01
Minimum
Builder's liability and shell fire cover. Meets the legal and lender basics but leaves storm, vandalism and theft at the site open.
Home / Insurance broker / Personal
Building a home in Germany: the insurance you need before the first dig
If you commission a house in Germany yourself, you become the Bauherr: the person legally responsible for the building site. There is no single self-build policy, but four separate covers with different jobs. One of them is an official registration that many newcomers never hear about until someone gets hurt.
The question almost everyone asks first
What insurance do I need to build a house in Germany?
You need builder's liability insurance (Bauherrenhaftpflicht) and fire cover for the shell (Feuerrohbau), which is usually included free in the buildings insurance you will need later anyway. Construction all risks insurance (Bauleistungsversicherung) is strongly recommended. If friends or relatives help on site, you must register the project with the construction trade accident insurer BG BAU within one week, so your helpers have statutory accident cover.
Buying from a developer or building yourself: a key difference
Many new homes in Germany are sold by a developer (Bauträger), who remains the legal Bauherr until handover. In that case the developer insures the site and you only need buildings insurance from the day you take over. If you buy a plot and hire an architect, a general contractor or a prefab house company, you are the Bauherr, with the duties that come with it.
The most important duty is keeping the site safe for others (Verkehrssicherungspflicht, based on Section 823 of the Civil Code). You can hand the practical work to the contractors, but you remain responsible for checking that they do it. If a passer-by falls into an unfenced trench, the claim often reaches you first.
The helper rule that surprises most newcomers
In Germany, private helpers on a building site are covered by statutory accident insurance through BG BAU, the employers' liability insurance association for construction, even if they work for free. As the Bauherr you must register the project within one week and later report the hours worked; the contribution is based on those hours. Failing to register can lead to a fine and a back payment after an accident.
You yourself are not covered by that registration. Statutory benefits also follow strict rules, with pensions only above a certain level of permanent impairment. A private helper accident policy (Bauhelfer-Unfallversicherung) can add a lump sum for disability and can include you as the owner.
Fire, storm and theft: which policy pays
Shell fire insurance covers fire, lightning and explosion while the house is being built. Many insurers include it free of charge if you take out the future buildings insurance with them. Your lender will normally ask for proof before releasing the loan.
Construction all risks insurance covers what fire cover does not: storm, heavy rain, vandalism, theft of installed parts and unforeseen damage from design or material faults. Without it, the contractors and the owner argue over who pays for a collapsed gable, and work stops while they do.
If the contractor goes bust
Under a German consumer building contract, the contractor must provide security of five percent of the agreed price with the first instalment (Section 650m of the Civil Code), usually as a bank guarantee. A completion guarantee goes further and covers extra costs if the firm becomes insolvent before finishing. It is provided by the contractor, so ask for it before you sign.
What is covered
- Your liability as owner for injury and property damage to third parties around the site
- Breaches of the duty to secure the site, such as open trenches or falling material
- Fire, lightning and explosion to the shell under shell fire cover
- Storm, vandalism and theft of installed parts under construction all risks
- Unforeseen damage to the works from design or material faults
- Accidents of registered private helpers through BG BAU
- A disability lump sum for helpers and owners under a private helper accident policy
What is not covered
- Defects that a contractor must fix under the building contract
- Theft of loose materials not yet installed, depending on the policy
- Damage from foreseeable weather to unprotected materials
- Extra costs caused by the insolvency of the contractor
- Accidents of the owner through the BG BAU registration
- Damage to the neighbouring house from lowering groundwater, unless included
Who needs it
- Anyone who buys a plot and commissions a new house
- Owners who plan to do part of the work themselves with friends
- Anyone building with separate trades rather than one general contractor
- Buyers of prefab houses who organise the basement or foundation slab themselves
Who can do without
- Buyers of a new home from a developer, who insures the site until handover
- Small renovation projects clearly covered by your personal liability policy
Wheel of misfortune
Spin the wheel of bad luck
Six things that really happen. The wheel picks yours and shows who pays.
Cost:
Budget policy
Strong policy
See all six cases
- Child climbs the fence and falls, five figures, more in serious cases. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. German courts expect building sites to be secured against curious children. Builder's liability pays if the fencing was not enough.
- Vandals spray the new facade, around 2,000 to 8,000 €. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Shell fire cover does not include vandalism. Construction all risks insurance (Bauleistungsversicherung) does.
- Heavy rain floods the excavation, around 3,000 to 15,000 €. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays in part. Construction all risks pays for unusual weather damage to the works. Normal rain that should have been planned for is not covered.
- Electrical fire in the shell, up to the value of the whole shell. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. Fire damage to the shell is paid by shell fire insurance (Feuerrohbauversicherung), which is part of the minimum package.
- Tools stolen from the site overnight, a few hundred to several thousand €. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Tools and machinery are not part of the building works. They need their own cover, usually through the contractor.
- Contractor goes bust mid-build, often five or six figures to finish. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Insolvency is not an insured event. Protection comes from a completion guarantee (Fertigstellungsbürgschaft) and staged payments.
