# Insurance for antiques, second hand and vintage shops in Germany

> Every piece in your shop is one of a kind, and that is exactly what makes a claim difficult: a Biedermeier chest of drawers cannot be reordered, and its value is on no invoice. Add consignment goods that are not yours, house clearances in other people's homes and trips to fairs and customers. This page explains how to cover all of that and what it costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-antiques.php  
Updated: 2026-09-18

## How do I insure stock whose value nobody knows exactly?

With contents insurance for a sufficiently high sum and good records: purchase receipts, photos, valuations for important pieces and an inventory you keep up to date. After a loss you have to prove the value. For individual very valuable items such as paintings or jewellery, separate fine art or valuables cover with agreed values is worth it.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No insurance required by law; motor liability for vans and trailers
- **Biggest risk:** Burglary and fire affecting unique pieces whose value you cannot prove
- **Basic cover from:** about €80 a year for the public liability policy of a small shop
- **Statutory accident insurer:** BGHW, the Berufsgenossenschaft for retail and logistics; mandatory for every business with staff
- **Often forgotten:** Customers' consignment goods must be named in the policy as third party property
- **WZ 2025 / NACE:** 47.79 Einzelhandel mit Antiquitäten und Gebrauchtwaren

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Night time burglary:** Silver, watches, jewellery and small objets d'art are sought after, and burglars know antique shops rarely have an alarm.
- **Fire and firefighting water:** Old wood, upholstery, books and paper burn well. Whatever survives the fire is often ruined by the water used to fight it.
- **Other people's goods in your shop:** Consignment pieces belong to the people who brought them in. If they burn or vanish, the owners will ask you for the agreed price.
- **House clearances:** Clearing a flat, you knock a door frame, scrape the stairwell or dent a neighbour's car. That is a liability claim.
- **Taking stock to customers and markets:** A mirror topples while loading, a glass cabinet breaks on the way to the antiques fair. On the road, goods are often not covered by the shop policy.
- **Heavy furniture:** Wardrobes, chests and dressers are carried by hand. The owner's back and hands are the real working capital.

**Risk radar** (Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.): Liability 2, Fire and water 4, Theft 5, Cyber 2, Downtime 2, Health 3

## The insurance you need

- **Business contents** (Essential): Replaces stock and fittings after fire, burst pipes, storm and burglary; consignment goods must be expressly included. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Business liability** (Essential): Pays when customers are hurt on furniture or when you damage someone else's property during a clearance or delivery. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Car insurance** (Essential): Motor liability for vans and trailers is required by law; comprehensive cover protects the vehicle itself. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-car-insurance.php
- **Cargo insurance** (Strongly advised): Covers goods on the way to customers, markets and fairs, where contents insurance no longer applies. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cargo-insurance.php
- **Accident insurance** (Strongly advised): Protects you as the owner if something happens while carrying heavy furniture, because self employed owners are not automatically covered by the Berufsgenossenschaft. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-accident-insurance.php
- **Business interruption** (Depends on the business): Pays rent and fixed costs if the shop stays shut for months after a fire. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): For disputes with buyers over authenticity and condition, or with consignors over settlement. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php

## What it costs: example prices

Public liability for an antique shop is cheap. The premium depends mainly on contents cover: stock value, silver and jewellery in stock, location and how well doors and windows are secured.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Shop without staff, €3 million cover, house clearances included | about €80 to €200 a year |
| Business contents | Furniture and stock worth €60,000, burglary included | about €200 to €500 a year |
| Business contents | Stock of €150,000 including silver and jewellery | about €600 to €1,500 a year |
| Cargo insurance | Own trips to customers and markets, up to €20,000 per trip | about €150 to €350 a year |
| Business interruption | Loss of income for up to twelve months, added to the contents policy | about €60 to €180 a year on top |

For comparison: Basic cover of public liability and contents insurance costs about as much a year as one Biedermeier chair from a flea market.

