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Why use an insurance broker instead of a comparison site in Germany?

In short

Why use an insurance broker instead of a comparison site? Because two policies at 98 euros a year can pay out over 9,000 euros apart after a claim. A comparison site in Germany mainly ranks by price; a broker (Versicherungsmakler) looks for the policy that pays, works for you by law and is liable for bad advice. It usually costs you nothing extra: the commission is built into the premium.

Why use an insurance broker instead of a comparison site in Germany?

What it costs

What a broker and a comparison site cost you in Germany: both are paid by the insurer through commission included in the premium.

ExampleTypical range
Buying through a comparison site0 euros fee, commission included in the premium
Buying and ongoing support through a broker0 euros invoice, commission included in the premium
Ongoing commission on liability, contents and buildings cover (guide value)around 15 to 25 percent of the annual net premium
Ongoing commission on motor insurance (guide value)around 5 to 10 percent of the annual net premium
Fee based insurance adviser (Versicherungsberater) instead of a brokeraround 120 to 250 euros per hour

Commission rates are published market ranges, not statutory figures,

and the source is itself a broker; as of October 2026.

Commission may not be paid back to you (§ 48b VAG).

Worked example

Two contents policies at 98 euros a year, one living room fire

Both policies cost the same and appear side by side on a comparison site. A candle is left burning, the damage is 18,000 euros. Policy A does not include gross negligence, so the insurer may cut the payout according to the degree of fault (§ 81 VVG); we assume 50 percent. Policy B covers gross negligence in full and has no excess.

Premium, policy A and policy B98 euros a year each
Fire damage18,000 euros
Policy A: 50 percent reduction9,000 euros
Policy A: excessminus 150 euros
Policy A pays8,850 euros
Policy B pays18,000 euros

Same premium, 9,150 euros difference in the payout. The reduction rate is an assumption; how much is cut depends on the individual case.

What a comparison site does and does not do

In Germany a comparison site is itself a licensed insurance intermediary, usually a broker under § 34d of the Trade Regulation Act (GewO). It lists many prices side by side in seconds, which is handy when price really is what matters most.

The limit is the questionnaire: the site only knows what you type in. If you tick that you do not want advice, none is owed. The Higher Regional Court of Munich confirmed this on 7 August 2026 (25 W 1080/26 e) for a motorcycle policy bought online.

In 2019 the Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) found that comparison sites, especially for insurance, sometimes leave out important providers. The list on the screen is not necessarily the whole market.

Same premium does not mean same cover

Two policies at the same price can differ a lot in the small print: gross negligence (grobe Fahrlässigkeit), exclusions, excess (Selbstbehalt) and caps for single items. On a comparison site you often see only a tick, not the wording behind it.

An insurance broker reads the policy terms for your situation: which loss is likely for you, and what each policy actually pays then. That is where using a broker instead of a list makes the biggest difference.

Policy pointWhat a comparison site often showsWhat a broker checks
Gross negligencea tickup to which amount, and without a reduction
Exclusionsrarely visiblewhich exclusions hit your daily life
Excessan amountwhether it applies per claim or per year
Application questionsa form without explanationwhat is asked and how to answer correctly
Later changesa new comparison on your ownadjusting the existing contract

The broker works for you and is liable

A broker is not tied to any insurer. German law requires the broker to base advice on a sufficient number of insurers and contracts on the market (§ 60 VVG, Insurance Contract Act) and to document the advice in writing (§ 61 VVG).

If the broker gets it wrong, they must pay for the damage (§ 63 VVG). Every broker must carry professional indemnity insurance of at least 1,564,610 euros per claim and 2,315,610 euros a year. A waiver of advice ticked on a comparison site makes such claims much harder.

Correct answers on the application protect your cover

When you apply, you must truthfully answer the insurer's questions about risk factors (duty of disclosure, § 19 VVG). If an answer is wrong, the insurer may withdraw, cancel or change the terms, depending on how much you were at fault.

This matters most for previous claims, health questions or business risks, and in a second language it is easy to misread a question. A broker explains what each question means, so your cover does not fall apart over a misunderstanding.

Support when life changes

Moving house, marriage, a baby, going self employed, a new car: after a few years a policy often no longer fits. With a comparison site you start a fresh search. A broker keeps your contracts in view and can adjust them or suggest a switch.

What a broker can do after a loss is limited: they can help you report it and prepare documents, but the insurer always decides whether and how much it pays.

When a comparison site is enough

To be fair: for simple, standardised contracts a comparison site is often enough. Motor third party liability (Kfz-Haftpflicht) has legally fixed minimum content, and if you know exactly which extras you want you will find a cheap policy quickly.

A broker adds more value where the small print decides, where application questions are tricky (health, previous claims), for businesses, and if you want your contracts looked after over the years.

Step by step

  1. Decide how much advice you need: a simple contract or lots of small print?
  2. For simple contracts, compare several policies with the same cover on a comparison site.
  3. Do not tick the waiver of advice if you still have questions.
  4. For complex contracts, look for a broker licensed under § 34d (1) GewO and check the intermediary register.
  5. Go through the application questions together and keep the answers in writing.
  6. Report life changes so the policy can be adjusted.

Checklist

  • Gross negligence covered without reduction
  • Exclusions and limits read, not just ticks
  • Excess per claim or per year known
  • All application questions answered correctly
  • Written record of advice received (§ 61 VVG)
  • Intermediary registered with a licence under § 34d GewO

Common mistakes

  • Taking the cheapest policy without comparing the terms
  • Ticking away the advice on a comparison site and expecting claims later
  • Leaving previous claims or health details off the application
  • Assuming the comparison list is the whole market
  • Not updating policies after a move or a new baby

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Is a comparison site also a broker in Germany?

Usually yes.

Anyone who compares policies and lets you buy them needs a licence under § 34d GewO.

How much advice you get depends on what you enter and whether you waive advice.

Is a broker more expensive than a comparison site?

Usually not.

Both are paid by commission out of the premium,

and the same policy normally costs the same through either route.

Can the broker pay me part of the commission?

No.

§ 48b VAG bans special payments to customers;

only small gifts up to 15 euros per contract and year are allowed.

What is a broker liable for?

For mistakes in advice and documentation (§ 63 VVG),

backed by professional indemnity cover of at least 1,564,610 euros per claim.

When do I not need a broker?

When the contract is simple, for example motor third party liability without special features,

and you know exactly what cover you want.

Who is NAMMERT here?

Norman Nammert is an insurance broker under § 34d (1) GewO, register number D-C08Q-TOSD4-37.

He compares insurers, and the insurer pays the commission.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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Related questions

Your broker: Norman Nammert, trading as NAMMERT.

Insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act.

Broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37.

NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH is a separate company.

It does not arrange your contract.

Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated

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