How do I insure a glider in Germany? Keeper's liability insurance (Halterhaftpflicht) is compulsory under section 43 of the Air Traffic Act. Under 500 kilograms take off mass the minimum is 750,000 Special Drawing Rights, about 0.9 million euros, and double that up to 1,000 kilograms. A published tariff for a two seater starts at about 132 euros a year for 2 million euros. Hull and seat accident cover are optional.
Published annual premiums for gliders in Germany, example two seater at 750 kg, October 2026, including 19 percent insurance tax.
Example
Typical range
Keeper's liability, two seater, 2 million euros
from about 132 euros a year
Passenger liability, two seater, 3 million euros
from about 353 euros a year
Hull, sum insured 60,000 euros, 2,000 euro deductible per partial loss
from about 789 euros a year
Seat accident, 20,000 euros death and disability
from about 42 to 54 euros a year per seat
Entry prices from published tariffs; your premium depends on type, value,
experience and deductible.
The total in the worked example is a guide value from quoting practice.
SDR converted at about 1.20 euros.
Norman Nammert can obtain a quote as an insurance broker.
Worked example
Own two seater, 750 kg, worth 60,000 euros
How the annual premium adds up when you insure liability, a passenger, hull and both seats.
Keeper's liability, 2 million euros
from about 132 euros
Passenger liability, 3 million euros
from about 353 euros
Hull, 60,000 euros
from about 789 euros
Seat accident, two seats
from about 96 euros
In total from about 1,370 euros a year. Without hull about 580 euros remain for liability, passenger and seats.
Compulsory cover for a glider
No engine does not mean no insurance duty: a glider is an aircraft, and its keeper must hold liability cover under section 43 of the Air Traffic Act. It pays when the glider damages a crop during an outlanding, hits a vehicle at the winch launch or injures someone on the ground.
The minimum limit comes from Article 7 of EU Regulation 785/2004 and depends on maximum take off mass. Many gliders sit just below or above 500 kilograms depending on water ballast, so check the flight manual. One Special Drawing Right (SDR) was worth about 1.20 euros at the end of September 2026.
Maximum take off mass
Minimum cover per accident
Approx. in euros
under 500 kg
750,000 SDR
0.9 million
under 1,000 kg
1.5 million SDR
1.8 million
Club glider or your own
If you fly your gliding club's aircraft, the club is normally the keeper and holds the insurance. Ask the club about limits, hull cover and the deductible, because club rules may make you share the deductible after a crash.
If you own the glider alone or in a syndicate, you take out the policies yourself and every pilot must be named in the pilot clause.
Passengers in a two seat glider
Keeper's liability does not cover people inside the glider. Article 6 of Regulation 785/2004 requires 250,000 SDR per passenger; for non commercial flights up to 2,700 kilograms member states may set a lower amount.
A published German tariff for passenger liability (Passagierhaftpflicht) on a 750 kilogram two seater starts at about 353 euros a year for 3 million euros. If you only fly single seaters, you do not need it.
Hull cover for outlandings, hail and trailers
Glider hull insurance (Luftfahrtkasko) pays for damage to your own glider from outside causes: outlanding damage, hard landings, ground handling, fire, hail, theft and vandalism. Depending on the insurer, road transport in the trailer and retrieval costs are included within limits.
For a two seater insured at 60,000 euros with a 2,000 euro deductible per partial loss, one tariff starts at about 789 euros a year. No claims discounts of 15 to 20 percent are common. For an old glider of low value, hull cover often does not pay off.
Accident cover for glider pilots
The German model accident conditions (AUB 2020, June 2025 version) exclude accidents while piloting an aircraft or air sports device that requires a licence. As a glider pilot you may have no cover under a standard accident policy unless aviation is added.
A seat accident policy for the glider pays fixed sums on death or disability; one published tariff offers 20,000 euros per seat from about 42 euros a year. It does not replace passenger liability.
Step by step
Read maximum take off mass including water ballast from the flight manual.
Clarify whether the club or you are the keeper.
Set a liability limit, ideally above the minimum.
Add passenger liability for a two seater.
Decide on hull by value and savings, and ask about trailer transport.
Sort out accident cover for pilot and passenger.
Checklist
Insurance certificate on board
Limit matches weight class with ballast
Passenger seat covered
Pilot clause complete
Trailer transport clarified
Common mistakes
Using take off mass without water ballast
Flying passengers without passenger liability
Relying on a standard accident policy as pilot
Not updating the sum insured after buying new instruments
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does a touring motor glider need the same cover?
It also needs keeper's liability under section 43 of the Air Traffic Act,
with the limit set by its take off mass.
Hull and passengers work as for a glider.
Does hull insurance pay for an outlanding in a field?
It pays for damage to your glider minus the deductible.
The farmer's crop damage is paid by keeper's liability.
Is my trailer covered?
The trailer is a separate vehicle with its own insurance.
Whether the glider is covered in hull while in the trailer depends on the policy.
What are Special Drawing Rights?
An IMF unit of account.
At the end of September 2026 one SDR was worth about 1.20 euros.
Who arranges the insurance?
Norman Nammert acts as an insurance broker.
The commission is paid by the insurer, so the service is free for you.
