Do I really need personal liability insurance in Germany?
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An insurance broker in Germany, explained for newcomers
In Germany, an insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler) is legally on the customer's side, not the insurer's. We compare policies from several insurers, explain the small print in plain English and help when you make a claim. You pay the same premium as buying direct, because the broker is paid by the insurer.
The question almost everyone asks first
How much does insurance cost in Germany?
It depends on a handful of facts: where you live, your age, your job, previous claims, the sum insured and the excess you choose. With those, quotes can be compared fairly. The cheapest quote is rarely the best value, though, because a policy that excludes your actual risk costs you everything when it matters. That is why a broker asks what you need first and prices it second.
Every type of insurance we place
Personal insurance in Germany
Liability and legal
Is dog liability insurance compulsory in Germany?
Do I need legal expenses insurance in Germany?
Home and property
Do I need contents insurance as a renter in Germany?
Is buildings insurance mandatory in Germany?
Is flood insurance included in German home insurance?
Does my German buildings insurance cover my solar panels?
What insurance do I need to build a house in Germany?
On the move
Can I use my no-claims bonus from abroad in Germany?
Is my bike covered by my German contents insurance?
Which travel insurance do I need if I live in Germany?
Do I need insurance to fly a drone in Germany?
Health
Is pet insurance worth it in Germany?
Should I choose public or private health insurance in Germany?
What does German public health insurance not cover?
Is dental insurance worth it in Germany?
Do I need private long-term care insurance in Germany?
Income and family
Do I need private accident insurance if I already have health insurance in Germany?
Do I need occupational disability insurance if I have just moved to Germany?
How much term life cover do I need in Germany?
Who pays for a funeral in Germany?
Retirement
Should I take out a German private pension if I might leave Germany?
Insurance for companies and the self-employed
Liability and legal
Is business liability insurance compulsory in Germany?
Do I need professional indemnity insurance to work in Germany?
Can I be personally liable as managing director of a German GmbH?
What does business legal expenses insurance cover in Germany?
Premises and assets
Is business contents insurance required in Germany?
Do I need buildings insurance for a commercial property in Germany?
What does business interruption insurance pay in Germany?
Why do I need electronic equipment insurance if I have contents insurance?
Isn't machinery already covered by my business contents insurance?
Do I need my own contractors all risks policy if the client already has one?
Do I need cargo insurance if the haulier is liable anyway?
From how many vehicles can I get fleet insurance in Germany?
Digital and financial risks
Do I need cyber insurance for my company in Germany?
Is trade credit insurance worth it for a German subsidiary or SME?
Employees
Do German employers have to offer a company pension?
Is company health insurance in Germany a tax-free benefit?
Do my employees in Germany need group accident insurance if the Berufsgenossenschaft already covers them?
Nothing found. Write to us anyway, we also place unusual risks. Request quotes
Three tools for the decision
Ten life situations, sorted honestly
Find your case, see which policy pays
What we would talk you out of
Do the maths
Calculator: 12
The liability clock: what one accident can cost
Personal liability
Pay it yourself or claim? The no-claims calculator
Car insurance
Your income gap if you can no longer work in your job
Occupational disability
How much cover does your family need?
Term life insurance
The right sum insured in ten seconds
Contents insurance
The limb table: what an accident pays
Accident insurance
Long-term care
Implant: what you are left with
Dental insurance
Cargo insurance
How much turnover one bad debt costs
Trade credit insurance
Business interruption
Cyber insurance
From the BaFin register
How many insurers compete in each class
Insurers under German federal supervision with a licence for the class. The more there are, the more a comparison pays off.
| Class of insurance | Licensed insurers |
|---|---|
| Company pension (bAV) | 229 |
| Self-build insurance | 163 |
| Contents insurance | 155 |
| Buildings insurance | 155 |
| Solar panel insurance | 155 |
| Bicycle and e-bike | 155 |
| Pet health insurance | 155 |
| Business contents | 155 |
| Commercial buildings | 155 |
| Electronic equipment | 155 |
| Machinery breakdown | 155 |
| Contractors all risks | 155 |
| Travel insurance | 140 |
| Cyber insurance | 139 |
| Natural hazard cover | 135 |
| Professional indemnity | 129 |
| Personal liability | 127 |
| Dog and horse liability | 127 |
| Business liability | 127 |
| D&O insurance | 127 |
| Accident insurance | 123 |
| Group accident insurance | 123 |
| Car insurance | 106 |
| Fleet insurance | 106 |
| Funeral insurance | 103 |
| Business interruption | 95 |
| Cargo insurance | 83 |
| Occupational disability | 77 |
| Term life insurance | 77 |
| Private pension | 77 |
| Drone insurance | 61 |
| Legal expenses insurance | 60 |
| Business legal expenses | 60 |
| Private health insurance | 42 |
| Supplementary health | 42 |
| Dental insurance | 42 |
| Long-term care | 42 |
| Company health insurance | 42 |
| Trade credit insurance | 26 |
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. Download as CSV (CC BY 4.0)
What a broker does for you
We compare for you, not for an insurer
A tied agent sells one company's products. A broker has to look at a wide enough range of the market and justify the recommendation. We show you what we compared and why one policy fits better.
