What does machinery insurance for an excavator or mini excavator cost in Germany?
In short
In Germany, machinery insurance for a mini excavator worth 40,000 to 50,000 euros new usually costs about 290 to 640 euros a year. For a larger excavator worth 130,000 to 240,000 euros new, expect about 1,100 to 1,450 euros. What drives the cost is the replacement value, the deductible and whether theft and internal breakdown are included.
Mini excavator, purchase price 50,000 euros, machinery and accident, deductible 500 euros
455.53 euros gross a year
Mini excavator, new value 42,000 euros, built 2022, extended cover, deductible 500 euros
638.20 euros a year, 574.29 euros without fire
Hydraulic excavator, sum insured 133,000 euros, deductible 250 euros
1,424.43 euros a year
Wheeled excavator, sum insured 240,000 euros, built 2023
78 euros net a month, about 936 euros net a year
As of October 2026, taken from examples published by individual brokers and tariffs.
The ranges in the answer are derived from them.
Your premium depends on the machine, the work and the security; we obtain the exact quote for you.
Worked example
Landscaper with a new 2.5 tonne mini excavator
How the premium adds up for a mini excavator with a GPS tracker, insured under ABMG.
List price with freight and bucket
50,000 euros
Machinery and accident cover, deductible 500 euros
about 380 euros net
Insurance tax 19 percent
about 73 euros
With a 2,500 euro deductible instead
about 90 euros less
Altogether about 365 to 455 euros a year, roughly 30 to 38 euros a month.
ABG or ABMG: two ways to insure an excavator
German insurers use two standard wordings for excavators. The ABG (Kaskoversicherung für Baugeräte) is pure accident cover: it pays when something hits the excavator from outside, such as tipping over in a trench or a collision with a truck.
The ABMG (Maschinen- und Kaskoversicherung für fahrbare Geräte) adds internal breakdown of the excavator: operator error, a hydraulic failure caused by a material defect, an engine damaged by a short circuit. For a mini excavator the extra cost in published examples is only 70 to 100 euros a year.
Neither wording covers wear and tear. A hose that turns brittle over the years is a maintenance cost, not an insured loss.
Damage to the excavator
ABG (accident only)
ABMG (machinery and accident)
Tipping over on a slope
covered
covered
Theft from the site
if agreed
if agreed
Fire, storm, flood
covered
covered
Operator error during work
not covered
covered
Material defect, engine failure from inside
not covered
covered
Wear and tear
not covered
not covered
What sets the premium for an excavator or mini excavator
The premium is a percentage of the sum insured. In Germany that sum must be the current list price of the excavator when new, including freight and attachments, not what you paid for a used one.
After that, deductible, theft protection, type of work and claims history matter. A mini excavator in landscaping is a different risk from a tracked excavator in demolition.
Factor
Effect on the premium
New value of the excavator
direct, every euro counts
Deductible 2,500 instead of 500 euros
saves about 20 percent in the example
ABMG instead of ABG
about 25 percent more in the example
GPS tracker or immobiliser
often lowers the theft deductible
Demolition or work near water
clearly more expensive than earthworks
Fire excluded
saves about 10 percent in the example
Theft is the most expensive loss for excavators
Mini excavators are easy to load onto a trailer and often disappear overnight. Theft is only covered if it is written into the policy, and insurers almost always tie it to security: key removed, immobiliser, fenced site or a GPS tracker.
Check whether the theft deductible is a percentage. Ten percent of 240,000 euros is 24,000 euros out of your own pocket.
What excavator machinery insurance does not pay
Machinery insurance only pays for damage to your own excavator. If the excavator hits someone else's cable or house, your business liability insurance (Betriebshaftpflicht) pays. If it drives on public roads with a number plate, it also needs motor liability cover (Kfz-Haftpflicht).
Downtime is not covered either. A rental excavator during repairs is only paid if the policy includes hire costs.
When excavator insurance is not worth it
For an old mini excavator with a low market value that you could replace from your own cash, full machinery cover is often too expensive. Accident cover with a high deductible, or no policy at all, may be the better choice.
Many insurers only accept used excavators up to a certain age, so ask before you buy an older machine.
Step by step
Find the current list price of the excavator including freight and attachments.
Decide whether accident cover (ABG) is enough or breakdown should be included (ABMG).
Include theft and read the security conditions.
Choose a deductible, and make sure the theft deductible is a fixed amount.
List attachments such as breakers or grabs separately.
Compare quotes with the same scope, not just the price.
Checklist
Sum insured equals the new list price, not the used price
Operator error and internal breakdown included
Theft covered with security rules you can actually meet
Fixed theft deductible instead of a percentage
Attachments and accessories insured
Hire costs for a replacement machine if contracts depend on it
Common mistakes
Insuring the used purchase price and being cut back after a loss
Buying accident cover only and finding operator error is excluded
Leaving the mini excavator unsecured on site overnight
Overlooking a percentage deductible for theft
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
What does mini excavator insurance cost per month?
For a mini excavator worth 40,000 to 50,000 euros new, usually about 24 to 53 euros a month,
depending on cover and deductible.
Do I have to insure an excavator in Germany?
Not by law, unless it drives on public roads with a number plate.
Lessors and banks almost always require machinery or accident cover.
Is a stolen mini excavator covered?
Only if theft is included and the required security was in place, such as key removed,
immobiliser or GPS tracker.
Is it worth insuring a used excavator?
For younger machines usually yes.
For very old excavators with a low value often not,
and many insurers only accept machines up to a certain age.
Who pays if the excavator hits a gas pipe?
The damage to the pipe is paid by business liability insurance, not machinery insurance,
