Insurance broker or paid insurance adviser: which one suits you?
In short
In Germany an insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler) sends you no bill: the insurer pays a commission that is built into your premium. A paid insurance adviser (Versicherungsberater) charges you a fee, often EUR 150 to 250 net an hour, and may take no money from insurers. For everyday policies the broker usually suits you; for a dispute or one large policy the adviser can be worth it, so ask which one fits your case.
What a broker and a paid insurance adviser cost you in Germany, with sources.
Example
Typical range
Broker, personal liability or contents insurance
EUR 0 invoice; commission in the premium, market range about 15 to 25 per cent of the annual net premium
Broker, car insurance
EUR 0 invoice; commission about 5 to 10 per cent of the annual net premium
Insurance adviser, hourly rate
about EUR 150 to 250 net per hour plus 19 per cent VAT
Insurance adviser, private health insurance, 8 hours
about EUR 1,200 net, around EUR 1,428 with VAT
Guide values as of October 2026.
A broker website quotes the commission ranges as market values;
apart from private health insurance there are no statutory rates.
Hourly rates are guide values from offer practice, based on provider examples;
there are no market statistics.
Worked example
Family with liability, contents, building and car insurance
One year compared, with total premiums of EUR 1,500 and one advice session.
Premiums for all policies
EUR 1,500 a year
Broker: commission included
roughly EUR 150 to 300, no separate invoice
Adviser: 3 hours at EUR 150 to 250 net
about EUR 536 to 893 with VAT
Adviser: net tariffs
premium falls where net tariffs exist
For simple family policies the broker is usually cheaper. The adviser pays off more for one large policy or a dispute.
Two professions, two ways of being paid
Both the insurance broker and the paid insurance adviser work for you, not for the insurer. The difference is money: the broker is paid by the insurer through commission, the adviser only by you.
With a paid insurance adviser you see every hour on the invoice. With a broker you pay the commission invisibly with each premium, for as long as the policy runs.
Point
Insurance broker
Paid insurance adviser
Payment
commission from the insurer
fee from you
Invoice to you
none
yes, hourly or fixed
Money from insurers
yes
not allowed
Legal advice for consumers
not for a fee
yes
Representing you towards the insurer
helps with administration
out of court, yes
Ongoing care of your policies
usual, set out in the broker agreement
only on request, each time for a fee
When the insurance broker suits you
An insurance broker suits you when you hold several policies that change over the years: moving house, marriage, children, a new car, going self-employed. None of these changes triggers a separate invoice.
Brokers must base advice on a sufficient number of insurers or tell you first that their choice is limited (§ 60 of the Insurance Contract Act, VVG). That matters for health questions on disability cover (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung) or for business liability.
When a paid insurance adviser is worth it
A paid insurance adviser is worth it when an insurer has refused a claim, when you want an independent second opinion on one large policy such as private health insurance, or when you need legal advice on the wording.
Count the hours first: five to eight hours on private health insurance can easily exceed EUR 1,000. For a simple car liability policy (Kfz-Haftpflicht) such a fee rarely pays off.
Net tariffs and what happens to commission
Paid insurance advisers should place net tariffs without built in commission. Where only a commission tariff exists, the insurer must pass the commission on to you, at most 80 per cent, for example as a lower premium (§ 48c Insurance Supervision Act, VAG).
Net tariffs are not available in every line or from every insurer. Ask the adviser beforehand whether net offers exist for your need, otherwise you pay a fee and still carry commission in the premium.
Example: Norman Nammert as a broker
Norman Nammert is an insurance broker under § 34d (1) GewO, register number D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. He compares insurers; the insurer pays the commission, and you receive no invoice.
If you need paid legal advice against your own insurer, a Versicherungsberater or a lawyer specialising in insurance law is the right contact. Using both side by side can also make sense.
Step by step
Decide whether you need ongoing care or a one-off review.
Check the intermediary register to see whether the person holds a broker or an adviser licence.
Ask an adviser for hourly rate, VAT and estimated hours in writing.
Ask a broker how many insurers he compares and what the broker agreement covers.
In a dispute, check whether legal expenses insurance (Rechtsschutz) pays the costs.
Checklist
Register entry checked: broker or adviser
Payment route understood: commission or fee
Fee: hourly rate and total in writing
Broker: scope of the broker agreement read
Net tariffs available if you choose the adviser
Common mistakes
Hiring a § 34h investment adviser for insurance questions
Thinking a broker is free when commission is in the premium
Paying an adviser fee and then signing a commission tariff anyway
Paying several adviser hours for a simple car liability policy
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Is a paid adviser more neutral than a broker?
He takes no money from insurers, so he has no incentive to sell.
A broker is also legally bound to your interest and liable for advice errors.
Can a broker work for a fee?
Yes, with net tariffs and a fee agreement.
Paid legal advice, however, he may only give to businesses, not to consumers.
How do I find a Versicherungsberater?
The intermediary register of the chambers of commerce shows which licence a person holds.
The title requires a licence under § 34d (2) GewO.
Does legal expenses insurance cover an adviser?
That depends on your policy.
Many mainly pay lawyers in a dispute, so ask before you instruct anyone.
Can I use a broker and an adviser together?
Yes.
The broker looks after your policies, and for a disputed claim you bring in an adviser or a lawyer.
