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Insurance for freelance site managers and project controllers in Germany

Freelance site managers (Bauleiter) and project controllers (Projektsteuerer) sit between the client, designers and contractors. They supervise, coordinate and approve, and when a defect slips through, a deadline is missed or costs run away, the bill quickly lands with them. In Germany, claims for supervision work on a building become time barred only after five years. This page explains the cover that matters for freelance site managers, project controllers and health and safety coordinators (SiGeKo) and what it costs.

Insurance for site managers and project controllers in Germany

The question almost everyone asks first

Is my general liability policy enough as a freelance site manager?

No. General liability covers injury and damage you cause yourself, but not errors in supervision, design or project control. For that you need professional indemnity for architects and engineers or a dedicated policy for project controllers, with an adequate limit for financial loss.

What goes wrong in this trade

  1. 01

    Defect overlooked

    The basement waterproofing is never checked and water gets in years later. The client wants the repair paid by the site manager.

  2. 02

    Wrong approval

    You approve an interim invoice for work not yet done. The contractor goes bust and the money is gone.

  3. 03

    Deadline missed

    A coordination gap delays completion and tenants pull out. The client claims lost rent.

  4. 04

    Site accident

    Fall protection is missing and a worker is injured. The question is whether coordination met its duties.

  5. 05

    Costs out of control

    Change orders are not checked and the budget is badly exceeded. The client blames project control.

  6. 06

    On the road

    Lots of driving between sites, with tablet and measuring kit in the car.

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

Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.

The insurance you need

Essential

Professional indemnity

Professional indemnity covers injury, property damage and financial loss from supervision, control and coordination. It is the core of your cover.

Strongly advised

Business liability

For damage outside your professional service, for example breaking something in an occupied building. Often included in the professional policy.

Electronic equipment

For laptop, tablet, laser and measuring equipment, including theft from the car and drops.

Business legal expenses

For fee and contract disputes. Liability claims from the client are handled by the professional indemnity.

Accident insurance

Building sites are dangerous. Private accident cover pays for lasting injury around the clock, including in your free time.

Depends on the business

What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on fee income, scope of services, limit, type of projects and claims history. Project control on large schemes is rated higher than site management of small homes.

InsuranceExampleTypical range
Professional indemnityFreelance site manager, housing, 3 million euros injury and property, 500,000 euros financial lossabout 1,000 to 2,500 euros a year
Professional indemnityProject controller on commercial buildings, 1 million euros financial lossabout 2,500 to 7,000 euros a year
Professional indemnitySelf-employed safety coordinator (SiGeKo)about 600 to 1,500 euros a year
Electronic equipmentLaptop, tablet and measuring kit worth 10,000 eurosabout 150 to 350 euros a year
Accident insuranceSelf-employed site manager, 200,000 euros disability sumabout 200 to 400 euros a year

For comparison: Professional indemnity for a freelance site manager costs about as much a year as one or two days of site management.

All prices are guide figures from our own quoting work in 2026,

excluding German insurance premium tax.

Sources of the price examples

Our suggestions: three packages

01

Freelance site manager

For: Sole traders on housing and smaller commercial buildings

  • Professional indemnity
  • Electronic equipment
  • Accident insurance

Together about 1,400 to 3,300 euros a year

Request this package

02

Project control

For: Firms providing project control and client representation on larger schemes

  • Professional indemnity
  • Electronic equipment
  • Business legal expenses
  • Cyber insurance

Together about 3,500 to 9,500 euros a year

Request this package

03

Safety coordinator

For: Coordinators under the Construction Site Ordinance

  • Professional indemnity
  • Accident insurance
  • Electronic equipment

Together about 1,000 to 2,300 euros a year

Request this package

The worst day in site management

Six things freelance site managers really go through, all on one Wednesday. Click through and see who pays.

Damage so far€156,000
  1. A client reports damp in the basement four years after acceptance. The waterproofing was never checked.

    €85,000 · Paid by: Professional indemnity

  2. An interim invoice you approved was too high and the contractor is insolvent.

    €40,000 · Paid by: Professional indemnity

  3. Tablet and laser are stolen from your car on site.

    €4,500 · Paid by: Electronic equipment

  4. You trip over reinforcing steel and break your ankle.

    €15,000 · Paid by: Accident insurance

  5. Inspecting the neighbouring flat, you knock over an expensive vase.

    €2,500 · Paid by: Business liability

  6. The client cuts your fee, claiming services were missing.

    €9,000 · Paid by: Business legal expenses

Which package would you have had?

Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €156,000

Illustrative amounts before any excess.

What is paid depends on the policy terms.

Practical tips from your broker

  1. Describe your services precisely to the insurer: site supervision, project control, safety coordination and client representation are different risks.
  2. Make sure the limit for financial loss is adequate, not just for injury and property damage.
  3. Check run off cover, because supervision claims often arrive years after acceptance.
  4. Document inspections with photos and dates, especially for work that will later be covered up.
  5. Approve interim invoices only against verified progress.
  6. Protect yourself against accidents, especially as a self-employed person without sick pay.

Why NAMMERT for your business

We read the terms

As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert compares several insurers and shows where scope of services, financial loss limits and run off cover differ.

Site and office together

Professional indemnity, equipment, accident and legal expenses are kept in one file.

Brokering since 1989

Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission. You speak to people who understand your sites, in English or German.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

How long is a site manager liable for defects in Germany?

Defect claims from design or supervision work for a building become time barred after five years

from acceptance under section 634a BGB.

When does a site need a safety coordinator?

Where workers of several employers are active,

suitable coordinators must be appointed under section 3 BaustellV.

The client still remains responsible.

Which insurance do I need as a freelance site manager?

The core is professional indemnity covering injury,

property damage and financial loss from your supervision, plus equipment,

accident and legal expenses cover as your work requires.

How much does professional indemnity cost?

As a guide figure from our quoting work,

about 1,000 to 2,500 euros a year for a freelance site manager on housing,

more for project control on larger schemes.

Is a project controller insured differently from a site manager?

Often yes.

Project control mainly brings financial loss from deadlines and costs.

Have project control confirmed expressly in the policy.

What about damage that shows up years later?

Look for long run off cover so claims are covered after the policy ends.

We compare this for you.

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request quotes for Site manager

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

Personal accident insurance (private Unfallversicherung)

Be specific, for example software developer in an office, or electrician on building sites

For example motorcycling, diving, climbing, paragliding

For example accident pension, cover when travelling home, help at home after an accident

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

Professional indemnity insurance in Germany (Berufshaftpflicht)

For example tax adviser with payroll, freelance software developer,

architect for residential buildings

For example current policy abroad, clients in the US, side activities,

expiry date of existing cover

Business legal expenses insurance in Germany (Firmenrechtsschutz)

For example plumbing business, tax practice, online shop for electronics

Existing disputes cannot be insured, but knowing about them helps us advise you

Electronic equipment insurance in Germany (Elektronikversicherung)

For example single expensive devices, extra costs, practice downtime

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