19 (2) no.

3 WEG, adequate insurance of the common property at rebuild value is part of proper management.

Without it, a large loss falls on all owners.

Does the association need its own liability cover?

Yes.

The law names property owners' liability explicitly.

It pays when third parties are injured on the property and defends unjustified claims.

What does insurance for a German owners' association cost?

For ten flats, the buildings policy is usually €1,800 to €4,000 a year and liability €100 to €250.

Natural hazards cover costs extra.

Are advisory board members personally liable?

Unpaid board members are liable only for intent and gross negligence under § 29 (3) WEG.

D&O cover protects them in these cases and when they are paid.

Are my belongings covered by the association?

No.

Furniture and personal items need your own contents insurance.

Can I get advice in English?

Yes.

We explain the German policies in English, while the contracts themselves are usually in German.

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request quotes for Owners' association

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

Buildings insurance in Germany (Wohngebäudeversicherung)

If fully renovated, please mention the year in the message field

Natural hazard cover in Germany (Elementarschadenversicherung)

If you know your ZÜRS class, please mention it in the message field

For example 1914 value, living space or contents sum

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

Directors and officers insurance in Germany (D&O)

Known circumstances must be disclosed, otherwise cover may be lost

4Your current policy
5How can we reach you?

Related trades

Landlord

Landlord

Can I pass the insurance premiums on to my tenants?

Caretaker service

Caretaker service

Am I liable if someone falls on a pavement 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