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Hunting liability insurance in Germany: required for the licence, worth more than the minimum

In Germany you cannot get or renew a hunting licence (Jagdschein) without proof of hunting liability insurance (Jagdhaftpflicht). The law asks for 500,000 euros for injury and 50,000 euros for property damage, figures that have not moved in decades. One stray bullet or a hunting dog on a main road can exceed them. Good policies cover many times that for a few euros more.

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The question almost everyone asks first

Is hunting liability insurance compulsory in Germany?

Yes. Under section 17 of the Federal Hunting Act (Bundesjagdgesetz), the hunting licence is refused if you cannot show liability cover of at least 500,000 euros for personal injury and 50,000 euros for property damage. The proof goes with every application and renewal. Your personal liability policy does not count, because it normally excludes hunting.

Why the statutory minimum is not enough

The amounts in the Federal Hunting Act date from a time when serious injuries cost far less to settle. Today lifelong care, lost earnings and pension claims can push a single case of paralysis well beyond half a million euros. Whatever the insurer does not pay comes out of the hunter's own assets.

A 2021 reform of the act would have raised the minimum to 5 million euros. It failed for unrelated reasons, so the old figure still applies. German hunting magazines advise 5 to 10 million euros combined, and the extra premium is usually a few euros a year.

Your dog is a bigger risk than your rifle

According to the German hunting magazine jagdpraxis, around four in five claims under hunting liability policies are caused by hunting dogs, mostly small incidents away from the hunt. So it matters how many dogs a policy includes, whether untested dogs and puppies count, and whether cover applies on an everyday walk.

Two dogs is common, some policies take up to five or any number. If you keep more dogs than the contract names, the rest need their own dog liability policy. Many expats bring a dog from home, so check this before the first driven hunt.

Leaseholders, drones and game damage

If you lease a shoot (Jagdpacht), you are also liable for high seats, paths and the safety of guests on driven hunts. That role has to be named in the policy. Thermal drones for finding fawns before mowing are now common, and older policy wordings do not mention them.

Damage by game to farmland (Wildschaden) is a different matter. Under section 29 of the Federal Hunting Act the hunting cooperative pays, or the leaseholder if the lease says so. Hunting liability policies exclude it, so budget for it when you sign a lease.

What is covered

  • Injury, property damage and resulting financial loss caused to others while hunting, including by firearms
  • Defence against unjustified claims, including in court
  • Keeping, handling and training hunting dogs, up to a set number depending on the policy
  • Lawful use of firearms outside the hunt, for example at the shooting range
  • Liability as leaseholder, game warden or hunt leader, depending on the policy
  • High seats and other shoot installations
  • Drones for fawn rescue and tracking, depending on the policy
  • Hunting trips abroad, limited in time and region

What is not covered

  • Game damage to farmland that the leaseholder must pay under law or lease
  • Damage to your own property, rifle or dog
  • Deliberate damage and breaches of firearms law
  • Commercial hunting events and dog breeding unless included
  • Your own injuries while hunting, which need accident insurance

Who needs it

  • Anyone applying for or renewing a German hunting licence, including foreigners' and day licences
  • Leaseholders and co-leaseholders who are liable for installations and guests
  • Dog handlers who keep, train or work hunting dogs
  • Hunters who also hunt outside Germany

Who does not need it

  • Beaters and companions without a hunting licence: hunting liability is not required for them

Wheel of misfortune

Spin the wheel of bad luck

Six things that really happen. The wheel picks yours and shows who pays.

See all six cases
  1. Stray shot injures a beater, six to seven figures with lasting harm. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. Every hunting liability policy pays, but only up to the sum insured. With lifelong care the statutory half million often falls short.
  2. Dog chases a deer onto the road, five figures, six with injuries. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. If the dog causes the crash, keeper and handler are liable. What matters is that the dog is named in the policy, even before its test.
  3. Fawn drone crashes onto a car, roughly 1,000 to 5,000 €. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Older hunting policies do not know drones. Good ones expressly include fawn rescue and tracking flights.
  4. High seat ladder breaks under a guest, five to six figures. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. The leaseholder is liable for installations. A plain hunter's policy without leaseholder cover leaves this open.
  5. Shot hits a vehicle on a hunting trip, roughly 2,000 to 10,000 €. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. Basic policies often apply only in Europe or for short stays. Strong ones cover hunting trips worldwide.
  6. Wild boar churn up a maize field, four to five figures per season. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Game damage is not a liability claim. The hunting cooperative or the leaseholder under the lease pays it out of pocket.

What it costs

Hunting liability is one of the cheaper compulsory policies in Germany. The real differences lie less in the price than in how many dogs, which equipment and which roles on the shoot are included.

ExampleTypical range
Single hunter without own shoot, one dogroughly 30 to 90 € a year

What drives the premium

  • Sum insured and deductible
  • Number of hunting dogs included
  • Role: hunter, leaseholder, game warden or professional
  • Extras such as drones, night vision and cover abroad
  • Term, many hunters pay three years in advance

Range from figures published by German insurers in 2025. Leaseholders, professionals and several dogs cost more. Your premium is fixed only in the quote.