What it costs
Builder's liability and construction all risks are usually paid once for the whole building period. Shell fire cover is often free when combined with the future buildings insurance. BG BAU sets its own contribution based on the helper hours you report.
What drives the premium
- Building cost excluding the plot
- How much work you and your helpers do yourselves
- Construction method and planned building time
- Deductible for construction all risks
- Site conditions such as slopes, groundwater or neighbouring buildings
We do not publish guide prices here because building costs and methods vary too widely. Your premium is fixed only in the quote.
The policy levels on the market
02
Recommended
Adds construction all risks insurance. The sensible level for any new build involving several trades.
03
Self-build
Adds BG BAU registration and a private helper accident policy. For owners who work on site with family and friends.
How to recognise a good policy
| Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liability cover | 5 million € combined | 10 million € or more | A serious injury on a building site can exceed small limits quickly. |
| Own work | small share of building cost | high share explicitly covered | Owners doing a lot themselves may otherwise fall outside the cover. |
| Damage to neighbours | excluded | vibration and groundwater damage included | Cracks in the neighbour's house are among the most expensive site claims. |
| Shell fire free period | six months | until completion, at least 24 months | Building times slip and lenders want cover without gaps. |
| Theft on site | installed parts only | delivered but not yet installed parts too | Windows, heating units and cables often disappear before fitting. |
| Helper accident | disability cover for helpers | owner and partner included | The owner is not covered by the BG BAU registration. |
Insurers on the German market
Many German property insurers offer builder's liability and construction all risks, sometimes as a package. This list is a market overview and says nothing about which insurers we work with.
| Insurer | Background |
|---|---|
| VHV | broker-focused insurer with a focus on the construction sector |
| Allianz | builder's liability and construction cover, agents and brokers |
| AXA | German arm of the French AXA group |
| R+V | insurer of the cooperative banks, often offered with the mortgage |
| Haftpflichtkasse | mutual insurer specialised in liability, sells through brokers |
| Gothaer | mutual group, agents and brokers |
| Alte Leipziger | property insurer of the Alte Leipziger-Hallesche group, sells through brokers |
| Württembergische | part of the W&W group, which also owns the building society Wüstenrot |
From the BaFin register
163
163 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Allgemeine Haftpflicht, Hagel-, Frost- und sonstige Sachschäden)
Show all 163 names from the register
- ACM Versicherung AG
- ADAC Autoversicherung AG
- ADAC Versicherung AG
- ADAC Zuhause 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
- Astra Versicherung AG
- 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.
- Bayerische Landesbrandversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Bayerischer Versicherungsverband Versicherungsaktiengesellschaft
- BD24 Berlin Direkt Versicherung AG
- Bergische Brandversicherung Allgemeine Feuerversicherung V.a.G.
- BGV-Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- CG Car-Garantie Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Concordia Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
- CONSTANTIA Versicherungen a.G.
- 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 Sozialeinrichtung der Deutschen Bahn
- DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung AG
- Dialog Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Die Haftpflichtkasse VVaG
- DOCURA VVaG
- Dolleruper Freie Brandgilde
- Domestic & General Insurance Europe AG
- ERGO Direkt Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ERGO Reiseversicherung AG
- ERGO Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Euro-Aviation Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- EUROPA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- EXTREMUS Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Fahrlehrerversicherung Verein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Feuer- und Einbruchschadenkasse der BBBank in Karlsruhe, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Feuersozietät Berlin Brandenburg Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- GARANTA Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Gartenbau-Versicherung VVaG
- Gebäudeversicherungsgilde für Föhr,Amrum und Halligen
- Gemeinnützige Haftpflichtversicherungsanstalt Kassel
- Generali Deutschland Versicherung AG
- GGG Kraftfahrzeug-Reparaturkosten-Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- 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
- Hagelgilde Versicherungsverein a.G., gegründet 1811
- Hamburger Beamten-Feuer-und Einbruchskasse
- Hamburger Feuerkasse Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Hamburger Lehrer-Feuerkasse
- HanseMerkur Allgemeine Versicherung AG
- HanseMerkur Reiseversicherung AG
- Harsewinkeler Versicherung VaG
- 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
- Häger Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- 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-ALLGEMEINE Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- KRAVAG-LOGISTIC Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover
- LBN Versicherungsverein a.G. (VVaG)
- Lehrer-Feuerversicherungsverein a.G. für Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- 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
- Mercedes-Benz Versicherung AG
- MVK Versicherung VVaG
- MÜNCHENER VEREIN Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
- NEH Neue Hildener Versicherung AG
- Neodigital Versicherung AG
- Neuendorfer Brand-Bau-Gilde
- Newline Europe Versicherung AG
- nexible Versicherung AG
- Nordhemmer Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- NV-Versicherungen VVaG
- NÜRNBERGER Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- NÜRNBERGER BEAMTEN ALLGEMEINE VERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
- OKV - Ostdeutsche Kommunalversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
- Ostangler Brandgilde, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
- OSTBEVERNER Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit (VVaG)
- Pallas Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- ProTect Versicherung AG
- Provinzial Nord Brandkasse Aktiengesellschaft
- Provinzial Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- PVAG Polizeiversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
- R+V Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Real Garant Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- RheinLand Versicherungs Aktiengesellschaft
- Rhion Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- S DirektVersicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SAARLAND Feuerversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- Schleswiger Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
- SCHNEVERDINGER Versicherungsverein a.G.
