Insurance for youth hostels, hostels and school camps in Germany
In a youth hostel or school camp, dozens of children and teenagers sleep under one roof; in a city hostel, travellers from all over the world. Meals come from a large kitchen, there are football pitches and climbing walls, and at night only a night duty person is on site. This page explains what insurance youth hostels, hostels and school camps in Germany need, what the law says and what it costs.
The pupils are insured through their school, so why do I need liability cover?
Statutory accident insurance for pupils deals with pupils' accidents, not with your liability as a house. If a bunk bed breaks because it was poorly maintained, or a teacher slips on a wet staircase, the question is whether you are responsible. Then there are guests who do not come with a school: families, clubs and backpackers. For all of this you need public liability.
What goes wrong in this trade
01
Fire in the house
A forbidden candle or an overheated charger in a dormitory: smoke, evacuation at night and a wing out of use for months.
02
Accidents on the grounds
A fall from a bunk bed, an injury on the climbing wall, a torn ligament on the pitch. Parents and health insurers ask who is responsible.
03
Large kitchen
Food poisoning affects a whole school class. Add fat fires and cooling failures.
04
Luggage and valuables
Phones, cameras and cash disappear from rooms and lockers. Guests demand compensation.
05
Storm and heavy rain
Houses at the edge of woods, by lakes or in the hills are particularly exposed to weather and water.
06
Lost season
After a loss, school trips have to be cancelled while staff and building costs keep running.
Accident cover for staff and volunteers on top of statutory protection.
What it costs: example prices
Premiums depend on the number of beds, building value, leisure facilities and location. A house with a climbing wall and a bathing area pays more for liability than a simple city hostel.
Insurance
Example
Typical range
Business liability
House with 120 beds, large kitchen and play area, €5 million limit
about €600 to €1,500 a year
Commercial buildings
Building with a rebuild value of €3 million, fire, water, storm
about €2,500 to €6,000 a year
Business contents
Furnishings and kitchen worth €250,000
about €400 to €1,000 a year
Business interruption
Loss of income for up to twelve months, house with €600,000 turnover
about €500 to €1,400 a year
Natural hazard cover
Add on for heavy rain and flooding, house in a medium risk zone
about €300 to €1,200 a year
For comparison: Public liability for a youth hostel with 120 beds costs about as much a year as two nights for a whole school class.
All prices are guide figures from our own quoting practice, 2026,
excluding German insurance premium tax.
Your premium depends on the house, location and claims history.
Six losses that really happen in youth hostels, hostels and school camps, all on one day with three school classes in the house. Tap through and see which policy steps in.
Damage so far€108,400
A slatted base in a bunk bed breaks; a teacher falls and breaks a wrist.
€7,500 · Paid by: Business liability
A pipe bursts in the large kitchen and water runs into the dining hall below.
€18,000 · Paid by: Commercial buildings
Three phones and a camera vanish from an unlocked room, and the guests demand compensation.
€2,400 · Paid by: Business liability
Heavy rain floods the basement with the laundry and supplies.
€26,000 · Paid by: Natural hazard cover
An attack disables the booking system; next week's arrivals can no longer be seen.
€6,500 · Paid by: Cyber insurance
A charger sets a mattress on fire. A corridor is evacuated and three rooms are closed for months.
€48,000 · Paid by: Business contents
Which package would you have had?
Paid by insurance: €0
Out of your own pocket: €108,400
Illustrative amounts before any excess.
What is paid depends on the policy terms.
Practical tips from your broker
Have every leisure facility listed in the liability policy: climbing wall, low ropes course, bathing area, boats and bikes.
Point guests to lockers; your liability for cash and valuables is generally limited to €800 under the German Civil Code.
Record checks of bunk beds, play equipment and smoke alarms; in a dispute, proof counts.
With rented or leased houses, check who insures the building and fixtures.
Set the business interruption indemnity period to cover a whole season of school trips.
Ask for natural hazard cover even if the house has never flooded; heavy rain also hits houses on slopes.
Why NAMMERT for your business
We understand group houses
Many hotel policies do not fit houses with a large kitchen, play areas and school classes. We make sure everything you offer is in the policy.
Independent comparison
Norman Nammert acts as an insurance broker. We approach several insurers and set cover and price side by side.
For associations and businesses
Whether a non profit operator or a private hostel, we put cover together to suit your legal form and your house.
Family run, brokering since 1989
Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers
Is insurance compulsory for a youth hostel?
There is no statutory insurance requirement for running the house.
Motor liability for your own vehicles is compulsory.
Public liability and buildings insurance are still the foundation.
Am I liable for my guests' luggage?
Yes.
As an accommodation business you are generally liable up to one hundred times the daily rate,
at least €600 and at most €3,500.
For cash, securities and valuables the limit is €800.
Are school classes covered for accidents through their school?
Pupils are covered by statutory accident insurance while attending general or vocational schools.
That does not replace your own liability as a house, for example for a defect in the building.
What does insurance for a youth hostel cost?
For a house with 120 beds, public liability is about €600 to €1,500 a year.
With buildings, contents and business interruption, €4,000 to €9,000 is typical.
Is our climbing wall covered?
Only if it is named in the policy.
Insurers ask about higher risk leisure facilities separately.
What changes for a hostel without school groups?
The risk shifts to luggage, the bar, the shared kitchen and booking data.
Public liability, contents and cyber cover then come first.
NAMMERT insurance broker
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