What insurance do hobby beekeepers need in Germany?
In short
In Germany, hobby beekeepers need liability insurance above all, because as the keeper you are liable for damage caused by your bees under section 833 of the Civil Code (BGB) even without fault. The cheapest route is joining a beekeeping club: many state associations include beekeeper liability with, for example, EUR 10 million of cover, colonies at EUR 100 each and legal expenses insurance in the membership.
What cover for hobby beekeepers costs, from association documents.
Example
Typical range
Beekeeper liability, colony cover and legal expenses via the state association
included in membership, club fee about EUR 20 to 50 a year
Share for the German Beekeepers Association from the club fee
EUR 3.58 a year per member plus EUR 0.26 per colony
Top-up for bee house and equipment, level I
EUR 20 a year for EUR 5,000 sum insured
Top-up, level III
EUR 40 a year for EUR 20,000 sum insured
Top-up, level V
EUR 80 a year for EUR 40,000 sum insured
Own beekeeper liability without a club, up to 10 colonies
about EUR 30 to 80 a year
As of October 2026.
The top-up premiums apply to members of the Bavarian beekeepers' association and include insurance
tax.
The club fee, own liability policy and worked example are guide values from our quoting practice;
we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Hobby beekeeper with 6 colonies in the garden, club member in Bavaria
How the hives are covered through the club and what is paid after a theft.
Club fee with beekeeper liability and colony cover
about EUR 30 a year
Liability if a neighbour is stung and injured
up to EUR 10 million
Theft of 2 colonies with hives
2 × EUR 100 colony and 2 × EUR 100 hive
Top-up for extractor and equipment
EUR 20 a year for EUR 5,000
For about EUR 50 a year, liability, colonies and equipment are insured. After the theft of two colonies the insurer pays up to EUR 400, provided the theft is credibly proven.
Why hobby beekeepers need liability cover
Under section 833 BGB the keeper of an animal must pay for damage it does to people or property. The defence of careful supervision only applies to domestic animals kept for work, business or livelihood. For bees kept as a hobby it does not apply.
Typical cases are an allergic shock after a sting, a rider thrown from a horse after a bee attack, or droppings on a new car during the bees' cleansing flight. Personal injury claims can become very expensive.
Whether your personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) includes bees is stated in the policy terms. If bees are not mentioned, do not assume that your beekeeping is covered.
Risk
Which insurance
Note
Sting or accident caused by bees
beekeeper liability
the most important cover, often via the club
Selling honey
product liability
partly included in association contracts
Theft, fire, storm at the apiary
colony and property cover
limited sum per colony
Poisoning by pesticides
colony cover with spray damage
only for unauthorised or incorrect use, with an expert report
Foulbrood, varroa
none
diseases and infestations are excluded
What the beekeeping club covers
If you belong to a club within a state association of the German Beekeepers Association (Deutscher Imkerbund), you are usually insured through a group contract. It includes liability and colony cover plus legal expenses insurance, and with some associations accident insurance too.
In the Bavarian association, liability cover is EUR 10 million combined per claim, including product liability and environmental damage. Colonies are insured at EUR 100 each, nuclei at EUR 50, occupied hives and honey stores at EUR 100 each. Other state associations may use different values.
Which damage to your bees is covered
Colony cover in the association contract pays for fire, burglary, provable theft and vandalism, storm from wind force 8, hail, earthquake and flooding. Flood cover does not apply to apiaries inside an officially designated flood zone.
Damage by animals is included, except robbing by other bees and damage by mice. Bee diseases such as foulbrood and infestations such as mites are excluded.
Bee house, trailer and equipment
Bee houses, stands, migratory trailers, equipment and stores are not part of the basic package. In Bavaria a voluntary top-up policy covers them; it is paid with the membership fee and only applies once the extra premium has arrived.
For two or three hives in the garden you rarely need the top-up. With a bee house, extractor and stores it is worth it.
Duties for hobby beekeepers
Anyone who wants to keep bees must report this to the competent authority at the latest when starting, with the number of colonies and the location. This is required by section 1a of the Bee Disease Ordinance (Bienenseuchen-Verordnung); the authority then issues a registration number.
If a swarm leaves, section 962 BGB allows you to follow it onto other people's land, but you must pay for any damage. If you do not follow it without delay, it becomes ownerless under section 961 BGB.
When you need no separate beekeeper policy
As a member of a club with a group contract, an extra beekeeper liability policy usually duplicates cover. Just check that your number of colonies and any honey sales are included.
If you keep bees without a club, you need your own beekeeper liability policy or a personal liability policy that expressly includes bees.
Step by step
Report your bees to the competent authority before the first colony arrives.
Join a beekeeping club and read your state association's insurance overview.
Check that honey sales and your number of colonies are covered.
Insure a bee house and equipment through the top-up if needed.
Without a club, have beekeeper liability quotes compared; Norman Nammert arranges cover as an insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler), and the insurer pays the commission.
Checklist
Beekeeper liability with a sufficient sum insured
Product liability for honey you sell
Colonies, nuclei and hives insured
Apiary outside an official flood zone, or the gap known
Registration with the authority done
Photos of the apiary for any claim
Common mistakes
Assuming personal liability insurance covers bees automatically
Placing your colonies on one stand with those of an uninsured beekeeper
Believing foulbrood or varroa losses are insured
Paying the top-up premium late and leaving the bee house uninsured
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
What insurance do hobby beekeepers need with only two colonies?
Beekeeper liability.
The easiest way to get it is club membership, which usually includes colony cover as well.
Does my personal liability insurance pay if my bees sting the neighbour?
Only if the terms expressly include bees.
Otherwise you need beekeeper liability cover.
Am I liable even if I did everything right?
Yes.
For bees kept as a hobby you are liable under section 833 BGB even without fault.
Are colony losses from varroa insured?
No.
Bee diseases and infestations are excluded from the association contracts.
What if a swarm moves into the neighbour's garden?
You may follow and catch it on their land but must pay for any damage.
If you do not follow it without delay, it becomes ownerless.
Do I have to register my bees?
Yes, with the competent authority at the latest when you start,
