Skip to content

Insurance broker / Business types / Sport, culture and leisure

Insurance for independent theatres, cabaret stages and touring companies in Germany

An independent theatre runs on a few people, a lot of equipment and an audience finding its way to the seats over steps in the dark. A spotlight comes loose, a guest falls on the stairs, the lead actor falls ill on opening night: suddenly a lot of money is at stake. Whether you run a cabaret stage, a puppet theatre, an English language theatre or a touring company in Germany, this page explains which insurance makes sense and what it costs.

Insurance for theatres and cabaret stages

The question almost everyone asks first

Who pays if a show is cancelled because the lead actor is ill?

Without your own insurance, nobody but you. Business liability only pays for damage to third parties. The costs of a cancelled show, such as rent, equipment and advertising, are covered by event cancellation insurance taken out for a production or tour. Illness of performers has to be included explicitly.

What goes wrong in this trade

  1. 01

    Fall in the auditorium

    Dark steps, cables on the floor, a wobbly stand: an audience member falls and claims damages.

  2. 02

    Stage equipment

    A spotlight comes loose from the bar, a set piece tips over, a stage platform gives way.

  3. 03

    Wardrobe and props

    Costumes, sets and props collected over years burn or are ruined by water.

  4. 04

    Lighting and sound

    Desks, lights and speakers are expensive and break through power surges or falls.

  5. 05

    Show cancelled

    Illness, power cut or storm: the costs remain, the income is gone.

  6. 06

    Touring and transport

    The set is damaged during loading, the van has an accident.

  7. 07

    Damage at someone else's venue

    On tour, the stage floor of the host venue is damaged by set pieces or haze.

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

Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.

The insurance you need

Essential

Business liability

Covers injuries and property damage to audiences, guests and venue owners. Touring and damage to rented venues should be included.

Strongly advised

Business contents

For wardrobe, costumes, sets and furniture against fire, burglary and water damage.

Electronic equipment

For lighting, sound and video equipment, including operating errors, surges and falls.

Business interruption

As event cancellation or business interruption cover for cancelled shows and closed venues.

Depends on the business

Group accident insurance

For ensemble members, volunteers and helpers who are not covered by statutory accident insurance.

D&O insurance

For the board or managing directors of theatre associations and non profit companies, for example in case of mistakes with public funding.

Cyber insurance

For online ticketing, customer data and subscriber lists.

What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on seating capacity, number of shows, technical equipment, pyrotechnics and touring. Cancellation cover is usually priced per production.

InsuranceExampleTypical range
Business liabilityCabaret stage up to 100 seats, €3 million coverabout €300 to €700 a year
Business liabilityIndependent theatre with 300 seats and touring, €5 million coverabout €800 to €2,000 a year
Business contentsWardrobe and furniture worth €100,000about €300 to €800 a year
Electronic equipmentLighting and sound equipment worth €80,000about €600 to €1,500 a year
Business interruptionCancellation cover for a tour with €50,000 costsabout €1,000 to €2,500 per tour

For comparison: Liability cover for a cabaret stage costs about as much a year as one sold out evening with 30 tickets at €20.

All figures are guide values from our quoting work, excluding German insurance premium tax,

as of October 2026.

We found no published tariffs for theatres; the source documents the artists' social levy.

We obtain the exact quote for you.

Sources of the price examples

Our suggestions: three packages

01

Stage

For: cabaret or small theatre with its own venue

  • Business liability
  • Business contents
  • Electronic equipment

Together about €1,200 to €3,000 a year

Request this package

02

Touring

For: touring companies without their own venue

  • Business liability
  • Electronic equipment
  • Cargo insurance
  • Business interruption

Together about €1,500 to €4,000 a year

Request this package

03

House

For: theatre with its own building, staff, online ticketing and public funding

  • Business liability
  • Business contents
  • Electronic equipment
  • Business interruption
  • D&O insurance
  • Cyber insurance

Together about €4,000 to €10,000 a year

Request this package

The worst day at the theatre

Six things that really happen to independent theatres, all on opening night. Tap through and see who pays.