The policy levels on the market

01

Basic

Legal minimum or a little more, one or two dogs, few extras. Enough for the licence, not for a serious accident.

02

Comfort

5 to 10 million € combined without deductible, several dogs and puppies, Europe. Right for most hunters.

03

Premium

Higher sums, drones and night vision, leaseholder risk, hunting trips worldwide, many dogs. For leaseholders, dog handlers and travelling hunters.

How to recognise a good policy

CriterionMinimum standardStrong policyWhy it matters
Sum insured 500,000 € injury, 50,000 € property at least 10 million € combined One serious injury exceeds the statutory amount.
Hunting dogs two tested dogs several dogs, including untested dogs and puppies Dogs cause most claims, often away from the hunt.
Dogs outside the hunt only while hunting also in daily life, training and travel Otherwise the everyday walk is not covered.
Leaseholder risk not included leaseholder, hunt leader and installations included The leaseholder is liable for high seats and driven hunts.
Drones and night vision not mentioned expressly included Fawn rescue and night hunting are routine on many shoots.
Cover abroad Europe, short trips worldwide for hunting trips Otherwise a trip abroad may leave you with only the host country's minimum.
Deductible agreed none With many small dog claims you would otherwise pay almost everything yourself.

Insurers on the German market

Many German property insurers offer hunting liability, some with special policies for leaseholders and dog handlers. We also list direct insurers that do not work with brokers so you know the market.

InsurerBackground
Allianzagents and brokers
ERGOagents, brokers and direct sales
Zurichagents and brokers
Die Bayerischebrokers and direct sales
R+Vcooperative banks, agents and brokers
SIGNAL IDUNAagents and brokers
Alte Leipzigersells through brokers
Uelzenermutual insurer focused on animals and hunting, sells through brokers

Compare the wordings of all tariffs 9 tariffs from 8 providers, as of 24 October 2026

From the BaFin register

127

127 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance.

(Allgemeine Haftpflicht)

Show all 127 names from the register
  • ADAC Versicherung AG
  • ADLER Versicherung AG
  • AGILA Haustierversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Allcura Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Allianz Direct Versicherungs-AG
  • Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE
  • Allianz Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Alte Leipziger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Ambra Versicherung AG
  • AMMERLÄNDER VERSICHERUNG Versicherungsverein a.G. (VVaG)
  • andsafe Aktiengesellschaft
  • ARAG Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • AXA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • BA die Bayerische Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband
  • Baloise Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft Deutschland
  • Barmenia Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • BavariaDirekt Versicherung AG
  • Bayerische Hausbesitzer-Versicherungs-Gesellschaft a.G.
  • Bayerischer Versicherungsverband Versicherungsaktiengesellschaft
  • BD24 Berlin Direkt Versicherung AG
  • BGV-Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Concordia Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Continentale Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Cosmos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • DA Deutsche Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • DARAG Deutschland AG
  • Debeka Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft Sitz Koblenz am Rhein
  • Delvag Versicherungs-AG
  • DEVK Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • DEVK Deutsche Eisenbahn Versicherung Sach- und HUK-Versicherungsverein a.G. Betriebliche…
  • DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung AG
  • Dialog Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Die Haftpflichtkasse VVaG
  • DOCURA VVaG
  • ERGO Direkt Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • ERGO Reiseversicherung AG
  • ERGO Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Euro-Aviation Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • EUROPA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Fahrlehrerversicherung Verein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Feuersozietät Berlin Brandenburg Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • GARANTA Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Gemeinnützige Haftpflichtversicherungsanstalt Kassel
  • Generali Deutschland Versicherung AG
  • Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Gothaer Versicherungsbank VVaG
  • Great Lakes Insurance SE
  • GRUNDEIGENTÜMER-VERSICHERUNG Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • GVO Gegenseitigkeit Versicherung Oldenburg VVaG
  • GVV Direktversicherung AG
  • GVV-Kommunalversicherung, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Haftpflichtgemeinschaft Deutscher Nahverkehrs- und Versorgungsunternehmen Allgemein (HDNA) VVaG
  • Hamburger Feuerkasse Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • HanseMerkur Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • HanseMerkur Reiseversicherung AG
  • HDI Global SE
  • HDI Global Specialty SE
  • HDI Haftpflichtverband der Deutschen Industrie Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • HDI Versicherung AG
  • Helvetia Schweizerische Versicherungsgesellschaft AG Direktion für Deutschland
  • Helvetia Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • HUK-COBURG Haftpflicht-Unterstützungs-Kasse kraftfahrender Beamter Deutschlands a.G. in Coburg
  • HUK-COBURG-Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • HUK24 AG
  • Hübener Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • IDEAL Versicherung AG
  • INTER Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • Interlloyd Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • InterRisk Versicherungs-AG Vienna Insurance Group.
  • ISSELHORSTER Versicherung V.a.G.
  • Itzehoer Versicherung/Brandgilde von 1691 Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Janitos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • KRAVAG-LOGISTIC Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover
  • LBN Versicherungsverein a.G. (VVaG)
  • Lifestyle Protection AG
  • Lippische Landesbrandversicherung AG
  • Lucura Versicherungs AG
  • LVM Landwirtschaftlicher Versicherungsverein Münster a.G.
  • Mannheimer Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Markel Insurance SE
  • Mecklenburgische Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • MVK Versicherung VVaG
  • MÜNCHENER VEREIN Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
  • Neodigital Versicherung AG
  • Newline Europe Versicherung AG
  • nexible Versicherung AG
  • NV-Versicherungen VVaG
  • NÜRNBERGER Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • NÜRNBERGER BEAMTEN ALLGEMEINE VERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
  • OKV - Ostdeutsche Kommunalversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Ostangler Brandgilde, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
  • Pallas Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Provinzial Nord Brandkasse Aktiengesellschaft
  • Provinzial Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • PVAG Polizeiversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • R+V Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • RheinLand Versicherungs Aktiengesellschaft
  • Rhion Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • S DirektVersicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SAARLAND Feuerversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SHB Allgemeine Versicherung VVaG
  • SIGNAL IDUNA Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Stuttgarter Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SV SparkassenVersicherung Gebäudeversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • TRIAS Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Uelzener Allgemeine Versicherungs-Gesellschaft a.G.
  • Union Reiseversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • uniVersa Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • Versicherer im Raum der Kirchen Sachversicherung AG
  • Versicherungskammer Bayern Versicherungsanstalt des öffentlichen Rechts
  • Versicherungsverband Deutscher Eisenbahnen-Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Verti Versicherung AG
  • VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • VHV Vereinigte Hannoversche Versicherung a.G.
  • VOLKSWOHL-BUND SACHVERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
  • VPV Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
  • Waldenburger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • WGV-Versicherung AG
  • WWK Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Württembergische Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Würzburger Versicherungs-AG
  • Zurich Insurance Europe AG
  • Öffentliche Feuerversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt

Source: BaFin company database, 18 September 2026; EU insurers without a German office excluded.

Legal basis and sources

Products and add-ons

Hunter's liability

For the holder of a hunting licence, with firearms and a set number of dogs.

Leaseholder's liability

Adds liability as leaseholder, hunt leader and for installations on the shoot.

Professional hunters and game wardens

For people who hunt for a living or on behalf of a shoot.

Hunting accident insurance

Covers your own injuries, which no liability policy pays.

Myth or truth

True or false?

Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.

Without hunting liability I cannot get a German hunting licence.

This is true.

True: the Federal Hunting Act makes proof of cover a condition for issuing and renewing the licence. Without it the authority refuses.

The statutory minimum is enough, otherwise the law would ask for more.

This is false.

False: the amounts have not been updated for decades. A rise to 5 million euros was planned in 2021 and failed. A serious injury quickly exceeds half a million.

Most hunting liability claims are caused by dogs, not firearms.

This is true.

True: according to German hunting magazines around four in five claims involve hunting dogs, mostly small incidents away from the hunt.

My personal liability policy also covers hunting.

This is false.

False: hunting is normally excluded from personal liability. That is why there is a separate hunting policy, which the authority also wants to see.

Game damage to crops is paid by the leaseholder's hunting liability.

This is false.

No: game damage is a duty under the law and the lease, not a liability claim. Policy wordings expressly exclude it.

Common mistakes

  • Buying only the statutory minimum because it is enough for the licence
  • Keeping more dogs than the policy includes
  • Leasing a shoot but keeping a hunter's policy without leaseholder cover
  • Expecting hunting liability to pay game damage to crops
  • Not checking whether the policy applies in the country of a hunting trip

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Does my personal liability policy cover hunting?

Normally not.

Personal liability policies exclude hunting,

and the authority wants separate proof of hunting liability for the licence anyway.

How much does hunting liability cost in Germany?

For a single hunter with one dog, insurers quote roughly 30 to 90 euros a year.

Higher sums usually add only a few euros.

Leaseholders, professionals and policies with many dogs cost more.

How do I prove cover for the hunting licence?

The insurer issues a confirmation that you hand to the local hunting authority (untere

Jagdbehörde) with your application or renewal.

It must cover the whole period of the licence.

I hold a foreign hunting licence. Do I need German cover?

To hunt in Germany you need a German hunting licence,

and for it proof of liability cover from an insurer licensed in the EU or EEA.

A policy from your home country may qualify if it meets the German minimum, the authority decides.

How many dogs are covered?

That depends on the policy.

Two hunting dogs is common, some policies include up to five or any number.

Puppies and untested dogs are not always included.

Is game damage on my shoot insured?

No.

Under section 29 of the Federal Hunting Act the hunting cooperative or, if the lease says so,

the leaseholder pays for game damage to crops.

Hunting liability policies exclude it.

Why use a broker?

Because policies differ a lot on dogs, leaseholder risk, equipment and cover abroad,

but hardly in price.

We compare on your behalf, and the insurer pays our fee.

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