We review what you already have
Newcomers often sign up for whatever the bank or employer suggested in the first weeks. We check those contracts for gaps and overlaps, for example two liability policies after moving in together.
We are on your side when you claim
German policies have strict reporting duties and deadlines. We help you file, check the settlement against the wording and push back when the insurer pays less than it owes.
We handle cancellation and switching
German contracts renew automatically unless cancelled in time. We track notice periods, cancel old policies on the right date and make sure there is no gap in cover.
What people ask next
Do I actually need this insurance?
Insure first what could ruin you: liability towards others, which is unlimited under German law, loss of income through illness, and your home if you own it. Small losses you can pay yourself do not need a policy. Our life situation guide shows what matters for you.
What exactly is covered?
The policy schedule and the general terms (Versicherungsbedingungen) decide, not the brochure. Look at exclusions, limits on specific losses and your duties as policyholder, known as Obliegenheiten. We translate the German terms before you sign.
Will the insurer really pay?
If the loss is covered and you met your duties, yes. Disputes usually start in three places: wrong answers on the application, late reporting, and exclusions nobody read. All three can be avoided at the start.
Does a broker cost extra?
No, not normally. The broker's commission, called Courtage, is built into the premium and paid by the insurer. Brokers in Germany are not allowed to pass commission on to customers as a discount, so the price of a given policy is the same.
How do I get out of an old contract?
Most German policies run for a year and renew automatically unless cancelled three months before the end. You can also cancel after a premium increase and after a claim. We find the earliest date and cancel only once new cover is in place.
How it works
Tell us what you need
Use the form on the relevant insurance page, call or email. A few details are enough to start, and we work in English.
Clarify the risk
We ask what would really happen in a loss and look at any policies you already hold, including ones from your home country that may still run.
Compare quotes
We request offers from several insurers and set them side by side, with the differences in cover explained, not just the price.
Sign and switch
You decide. We submit the application, check the policy document for errors and cancel old contracts on time.
Ongoing support
We stay your contact, adjust cover when your life changes, for example when you buy a home or leave Germany, and support you through every claim.
How brokers are paid in Germany
Commission is the norm. The insurer pays the broker out of the premium you would pay anyway. You do not receive a separate bill, and the premium for a given policy is the same as through an agent or online.
The alternative is fee-based advice. A Versicherungsberater registered under § 34d(2) of the Trade Regulation Act is paid only by the client and may not keep payments from insurers. This mostly makes sense for large pension or life contracts, where net-of-commission versions exist.
Before any contract we tell you in writing how we are paid. German law requires this in the initial information document, and it belongs in an honest relationship.
What a broker cannot do
Some insurers sell only direct and do not work with brokers, for example HUK24 and Allianz Direct. We cannot arrange those policies. We still mention them where relevant so you see the whole market.
We are not lawyers or tax advisers. We explain policy terms and represent you towards the insurer. Legal action and the tax treatment of pensions, including what happens when you leave Germany, belong with those professions.
We cannot promise a price before the insurer quotes, and the insurer decides whether to accept you, especially where health questions apply.
For boat and yacht insurance we are not a broker but an underwriting agency (Assekuradeur): we write and settle those policies on behalf of insurers. It is a different role, so we say so.
The first question for each type
What people want to know first, answered in a few lines.
Personal liability
Do I really need personal liability insurance in Germany?
More on this: Personal liabilityContents insurance
Do I need contents insurance as a renter in Germany?
More on this: Contents insuranceBuildings insurance
Is buildings insurance mandatory in Germany?
More on this: Buildings insuranceNatural hazard cover
Is flood insurance included in German home insurance?
More on this: Natural hazard coverSolar panel insurance
Does my German buildings insurance cover my solar panels?
More on this: Solar panel insuranceSelf-build insurance
What insurance do I need to build a house in Germany?
More on this: Self-build insuranceCar insurance
Can I use my no-claims bonus from abroad in Germany?
More on this: Car insuranceBicycle and e-bike
Is my bike covered by my German contents insurance?
More on this: Bicycle and e-bikeTravel insurance
Which travel insurance do I need if I live in Germany?
