Insurance for language schools, language courses and study trips in Germany
Language schools in Germany teach staff at companies, adults in evening classes and teenagers in summer courses, often with freelance native speaker teachers. German law has no special insurance duty for you, but plenty of liability. Here is what to insure, what is compulsory and what it roughly costs.
Is ordinary public liability enough for my language school?
For accidents and property damage in the classroom it usually is, as long as teaching is correctly described. Make sure freelance teachers, excursions, in company lessons and supervision of minors are expressly included. If you register students for exams or issue certificates, add professional indemnity for financial loss.
What goes wrong in this trade
01
Supervising minors
A summer course for teenagers: whoever takes on supervision by contract is liable under section 832 BGB for damage the teenagers cause to others, unless supervision was adequate.
02
Accidents on the premises
A wet floor at the entrance or a loose carpet edge: injured students claim damages for pain and medical costs.
03
Excursions
City tours, canoe trips, barbecues: many schools run activities next to classes that the policy does not mention.
04
Exams and certificates
A student is registered for the wrong exam date and loses a university place or a visa deadline.
05
Equipment and rooms
Burglary, water damage or fire in the classrooms stop teaching while rent keeps running.
06
Student data
Passport copies and payment data on the booking system make a cyber attack a reportable data breach.
Legal expenses for disputes over fees, cancellations and contracts with freelance teachers.
What it costs: example prices
Premiums depend on turnover, number of teachers, premises and whether minors, excursions or study trips are involved. An evening school for adults costs much less than a summer camp for teenagers.
Insurance
Example
Typical range
Business liability
School with €150,000 turnover, adult courses, €3 million limit
about €250 to €500 a year
Business liability
School with summer camps for teenagers and excursions
about €600 to €1,200 a year
Professional indemnity
Exam centre with registrations and certificates, €100,000 limit
about €200 to €400 a year
Business contents
Three classrooms with furniture and equipment worth €40,000
about €150 to €350 a year
Cyber insurance
Learning platform and booking system, €250,000 limit
about €350 to €700 a year
For comparison: Public liability for a small language school usually costs less a year than one intensive course fee.
Guide figures from our own quoting work, excluding German insurance premium tax, October 2026.
We found no public tariffs specifically for language schools.
The sources support the legal statements on this page.
Six things that really happen to language schools, all on one single day. Tap through the day and see who pays.
Damage so far€39,700
A student slips on the wet floor at the entrance and breaks an arm.
€9,000 · Paid by: Business liability
The ceiling projector falls onto the desk and both are ruined.
€1,800 · Paid by: Electronic equipment
A student was registered for the wrong exam and misses a visa deadline. She claims travel and resit costs.
€6,500 · Paid by: Professional indemnity
On a city tour a 15 year old student kicks a ball through a shop window.
€2,400 · Paid by: Business liability
A student hurts a knee on the canoe trip.
€5,000 · Paid by: Group accident insurance
Criminals encrypt the learning platform with passport copies of 400 students.
€15,000 · Paid by: Cyber insurance
Which package would you have had?
Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €39,700
Illustrative amounts before any excess.
What is paid depends on the policy terms.
Practical tips from your broker
Have supervision of minors expressly included if you run courses for teenagers.
Name excursions, leisure programmes and lessons at client premises in the policy.
Check whether freelance teachers are covered by your policy or need their own.
If you sell study trips as package holidays, you need insolvency protection under section 651r BGB. It is separate from liability insurance.
Keep passport copies only as long as needed and secure the learning platform.
Insure laptops that teachers take home with cover outside the premises.
Why NAMMERT for your business
We read the activity description
For language schools the wording decides about trips, minors and freelancers. We collect offers from several insurers and check that your school is fully described.
Advice in English
German policy wording is hard going. We explain what is covered in plain English before you sign.
Claims experience
In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves. We use that experience when we prepare a claim with you for the insurer.
Broking since 1989
Norman Nammert acts as an insurance broker. Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers
Is insurance compulsory for language schools in Germany?
There is no general duty.
If you sell study trips as package holidays,
section 651r BGB requires insolvency protection for customer payments.
Public liability is still the most important cover.
Am I liable for damage caused by teenage students?
If you took on supervision by contract, yes, under section 832 BGB,
unless you supervised adequately.
Make sure supervision is included in your liability policy.
Are my freelance teachers covered?
That depends on the policy.
Many cover freelancers only if they are named.
Otherwise teachers need their own liability cover.
Are students covered for accidents?
Usually not through your school.
Employed teachers are covered by the statutory accident insurer.
For students, group accident cover is an option.
What does insurance for a language school cost?
Public liability for a small school with adult courses is about €250 to €500 a year in our quoting
work.
With rooms, equipment and cyber, usually €1,200 to €2,200.
Are online lessons covered?
For liability, yes, if online teaching is in the policy.
Hacked platforms and data breaches need cyber insurance.
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