Business liability
Pays if customers fall in the shop, are hit by a toppling crate of drinks or are harmed by something you sold.
Insurance broker / Business types / Retail and wholesale
Insurance for kiosks, Spätis and drinks stores in Germany
A kiosk is small but full of things burglars like: cigarettes, spirits, phone top up cards and cash. Add long opening hours, big windows onto the street and fridges running day and night. This page shows how to protect a kiosk or Späti, the late night corner shop found in many German cities, and what it costs.
The question almost everyone asks first
Are my cigarettes fully covered if someone breaks in?
Only up to the burglary limit stated in your policy, and only if you meet the security requirements. Many insurers cap tobacco separately or ask for extra protection, such as a lockable tobacco cabinet or a roller grille. Work out the value of your tobacco stock at purchase price and compare it with the limit in the policy.
What goes wrong in this trade
- 01
Burglary
Cartons of cigarettes and bottles of spirits are bagged up in minutes. Often the smashed door costs more than what was taken.
- 02
Robbery
Late opening, one person in the shop and cash in the till make kiosks a frequent target.
- 03
Glass and vandalism
Windows smashed, shutters sprayed, doors scratched: shops facing the street are often hit by vandals.
- 04
Fridges running all day and night
Drinks fridges and ice cream freezers never stop, and a fault can turn into an electrical fire.
- 05
Broken glass and empties
In a drinks store crates topple, bottles break and customers slip on wet floors.
- 06
Closed by roadworks or damage
Roadworks outside the door or water damage inside, and passing trade stays away for weeks.
Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.
The insurance you need
Essential
Strongly advised
Business contents
Replaces stock, fittings and the till after burglary, robbery, vandalism, fire and burst pipes, and with glass cover also windows and fridge doors.
Business interruption
Pays rent and wages if the kiosk stays closed for days after a break in or a fire.
Depends on the business
Group accident insurance
Pays a fixed benefit to casual staff and family members hurt in a robbery.
Electronic equipment
For the till system, card terminal and lottery terminal against power surges and operating errors.
Business legal expenses
For disputes with the landlord or drinks suppliers, or over fines from the local authorities, where insurable.
What it costs: example prices
Kiosks pay little for liability. Burglary cover costs more, because tobacco and alcohol pack a lot of value into a small space and are often stolen to order.
| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Business liability | Kiosk or Späti with one or two casual helpers | around 60 to 200 euros a year |
| Business liability | Drinks store taking back empties | around 150 to 450 euros a year |
| Business contents | Stock and fittings worth 40,000 euros, much of it tobacco, including burglary | around 300 to 800 euros a year |
| Business contents | Glass cover for shop window, door and fridges | around 60 to 200 euros a year on top |
| Business interruption | Loss of income for up to six months | around 80 to 250 euros a year |
For comparison: Public liability and burglary cover cost a kiosk about as much a year as it takes for 70 packets of cigarettes.
Guide figures excluding insurance tax, as of September 2026. The liability figures come from a public price comparison for kiosks; burglary, glass and loss of income are guide figures from our own quoting practice, because location and security have a strong effect on the premium.
Sources of the price examples
Our suggestions: three packages
01
Start
For: small kiosk or Späti with modest stock
- Business liability
- Business contents
Together around 350 to 900 euros a year
Request this package02
Shop
For: Späti or kiosk with lottery, parcel point and long opening hours
- Business liability
- Business contents
- Business interruption
- Electronic equipment
Together around 600 to 1,400 euros a year
Request this package03
All round
For: drinks store or kiosk with casual staff and several tills
- Business liability
- Business contents
- Business interruption
- Electronic equipment
- Group accident insurance
- Business legal expenses
Together around 1,000 to 2,300 euros a year
Request this packageThe worst day at the kiosk
Six losses that really happen in kiosks and Spätis, all on one Friday. Tap through and see who pays.
Damage so far€25,300
-
Burglars lever the door open and clear out cartons of cigarettes and bottles of spirits.
-
The door is wrecked and the lock needs replacing, so the shop only opens in the afternoon.
-
A customer slips on broken glass and spilt beer in the drinks aisle and cuts her hand badly.
-
A power surge kills the till and card terminal, leaving two hours of cash only sales.
-
Teenagers throw a stone through the large shop window.
-
A man threatens the helper and demands the till. She falls while backing away and breaks her arm.
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
- Check the burglary limit for tobacco and the security it requires; many policies cap tobacco on its own.
- Include glass cover for the shop window, door and fridge doors, as broken glass is one of the most common kiosk claims.
- Vandalism following a break in is usually covered, but pure vandalism without a break in often needs its own extension.
- Keep as little cash in the till overnight as you can, and record each time you take money out.
- Parcel and lottery terminals often belong to the provider; find out who insures them.
- Choose at least 3 million euros of public liability cover; the extra cost for 5 million is small.
Why NAMMERT for your business
We find insurers for tobacco and alcohol
Not every insurer is keen on kiosks. As a broker we approach several and compare burglary limits and security requirements.
We know claims handling
We settle boat claims ourselves. After a break in we know the police report, a stock list and purchase receipts must be gathered quickly.
One contact for the shop and the family
We look after the kiosk, your car and your personal cover together, even when family members help out. Call us on +49 3375 29 12 77.
A family business since 1989
We know what long opening hours mean when the business is your own. Our advice is free of charge for you.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
What insurance does a kiosk need?
Public liability and contents insurance that includes burglary, robbery and glass. With long opening hours and casual staff, group accident insurance is worth having too.
How much does insurance for a Späti cost?
Liability starts at around 60 euros a year. With burglary and glass cover, small kiosks usually pay between 350 and 900 euros.
Is shoplifting covered?
No. Contents insurance pays for burglary and robbery, not when someone quietly pockets goods during opening hours.
Are family members who help out insured?
With the Berufsgenossenschaft only if they are registered or voluntary cover for business owners is in place. Ask the BGHW, and consider private accident insurance as well.
Will insurance pay for a smashed window?
Only if you have glass cover. Without it you pay yourself unless the culprit is caught.
Do I have to insure lottery or parcel equipment myself?
That depends on your contract with the provider. The equipment often belongs to them, but the cash taken for lottery tickets and parcels is your responsibility.
NAMMERT insurance broker
Request quotes for Kiosk
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):
- 47.25 Einzelhandel mit Getränken
- 47.26 Einzelhandel mit Tabakwaren
Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), WZ 2025. All business types
Boat or yacht? Here we are not the broker but the underwriting agency, with our own policies and our own claims handling.
Boat insuranceNAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker. Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated