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Insurance broker / Business types / Public sector

Insurance for volunteer fire brigades and fire brigade associations in Germany

In Germany, volunteer firefighters have statutory accident cover, and the municipality insures vehicles, the fire station and liability in action, usually through municipal loss pools or framework contracts. Almost all volunteer fire brigades also have an association (Feuerwehrverein or Förderverein). It runs the annual fire brigade festival, keeps the social fund, buys equipment and sometimes looks after a vintage fire engine. That is the part a broker can help with.

Insurance for fire brigade associations in Germany

The question almost everyone asks first

The town insures everything, doesn't it? What does the association need?

The town insures emergency operations and the accident fund covers the firefighters. The association, however, is a separate legal entity. It runs festivals, holds money, owns marquees, equipment or a vintage engine and has a board. It needs its own policies for that. A broker checks what the municipality already covers and fills only the gaps.

What goes wrong in this trade

  1. 01

    Fire brigade festival

    A marquee collapses in a storm, a guest falls at the bar, a child is scalded at the sausage stand. The association is the organiser.

  2. 02

    Association vehicles

    A vintage fire engine or a minibus owned by the association drives in parades and to youth camps.

  3. 03

    Equipment

    Marquee, beer tables, a refrigerated trailer and a sound system are stored at the station or in a barn.

  4. 04

    Board and funds

    Social fund, donations and festival takings: mistakes with charitable status or accounts can hit the board personally.

  5. 05

    Youth activities off duty

    Camps and trips organised by the association are not always fire brigade service.

  6. 06

    Helpers and guests

    Friends, partners and neighbours help at the festival. Anyone who is not a member of the fire brigade is not automatically covered by the accident fund.

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

Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.

The insurance you need

Essential

Business liability

As association and event liability it covers claims from the festival, parades, maypole raising and youth trips.

Strongly advised

Business contents

Covers the association's marquee, tables, trailer and sound system against fire, storm, water and burglary.

D&O insurance

Protects the board and treasurer from personal liability for financial losses of the association.

Depends on the business

Group accident insurance

Pays fixed sums for permanent disability, for example for festival helpers and participants in trips outside fire brigade service.

Car insurance

For vehicles owned by the association, such as a vintage fire engine, often on a classic car tariff with seasonal plates.

What it costs: example prices

Premiums for fire brigade associations are small. Large festivals, own vehicles and an own clubhouse cost more.

InsuranceExampleTypical range
Business liabilityAssociation with 120 members and one festival with about 1,500 guests a yearabout €80 to €200 a year
Business contentsMarquee, 30 table sets, refrigerated trailer and sound system, about €30,000about €150 to €400 a year
D&O insuranceBoard of a fire brigade association, €250,000 limitabout €150 to €350 a year
Car insuranceVintage fire engine with historic plates, liability and partial coverabout €150 to €400 a year
Group accident insuranceBlanket accident cover for 30 festival helpersabout €50 to €150 a year

For comparison: Liability cover for a fire brigade association costs about as much a year as one keg of beer at the festival.

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

The points on statutory accident cover come from Social Code Book VII and the fire brigade

accident funds.

Sources of the price examples

Our suggestions: three packages

01

Association

For: association with one festival and a social fund

  • Business liability
  • D&O insurance

Together about €250 to €550 a year

Request this package

02

Festival

For: association with its own marquee, equipment and many helpers

  • Business liability
  • D&O insurance
  • Business contents
  • Group accident insurance

Together about €450 to €1,100 a year

Request this package

03

Heritage

For: association with a vintage fire engine and its own clubhouse

  • Business liability
  • D&O insurance
  • Business contents
  • Group accident insurance
  • Car insurance
  • Commercial buildings

Together individual, usually from about €1,200 a year

Request this package

The worst day for a fire brigade association

Six things that really happen to fire brigade associations, all on festival day. Tap through and see who pays.

Damage so far€32,600
  1. While unloading, a table set slides off the trailer and dents a neighbour's car.

    €2,100 · Paid by: Business liability

  2. A child is scalded at the sausage stand and the parents claim damages.

    €5,500 · Paid by: Business liability

  3. A helper who is not a firefighter falls while carrying crates and injures her knee.

    €3,500 · Paid by: Group accident insurance

  4. A gust of wind tears the association's marquee.

    €9,000 · Paid by: Business contents

  5. A guest slips on the wet dance floor and breaks a wrist.

    €8,000 · Paid by: Business liability

  6. The tax office later queries the festival accounts and the board is asked to pay the back tax.

    €4,500 · Paid by: D&O insurance

Which package would you have had?

Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €32,600

Illustrative amounts before any excess.

What is paid depends on the policy terms.

Practical tips from your broker

  1. Ask the municipality in writing what it insures for the fire brigade and the station.
  2. Keep an inventory that separates association property from municipal equipment.
  3. Tell the liability insurer in advance about large festivals with marquees, stages or rides.
  4. Arrange cover for festival helpers who are not fire brigade members.
  5. Insure a vintage fire engine as a classic vehicle with an agreed value.
  6. Review the policies whenever the board changes.

Why NAMMERT for your business

Honest about where we are not needed

Operations, vehicles and firefighters are covered by the municipality and the accident fund. We insure only what the association lacks.

We know associations

As an insurance broker we have worked with clubs for years. Boards, treasurers and summer festivals are familiar ground.

Several insurers compared

For liability, equipment and vintage vehicles we obtain quotes from several insurers.

Family run since 1989

Arranging insurance since 1989. Free for the association; the insurer pays our commission.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Are volunteer firefighters insured in Germany?

Yes.

Volunteers helping in emergencies have statutory accident cover under § 2 (1) no.

12 Social Code Book VII, including training.

The insurer is a fire brigade accident fund or the state accident fund.

Who insures fire engines and the fire station?

The municipality as the body responsible for the fire brigade,

usually through loss pools or framework contracts.

Does a fire brigade association need its own liability cover?

Yes, once it runs festivals, parades or trips.

The municipality's cover does not automatically extend to the association.

What does cover for a fire brigade association cost?

Association liability starts at about €80 a year.

With D&O for the board, expect €250 to €550.

Are festival helpers insured?

Not automatically if they are not fire brigade members.

Blanket group accident cover is an inexpensive solution.

How do you insure a vintage fire engine?

As a classic vehicle with historic or seasonal plates and an agreed value for own damage cover.

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request quotes for Fire brigade

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

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

Business contents insurance in Germany (Inhaltsversicherung)

For example café with bakery, accounting firm, car repair shop

At purchase price, 0 if no stock

For example flood cover, customer property, tools in vehicles, loss of income

4Your current policy
5How can we reach you?

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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