- SHB Allgemeine Versicherung VVaG
- SIGNAL IDUNA Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- SIGNAL IDUNA Unfallversicherung a. G.
- 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
- Vereinigte Hagelversicherung VVaG
- Vereinigte Tierversicherung, Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
- 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.
- Volkswagen Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- VOLKSWOHL-BUND SACHVERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
- VPV Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
- Waldenburger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
- WERTGARANTIE SE
- 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, retrieved 18 September 2026. Insurers from other EU countries selling through a branch or without a German office are not included.
Legal basis and sources
Products and add-ons
Builder's liability (Bauherrenhaftpflicht)
Your liability towards third parties during construction, one-off premium based on building cost.
Construction all risks (Bauleistungsversicherung)
Damage to the works in progress from storm, vandalism, theft of installed parts and unforeseen events.
Shell fire cover (Feuerrohbauversicherung)
Fire, lightning and explosion during construction, usually rolled into the later buildings policy.
Helper accident cover (Bauhelfer-Unfallversicherung)
Private addition to BG BAU, pays a lump sum for permanent disability, can include the owner.
Myth or truth
True or false?
Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.
If the contractor causes an accident on your site, you as the owner can still be liable.
This is true.
True: in Germany the owner has a duty to keep the site safe, even when professionals do the work. Injured people often claim against both. Builder's liability insurance defends you and pays valid claims.
Friends who help on my building site are covered by my personal liability policy.
This is false.
False: personal liability does not cover injuries to your helpers, and building work beyond small jobs is often excluded. Helpers must be registered with the BG BAU accident insurer.
Construction all risks insurance pays for poor workmanship.
This is false.
False: it pays for sudden, unforeseen damage to the works, such as storm, vandalism or theft of installed parts. Defects are the contractor's responsibility under the warranty.
Many German lenders want proof of fire cover before releasing construction loan money.
This is true.
True: the house is the bank's security, so the bank wants it insured from the start. Shell fire cover is usually the document they ask for. Some insurers offer it free for the build period if the home policy follows.
Construction all risks cover ends when you move in, not when the last trade leaves.
This is true.
True: cover typically ends at formal acceptance of the works (Abnahme) or when you move in, whichever comes first. From then on you need regular buildings insurance. Plan the switch so there is no gap.
Common mistakes
- Starting groundwork before any policy is in place
- Letting friends help without registering the project with BG BAU
- Relying on personal liability insurance for a whole new house
- Understating your own work to lower the premium
- Forgetting shell fire cover and delaying the loan payout
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Is builder's liability insurance compulsory in Germany?
Not by law. But the owner is liable for site safety without any upper limit, so almost everyone takes it out. Some lenders ask for proof.
Do I have to register friends who help me build?
Yes. Unpaid helpers are covered by statutory accident insurance through BG BAU, and you must register the project within one week of starting. BG BAU decides in individual cases whether close relatives are exempt.
Does my personal liability insurance cover building a house?
Only up to the building cost stated in your policy, which usually covers sheds and small renovations, not a new house. Check the conditions of your contract.
What is the difference between construction all risks and shell fire cover?
Shell fire cover pays for fire, lightning and explosion only. Construction all risks pays for storm, vandalism, theft of installed parts and unforeseen damage to the works, but usually not for fire.
I am buying a new-build flat from a developer. Do I need this?
Usually not. The developer is the legal owner of the project until handover and insures the site. In a flat, the owners' association arranges the buildings insurance.
When should cover start?
Before the first step on the plot, such as excavation or tree felling. Anything that happens before the policy starts is not covered.
Are the documents available in English?
Sometimes as information, but the binding conditions are almost always in German. We can walk you through the key clauses in English.
What does BG BAU registration cost?
Registering is free. BG BAU calculates the contribution afterwards from the helper hours you report.
Why use a broker for this?
Because four covers must fit together, and limits for own work and damage to neighbours vary a lot between insurers. A broker compares on your behalf and is paid by the insurer.
NAMMERT insurance broker
Request quotes for Self-build insurance
We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison. Free of charge and without obligation: the insurer pays our commission. You can write in English.
Thank you, we have your request.
We will be in touch within one working day. If it is urgent: +49 3375 29 12 77.
Often goes with it
Is buildings insurance mandatory in Germany?
Is flood insurance included in German home insurance?
Do I really need personal liability insurance in Germany?
Do I need private accident insurance if I already have health insurance in Germany?
Does my German buildings insurance cover my solar panels?
Ten life situations, sorted honestly
Find your case, see which policy pays
What we would talk you out of
Boat or yacht? Here we are not the broker but the underwriting agency, with our own policies and our own claims handling.
Boat insuranceNAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker. Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated