How much does business contents insurance cost in Germany?
In short
How much does business contents insurance cost in Germany? A small office often pays from about EUR 125 a year, retailers about EUR 57 to 1,551 depending on the insurer, and bakeries around EUR 1,765 on average. The premium is a per mille rate on the sum insured, for offices for example 2.2 per mille, plus insurance tax.
Published tariff and reference figures for business contents insurance in Germany.
Example
Typical range
Office business, standard perils without Klein-BU
2.2 per mille, at least EUR 125 net a year
Office business with Klein-BU
2.85 per mille, at least EUR 150 net a year
Equipment rental, sum insured EUR 77,000
about EUR 254 to 331 net a year
Retailer, several insurers
about EUR 57 to 1,551 a year
Bakery on average
around EUR 1,765 a year
Travel agency, sum EUR 300,000, with electronics and BU
about EUR 1,200 to 1,900 a year
Guide values from a published tariff (2021), reference quotes (2024) and a guide example.
For a shop with EUR 70,000 sum insured,
3 to 5 per mille is a guide value from day-to-day quoting practice.
Your premium is only fixed in the quote.
Worked example
Small gift shop with EUR 70,000 of contents
A gift shop in a mid-sized German town with fittings worth EUR 40,000 and EUR 30,000 of stock before Christmas.
Sum insured
EUR 70,000
Standard perils at 3 to 5 per mille
about EUR 210 to 350
Natural hazards at 0.2 to 0.72 per mille
about EUR 14 to 50
Insurance tax
about EUR 40 to 75
In total about EUR 265 to 475 a year, roughly EUR 22 to 40 a month.
How the premium is calculated
German insurers price business contents insurance as a rate per thousand euros of sum insured. With a sum of EUR 80,000 and 3 per mille you pay EUR 240 net a year. Insurance tax (Versicherungsteuer) is added on top, slightly lower for the fire share than for the rest.
Most tariffs have a minimum premium. A very small business therefore rarely pays less than about EUR 125 to 175 a year, even if the per mille calculation would come out lower.
Factor
Effect on the cost
Type of business
very strong: bakeries and carpenters pay many times an office
Sum insured
direct, every euro of new value counts
Location and burglary rates
noticeable, especially for valuable stock
Alarm system and locks
lower the burglary rate
Klein-BU included
from 2.2 to 2.85 per mille in the tariff example
Natural hazards
about 0.2 to 0.72 per mille extra in the tariff example
Why your trade moves the price so much
A carpentry shop with timber and machines is a completely different fire risk from a physiotherapy practice. That is why artists and therapists pay around EUR 60 a year on average for business contents insurance, carpenters almost EUR 3,700.
Prices also vary hugely between insurers. For the same retailer, reference quotes ranged from EUR 57 to 1,551 a year. Comparing quotes with identical cover and sums is worth the effort.
Where saving on business contents insurance backfires
A sum insured that is too low reduces the premium but cuts every claim in proportion under § 75 VVG. Insure EUR 100,000 instead of 150,000 and you might save EUR 100 a year but lose a third of every payout.
Leaving out natural hazards or power surge cover saves little on business contents insurance. A sewer backflow into your stockroom or a lightning surge that kills the tills quickly costs four or five figures.
When an expensive policy is not needed
All risks cover and high cost limits rarely pay off for a small office with modest values. Extended named perils cover with an underinsurance waiver, priced close to the minimum premium, is usually enough.
Step by step
Add up the new value of fittings, IT and machines.
Add your highest stock level of the year at purchase price.
Describe your trade precisely, it sets the rate.
Choose add-ons for your location: natural hazards, surge, Klein-BU.
Compare quotes with the same sum and the same clauses.
Checklist
Sum based on new value, not book value
Peak season stock included
Underinsurance waiver in the quote
Minimum premium and insurance tax shown
Deductible chosen on purpose
Common mistakes
Using the depreciated book value as sum insured
Comparing quotes with different sums and add-ons
Describing the trade vaguely and arguing about it after a claim
Dropping natural hazards to save a few euros
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
How much is business contents insurance per month?
Roughly EUR 10 to 15 for a small office and EUR 20 to 40 for a small shop.
Paying annually is often slightly cheaper.
Is the premium tax deductible?
Yes, as a business insurance it is an operating expense.
Your tax adviser can confirm the details.
Does a deductible lower the price?
Yes, often noticeably.
It makes sense if you can carry small losses yourself.
Is a commercial package (Firmenpaket) cheaper?
Often, because contents, glass, electronics and liability are bundled.
Check each item's own limit.
Why did my premium go up?
Many contracts adjust sum and premium to price levels each year.
Claims in your trade or a new location rating also play a role.
Does using a broker cost extra?
No.
Norman Nammert acts as an insurance broker and the insurer pays the commission.