_Guide prices as of September 2026, based on published tariff examples for retail and on our own quoting practice. For jewellery, watches and art, insurers often require specific security and itemised values; we obtain the exact quote for you._

- [Finanzchef24: Versicherungen für den Einzelhandel](https://www.finanzchef24.de/versicherung/einzelhandel)
- [Finanzchef24: Inhaltsversicherung](https://www.finanzchef24.de/versicherung/inhaltsversicherung)
- [versipedia: Betriebshaftpflicht Kosten nach Branchen](https://versipedia.de/blog/betriebshaftpflichtversicherung-kosten-sinnvoll)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Starter** (second hand shop or vintage boutique with manageable stock): Business liability, Business contents. Together: about €300 to €700 a year
- **Dealer** (antique shop with consignment goods and house clearances): Business liability, Business contents, Cargo insurance, Car insurance. Together: about €1,000 to €2,200 a year
- **All round** (trade in silver, jewellery and art, with fairs and a warehouse): Business liability, Business contents, Cargo insurance, Car insurance, Business interruption, Business legal expenses. Together: about €2,000 to €4,500 a year

## The worst day in the antique shop

Six claims of the kind antique and second hand dealers really see, all on a single Friday. Click through the day and see who pays.

- 07:30: Break-in through the back window: table silver, three pocket watches and a jewellery box are gone. (€14,000, Paid by: Business contents)
- 09:40: During a house clearance, a wardrobe scrapes the freshly painted stairwell wall over three floors. (€2,800, Paid by: Business liability)
- 12:10: On the way to the antiques market, a display cabinet tips over in the van and shatters. (€3,500, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 14:25: A customer leans on a wobbly shelf, it topples and he injures his hand. (€4,200, Paid by: Business liability)
- 16:50: Parking, the van hits another car. (€5,100, Paid by: Car insurance)
- 22:15: An electrical fire in the workshop spreads to the store room, which holds consignment furniture from four consignors. (€70,000, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €99,600

## Practical tips from your broker

- Keep an inventory with photos and purchase prices and store a copy away from the shop, for example in the cloud.
- Have consignment goods named as third party property in the contents policy and keep the sum insured up to date.
- Ask about payout limits for jewellery, silver and cash: without a safe they are often far below what you hold.
- Include damage caused while working, during house clearances and deliveries, in your public liability policy.
- Cover goods at fairs and markets with transit or exhibition insurance, because the shop policy ends at the door.
- Check your own accident cover: as the owner you are only insured with the Berufsgenossenschaft if you sign up voluntarily.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We understand the valuation problem:** As a broker we compare several insurers and look at how they value unique pieces and consignment goods after a loss, not just at the premium.
- **We know claims settlement from the inside:** In boat insurance we settle claims ourselves. When the value of a piece is disputed after a burglary, we know which evidence counts.
- **Shop, van and private cover together:** Your business, vehicle, goods at fairs and your private cover are handled together, with one phone number and one email address.
- **Family business since 1989:** Our advice is free for you, as the insurer pays our commission. You always speak to the same people.

## FAQ

### What insurance does an antique dealer in Germany need?

Contents insurance for stock and fittings plus public liability are the foundation. If you transport goods or trade at markets, add transit insurance, and motor liability for the van.

### Are consignment goods covered automatically?

No. Third party property has to be named in the policy and included in the sum insured. Otherwise you pay the consignors out of your own pocket.

### How much does insurance for an antique shop cost?

Public liability starts at about €80 a year. With contents insurance, a small shop usually pays between €300 and €700 a year, considerably more with silver, jewellery and art.

### Does the insurer pay market value or purchase price?

For trade stock it usually pays replacement cost, meaning what you would have to pay for an equivalent piece. With unique items this is open to negotiation, which is why receipts and photos matter so much.

### Am I covered during house clearances?

Only if the activity is written into the policy. Damage to stairwells, doors or floors while clearing is typical damage caused while working and must be included.

### Does a second hand shop need less cover?

Often yes, because the stock is worth less. You should still have public liability and contents insurance for fittings and stock, especially if you take goods on consignment.

## Request quotes

We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison. Free of charge and without obligation: the insurer pays our commission. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-antiques.php#anfrage

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NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker.

NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, 15711 Königs Wusterhausen, +49 3375 29 12 77, info@nammert.com. Wikidata: Q141141479.