Insurance for speech and language therapists in Germany
Speech and language therapists in Germany treat children with language delays, adults after a stroke and patients who cannot swallow safely. Claims are rare, but if a patient chokes during swallowing therapy or a child falls in the waiting room, the practice is liable. Add home visits, care homes, patient data and the fact that your voice is your main tool. This page shows which insurance you need and what it costs, whether you are self employed or run a practice with staff.
My qualification is from abroad. Can I work as a speech therapist in Germany?
The title Logopäde or Logopädin needs a permit under § 1 of the Logopädengesetz. Therapists from the European Economic Area may use the title without a permit when they provide services temporarily and occasionally, but have to notify the authorities. For permanent work you apply for recognition. Your insurance should be in place from the first session, because you are personally liable for treatment errors.
What goes wrong in this trade
01
Swallowing therapy
With dysphagia after a stroke or with Parkinson's, food or water can enter the lungs. If pneumonia follows, the family may blame the therapy.
02
Children in the practice
Young patients climb, trip and put small toys in their mouths. The practice is liable for accidents in the waiting and therapy rooms.
03
Home visits and care homes
A dropped hearing aid, a lost key or a fall in the patient's home ends up with you.
04
Patient data
Prescriptions, diagnoses, reports and video recordings are health data. A hacked laptop or a report sent to the wrong address triggers reporting duties.
05
Your own voice
Speech therapists talk all day. Voice problems, hearing loss or a long illness stop a small practice at once.
06
Billing and employment disputes
Deductions by health insurers, approval reviews and disputes with employed therapists quickly need a lawyer.
For disputes over billing and approval, with landlords and with employees.
What it costs: example prices
Professional liability is inexpensive for speech therapists because serious injuries are rare. Protecting your own income and, in larger practices, contents and data cost more.
Insurance
Example
Typical range
Professional indemnity
Sole practitioner, €3 to €5 million cover, home visits included
about €80 to €150 a year
Professional indemnity
Practice with four employed therapists, professional and general liability combined
about €250 to €500 a year
Business contents
Furniture and therapy materials worth €30,000
about €120 to €280 a year
Cyber insurance
Practice with billing software and video therapy, €250,000 cover
about €250 to €500 a year
Occupational disability
Monthly pension of €1,500, starting at age 30
about €600 to €1,200 a year
For comparison: Professional liability for a sole speech therapist costs about as much a year as two therapy sessions.
All amounts are guide figures from our quotes as of October 2026,
excluding insurance tax on property cover.
Your premium depends on staff, services and, for disability cover, age and health.
Six things that really happen in speech therapy practices, here all on one Wednesday. Tap through the day and see who pays.
Damage so far€38,600
On a home visit a patient's hearing aid falls off the table and breaks.
€1,800 · Paid by: Professional indemnity
A four year old climbs a shelf in the waiting room, it tips over and the child breaks an arm.
€6,000 · Paid by: Business liability
After swallowing therapy in a care home a patient develops pneumonia and the family blames the therapist.
€15,000 · Paid by: Professional indemnity
Ransomware locks the practice software and all therapy reports.
€7,500 · Paid by: Cyber insurance
Burglary: laptop, tablets and audiometer are gone, the door is broken.
€4,800 · Paid by: Business contents
A dismissed therapist takes the practice to the labour court.
€3,500 · Paid by: Business legal expenses
Which package would you have had?
Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €38,600
Illustrative amounts before any excess.
What is paid depends on the policy terms.
Practical tips from your broker
Have home visits, therapy in nurseries, schools and care homes and video therapy named in your professional liability policy.
Add cover for lost keys if patients or institutions give you keys.
Document findings, diet and patient information carefully in swallowing therapy; in a dispute your records protect you.
Choose at least €3 million for personal injury, because a care case after aspiration can be expensive.
Take out disability cover early and make sure voice and hearing are not excluded.
Check backups and access control in your practice software before applying for cyber cover; the application asks exactly about this.
Why NAMMERT for your business
We compare several insurers
As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert obtains quotes from several insurers and checks that home visits, care homes and video therapy are really included.
Advice in English
We explain German policy wording and the German legal position in plain English, so you know what you sign.
Practice and personal cover together
Liability, contents, cyber and disability cover with one contact, on +49 3375 29 12 77.
No cost to you
We have been arranging insurance since 1989. The insurer pays our commission, not you.
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers
Is professional liability insurance compulsory for speech therapists in Germany?
Not by law.
For approval by the health insurers § 124 SGB V names training,
premises and acceptance of the contracts, not insurance.
You are still personally liable, and many institutions ask for proof.
What does professional liability cost?
About €80 to €150 a year for a sole practitioner and about €250 to €500 for a practice with
several therapists.
These are guide figures from our quotes.
Am I covered by statutory accident insurance as a self employed therapist?
Yes.
The BGW names speech therapists among the self employed it insures compulsorily.
Employees are insured through the practice anyway.
Are employed therapists covered by the practice policy?
Usually yes.
Ask for written confirmation, especially for freelance therapists working in your practice.
Is video therapy covered?
Not automatically.
Check that the policy names treatment by video and consider cyber cover for data breaches.
Who may use the title Logopäde in Germany?
Only someone with a permit under § 1 of the Logopädengesetz.
Therapists from the European Economic Area working temporarily are exempt but must notify the
authorities.
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