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Insurance for structural engineers and structural design offices in Germany

An undersized beam, a forgotten load from solar panels on the roof, reinforcement missing from the drawing: structural design errors are among the most expensive building defects, because they lead to strengthening, closure and expert reports. In Germany, self-employed engineers on the chamber list must insure their liability under state law. This page explains the sums, what structural design offices should insure and what it costs.

Insurance for structural engineers in Germany

The question almost everyone asks first

Is the chamber minimum enough for a structural engineer?

It is a floor. Brandenburg requires 1.5 million euros for bodily injury and 300,000 euros for property and financial loss. A structural error in an apartment block or warehouse, with strengthening, closure and loss of rent, quickly costs more. Many offices choose 3 million euros for bodily injury and 1 million euros or more for other losses, plus project policies for large schemes.

What goes wrong in this trade

  1. 01

    Calculation errors

    An undersized member has to be strengthened, and in the worst case the building is closed until then.

  2. 02

    Forgotten loads

    Solar panels, snow, plant on the roof or a change of use are not included in the calculations.

  3. 03

    Reinforcement drawings

    Missing or wrong details only show after the concrete is poured.

  4. 04

    Existing buildings

    Openings in walls, extra storeys and conversions bring uncertainty about the existing structure.

  5. 05

    Bodily injury

    If a member fails, people can be hurt, and the sums then exceed the minimum cover.

  6. 06

    Data and software

    Structural models and drawings are digital; an attack just before a deadline puts dates at risk.

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

Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.

The insurance you need

Essential

Professional indemnity

Compulsory for self-employed engineers on the chamber list; covers bodily injury, property damage and financial loss from structural design.

Strongly advised

Cyber insurance

Pays for recovery and downtime if models and drawings are encrypted.

Electronic equipment

Workstations, plotters and measuring devices against surges, breakage and theft.

Occupational disability

In a small office everything depends on the owners; if they cannot work, the income stops.

Depends on the business

D&O insurance

For managing directors of an engineering GmbH who are personally liable to the company.

What it costs: example prices

The premium depends on fee income, type of projects, sum insured and deductible. Work on existing buildings, civil engineering and high sums make the policy more expensive.

InsuranceExampleTypical range
Professional indemnitySole practitioner, houses and conversions, 1.5 million and 300,000 eurosaround 800 to 1,800 euros a year
Professional indemnityOffice with six engineers, residential and commercial, 3 million and 1 million eurosaround 4,000 to 9,000 euros a year
Professional indemnityProject policy for a scheme with 15 million euros construction costaround 3,000 to 8,000 euros one-off
Cyber insuranceOffice with eight workstationsaround 500 to 1,300 euros a year
Electronic equipmentComputers, plotter and measuring equipment worth 30,000 eurosaround 150 to 400 euros a year

For comparison: Professional indemnity for a small structural design office costs about as much a year as the calculations for a small extension.

All prices are guide values from our quoting experience, excluding German insurance premium tax,

as of October 2026.

The source shows the legal rules using Brandenburg as an example;

other states set their own sums and details.

Sources of the price examples

Our suggestions: three packages

01

Solo

For: structural engineer without staff, housing and conversions

  • Professional indemnity
  • Electronic equipment
  • Occupational disability

Together around 1,000 to 2,200 euros a year, excluding disability cover

Request this package

02

Office

For: engineering office with employees and commercial projects

  • Professional indemnity
  • Cyber insurance
  • Electronic equipment
  • Business contents

Together around 5,000 to 11,000 euros a year

Request this package

03

Company

For: engineering GmbH or PartG mbB with large projects

  • Professional indemnity
  • Cyber insurance
  • Electronic equipment
  • Business contents
  • D&O insurance
  • Business legal expenses

Together individual, usually from around 12,000 euros a year

Request this package

The worst day in a structural design office

Six things that really happen to structural engineers, all on one Friday. Tap through the day and see who pays.

Damage so far€214,000
  1. A truss in a warehouse sags because the load of the new solar panels was missing. The hall is closed and strengthened.

    €120,000 · Paid by: Professional indemnity

  2. After pouring, a layer of reinforcement turns out to be missing from the drawing. The slab must be strengthened.

    €45,000 · Paid by: Professional indemnity

  3. A ground floor tenant claims rent reduction and moving costs because of the closure.

    €18,000 · Paid by: Professional indemnity

  4. The server with all structural models is encrypted and three submissions are due.

    €17,000 · Paid by: Cyber insurance

  5. A thunderstorm surge destroys two workstations and the plotter.

    €8,000 · Paid by: Electronic equipment

  6. A developer refuses the final invoice and disputes the fee band.

    €6,000 · Paid by: Business legal expenses

Which package would you have had?

Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €214,000

Illustrative amounts before any excess.

What is paid depends on the policy terms.

Practical tips from your broker

  1. Ask your engineering chamber for the exact minimum sums; each state sets its own.
  2. Choose much more than the minimum for property and financial loss if you work on existing or commercial buildings.
  3. Take out project policies for large schemes so one project does not use up the annual cover.
  4. Have checking calculations, fire safety proofs and site supervision named if you offer them.
  5. Settle run-off cover before closing the office; design errors often show years later.
  6. Joint ventures with architects and other engineers must be covered in the policy.

Why NAMMERT for your business

Several insurers compared

As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert obtains quotes from different insurers and checks sums, annual limits and run-off against your chamber's rules.

Advice in English, German law

We explain German policy wording and chamber rules in plain English.

Family business since 1989

Our advice is free for you, as the insurer pays our commission.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Is professional indemnity compulsory for structural engineers in Germany?

For self-employed engineers on the chamber list and engineers entitled to submit building

applications, yes, under the engineering act of your state.

In Brandenburg these are sections 10 and 33 BbgIngG.

What minimum sums apply?

In Brandenburg 1.5 million euros for bodily injury and 300,000 euros for property and financial

loss per claim; annual cover may be limited to twice that.

What does professional indemnity cost?

A sole practitioner usually pays around 800 to 1,800 euros a year,

an office with six engineers around 4,000 to 9,000 euros.

These are guide values from our quoting experience.

What happens if I have no cover?

In Brandenburg it is an administrative offence with a fine of up to 30,000 euros,

and after twelve months without cover the entry can be deleted.

Are employed engineers covered?

Yes, through the office policy as long as they act for the office.

Private side jobs need their own cover.

Can I get advice in English?

Yes.

Policies are usually issued in German, and we go through the key clauses with you in English.

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request quotes for Structural engineer

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

Occupational disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung)

For example data analyst in an office, or civil engineer with site visits

We discuss details personally for an anonymous enquiry

For example how long you plan to stay in Germany, self-employment, existing policies

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

Electronic equipment insurance in Germany (Elektronikversicherung)

For example single expensive devices, extra costs, practice downtime

Cyber insurance for businesses in Germany

Rule of thumb: cost of three to four weeks of downtime plus recovery

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