Damage so far€68,000
  1. During focusing, a spotlight falls from the bar and destroys the lighting desk.

    €9,000 · Paid by: Electronic equipment

  2. The lead actor calls in sick and the premiere has to be postponed.

    €8,000 · Paid by: Business interruption

  3. An audience member falls on the dark stairs of the seating stand and breaks a wrist.

    €7,500 · Paid by: Business liability

  4. In the interval a set piece tips against the wall of the rented venue and damages the wood panelling.

    €2,500 · Paid by: Business liability

  5. At the opening party a guest trips over a stage cable and hits his head.

    €6,000 · Paid by: Business liability

  6. A cable fire in the wardrobe store destroys costumes and props.

    €35,000 · Paid by: Business contents

Which package would you have had?

Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €68,000

Illustrative amounts before any excess.

What is paid depends on the policy terms.

Practical tips from your broker

  1. Have touring and damage to rented venues written into your liability policy.
  2. Mention pyrotechnics, haze and open flames on stage when asking for quotes; otherwise cover may be missing.
  3. Value your wardrobe realistically; self built sets also have a replacement value.
  4. Take out cancellation cover for big premieres or tours and check that illness is included.
  5. Clarify whether volunteers, students and amateur performers are covered for accidents.
  6. Check your obligation to pay the artists' social levy if you pay fees to self employed artists.

Why NAMMERT for your business

Stage and equipment together

As an insurance broker we compare several insurers and align liability, wardrobe and equipment cover so no gap remains.

Touring included

Other venues, transport and cancellations are everyday life for touring companies. We make sure your cover travels with you.

Association, venue and people

Norman Nammert, your insurance broker, looks after the theatre association, the venue and the people involved.

Family business, placing cover since 1989

Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission. We advise in English or German.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Is insurance compulsory for theatres in Germany?

Not by law.

Venues, municipalities and hosts almost always require liability cover,

and without it you will not get contracts.

What does liability insurance for a cabaret stage cost?

About €300 to €700 a year for up to 100 seats,

and about €800 to €2,000 for an independent theatre that tours.

These are guide values from our quoting work.

Is our wardrobe covered if there is a fire?

Only with contents insurance that includes costumes, sets and props with an adequate sum insured.

Who pays for a cancelled show?

Event cancellation insurance, if it was taken out for the production and the reason,

such as illness or storm, is included.

Does a theatre have to pay the artists' social levy?

Yes, under section 24 of the Artists' Social Insurance Act theatres are among the businesses

liable for the levy when they engage self employed artists.

Are our performers covered for accidents?

Employees are covered by statutory accident insurance by law.

For volunteers, amateurs and guests, group accident cover can close the gap.

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request quotes for Theatre

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

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

Business contents insurance in Germany (Inhaltsversicherung)

For example café with bakery, accounting firm, car repair shop

At purchase price, 0 if no stock

For example flood cover, customer property, tools in vehicles, loss of income

Business interruption insurance in Germany (Betriebsunterbrechungsversicherung)

For example metalworking with eight staff, restaurant, dental practice

Turnover minus materials and goods purchased, your tax adviser will know

For example key machinery, flood, long delivery times

Electronic equipment insurance in Germany (Elektronikversicherung)

For example single expensive devices, extra costs, practice downtime

4Your current policy
5How can we reach you?

Related trades

Museum

Museum

Is ordinary contents insurance enough for artworks?

Artist

Artist

Is my instrument covered by my home contents insurance?

Promoter

Promoter

Who pays if my festival has to be cancelled because of a storm?

Music school

Music school

Are we liable if a child is hurt in a dance class?

Boat or yacht? NAMMERT has its own cover concepts for boats, arranged by the same broker.

Boat insurance

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