More on this: Travel insuranceDrone insurance
Do I need insurance to fly a drone in Germany?
More on this: Drone insuranceDog and horse liability
Is dog liability insurance compulsory in Germany?
More on this: Dog and horse liabilityPet health insurance
Is pet insurance worth it in Germany?
More on this: Pet health insuranceLegal expenses insurance
Do I need legal expenses insurance in Germany?
More on this: Legal expenses insuranceAccident insurance
Do I need private accident insurance if I already have health insurance in Germany?
More on this: Accident insuranceOccupational disability
Do I need occupational disability insurance if I have just moved to Germany?
More on this: Occupational disabilityTerm life insurance
How much term life cover do I need in Germany?
More on this: Term life insuranceFuneral insurance
Who pays for a funeral in Germany?
More on this: Funeral insurancePrivate pension
Should I take out a German private pension if I might leave Germany?
More on this: Private pensionPrivate health insurance
Should I choose public or private health insurance in Germany?
More on this: Private health insuranceSupplementary health
What does German public health insurance not cover?
More on this: Supplementary healthDental insurance
Is dental insurance worth it in Germany?
More on this: Dental insuranceLong-term care
Do I need private long-term care insurance in Germany?
More on this: Long-term careBusiness liability
Is business liability insurance compulsory in Germany?
More on this: Business liabilityProfessional indemnity
Do I need professional indemnity insurance to work in Germany?
More on this: Professional indemnityD&O insurance
Can I be personally liable as managing director of a German GmbH?
More on this: D&O insuranceBusiness legal expenses
What does business legal expenses insurance cover in Germany?
More on this: Business legal expensesBusiness contents
Is business contents insurance required in Germany?
More on this: Business contentsCommercial buildings
Do I need buildings insurance for a commercial property in Germany?
More on this: Commercial buildingsBusiness interruption
What does business interruption insurance pay in Germany?
More on this: Business interruptionElectronic equipment
Why do I need electronic equipment insurance if I have contents insurance?
More on this: Electronic equipmentMachinery breakdown
Isn't machinery already covered by my business contents insurance?
More on this: Machinery breakdownContractors all risks
Do I need my own contractors all risks policy if the client already has one?
More on this: Contractors all risksCargo insurance
Do I need cargo insurance if the haulier is liable anyway?
More on this: Cargo insuranceFleet insurance
From how many vehicles can I get fleet insurance in Germany?
More on this: Fleet insuranceCyber insurance
Do I need cyber insurance for my company in Germany?
More on this: Cyber insuranceTrade credit insurance
Is trade credit insurance worth it for a German subsidiary or SME?
More on this: Trade credit insuranceCompany pension (bAV)
Do German employers have to offer a company pension?
More on this: Company pension (bAV)Company health insurance
Is company health insurance in Germany a tax-free benefit?
More on this: Company health insuranceGroup accident insurance
Do my employees in Germany need group accident insurance if the Berufsgenossenschaft already covers them?
More on this: Group accident insuranceQuestions and answers
Frequently asked
What is the difference between a broker and an insurance agent in Germany?
An agent (Versicherungsvertreter) works for one or a few insurers and sells their products. A broker (Versicherungsmakler) acts for the customer and must base advice on a sufficient range of offers. German courts describe the broker as the customer's trustee.
Can I get advice in English?
Yes. Contracts and policy terms are usually in German and the German version is legally binding, but we explain them in English and handle correspondence with insurers for you.
Is a broker liable for bad advice?
Yes. Under § 63 of the Insurance Contract Act an intermediary who breaches advice duties must compensate the resulting loss. Every broker must hold professional indemnity insurance to be licensed.
How can I check whether a broker is licensed?
Search the German intermediary register at vermittlerregister.info. It shows whether someone is registered as broker, agent or fee-based adviser. Our registration number is on this page.
Can I move existing policies to a broker without cancelling them?
Yes. You sign a broker mandate, and the insurer then services the contract through the broker. Premium, cover and term stay exactly the same.
Can a German broker handle policies I keep from my home country?
We can review them and tell you whether they still work in Germany. Often they do not, for example home or motor cover tied to an address abroad. We cannot service contracts with insurers that are not active in Germany.
What happens to my policies if I leave Germany?
It depends on the policy. Contents cover usually ends when you give up your German home and move abroad, other contracts run on until their normal end date unless the terms say otherwise. Private health insurance and long-term contracts need careful handling. Talk to us before you go.
Does NAMMERT only insure boats?
No. For boats and yachts we are an underwriting agency. As a broker we cover individuals and businesses in all common lines, from personal liability to company pensions.
One request for everything
Pick the types, give the details insurers need, get a comparison.
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)