# Insurance for bars, pubs, clubs and nightclubs in Germany

> A bar earns its money while others sleep, and that is exactly when the claims happen: glass on the dance floor, an argument that escalates, a smoke machine that sets off the detector and a sound system that will not start again after a power cut. This page shows what needs to be insured and what it costs.

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

## Will my insurer pay if guests get into a fight?

Not for the people fighting; they are liable themselves. Your public liability steps in when you are blamed: too few staff, a blocked fire exit, a doorman who grips too hard. What matters is that door checks and security by your own staff are written into the policy. No insurer pays for damage to your fittings caused purely by rowdiness unless you have included vandalism.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No insurance required by law, but the licensing authority, landlord and brewery usually want proof of liability cover
- **Biggest risk:** Injuries in crowded rooms, with pushing and alcohol
- **Basic cover from:** about €130 a year for the public liability policy of a small pub
- **Statutory accident insurer:** BGN, the Berufsgenossenschaft for food and hospitality; mandatory for every business with staff
- **Often forgotten:** Your own door staff and vandalism by guests are covered only if the policy names them expressly
- **WZ 2025 / NACE:** 56.30 Ausschank von Getränken

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Crowds and glass:** A packed dance floor, broken glass underfoot, stairs in half darkness: falls and cuts are part of everyday life.
- **Door staff and disputes:** When door staff step in, an accusation of assault follows quickly. That means lawyers and often compensation.
- **Fire after closing:** Cigarette ends on the smoking terrace, fridges running nonstop, lighting rigs: many fires start when nobody is left on site.
- **Break-ins at the store room and till:** Spirits, tobacco and the night's takings are easy to sell and, at night, easy to take.
- **Noise and licence:** Neighbours' complaints, closing time conditions, trouble with the local public order office (Ordnungsamt): this quickly becomes a question of survival.
- **Equipment running nonstop:** Sound system, lighting, beer taps and refrigeration are expensive and sensitive to power surges and spilt drinks.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Pays for falls, cuts and accusations against your staff, including door checks by your own people. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Essential): Replaces furnishings, bar counter, stock and till after fire, burst pipes, storm and burglary, ideally with vandalism. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Business interruption** (Strongly advised): Pays rent and fixed costs when a fire wipes out the weekends on which you earn your money. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Strongly advised): Covers sound system, lighting and till against power surges, liquid damage and operating errors. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Strongly advised): For disputes with neighbours, the Ordnungsamt, the brewery and staff; licensing issues in particular often end up in court. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): If the till, ticket sales or guest list are hacked. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php

## What it costs: example prices

Bars and clubs pay more than a café because injuries are more frequent. What counts is turnover, number of guests, dancing, live music, own door staff and opening hours.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Pub or bar, around €50,000 turnover, €3 million cover | about €130 to €300 a year |
| Business liability | Bar or club with dance floor, live music and own door staff | about €600 to €2,000 a year |
| Business contents | Furnishings, bar counter and stock worth €80,000 | about €350 to €900 a year |
| Electronic equipment | Sound and lighting system worth €25,000 | about €200 to €500 a year |
| Business interruption | Loss of income for up to twelve months, added to the contents policy | about €150 to €450 a year on top |

For comparison: Basic cover of public liability and contents insurance costs about as much a year as 80 cocktails.

_Guide prices as of September 2026, based on published tariff examples and on our own quoting practice. Not every insurer writes nightclubs, and they are often priced individually; we obtain the exact quote for you._

- [finanzchecks.de: Betriebshaftpflicht Bar und Pub](https://www.finanzchecks.de/betriebshaftpflichtversicherung/bar-pub)
- [transparent-beraten.de: Betriebshaftpflicht für die Gastronomie](https://www.transparent-beraten.de/betriebshaftpflichtversicherung/arten/gastronomie/)
- [versipedia: Betriebshaftpflicht Kosten nach Branchen](https://versipedia.de/blog/betriebshaftpflichtversicherung-kosten-sinnvoll)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Starter** (corner pub or small bar without dancing): Business liability, Business contents. Together: about €500 to €1,100 a year
- **Bar** (cocktail bar or pub with live music and staff): Business liability, Business contents, Business interruption, Electronic equipment. Together: about €1,200 to €2,800 a year
- **All round** (club or nightclub with own door staff and events): Business liability, Business contents, Business interruption, Electronic equipment, Business legal expenses, Cyber insurance. Together: about €3,000 to €7,000 a year

## The worst night in the bar

Six claims of the kind bars and clubs really see, all in one Saturday night. Click through the night and see who pays.

- 21:10: A thunderstorm sends a surge through the mains; the mixing desk and two power amplifiers are fried. (€7,500, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 23:40: A guest falls on broken glass by the dance floor and cuts a hand badly. (€8,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 01:15: Your own doorman restrains a guest, who breaks an arm and reports him to the police. (€12,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 02:30: The neighbours take legal action over the noise, and the town threatens closing time conditions. (€6,000, Paid by: Business legal expenses)
- 04:50: A cigarette end in the bin on the smoking terrace sets the store room on fire. (€90,000, Paid by: Business contents)
- 05:30: The bar stays shut for eight weeks: sixteen weekend nights without takings. (€60,000, Paid by: Business interruption)

**Damage so far:** €183,500

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have door checks and security by your own staff written into the public liability policy expressly.
- Ask an external security firm for proof of its liability cover under § 34a GewO (the German rules for security services) and keep it on file.
- Include vandalism and malicious damage in the contents policy.
- If there is dancing, choose at least €5 million cover for injury claims.
- Tell the insurer about live music, events, pyrotechnics or smoke machines, otherwise they are missing from the policy.
- Empty ashtrays only into fireproof bins with lids: many bar fires start in the rubbish after closing.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We find insurers for the night:** Not every insurer writes clubs and nightclubs. As a broker we compare several and know who accepts dancing and your own door staff on fair terms.
- **We know settlement from the inside:** In boat insurance we settle claims ourselves. That helps when, after a fight, it has to be established whether your staff are liable at all.
- **One contact, for private cover too:** Bar, equipment, car and your private cover are handled together.
- **Family business since 1989:** Advice is free for you, as the insurer pays our commission. And you reach people who know your venue.

## FAQ

### What insurance does a bar in Germany need?

Public liability and contents insurance are the foundation. With a sound and lighting system, electronics cover is worth it, and because takings depend on a few nights a week, loss of income cover too.

### How much does public liability cost for a pub?

For a small pub without dancing about €130 to €300 a year. Clubs with a dance floor and own door staff usually pay €600 to €2,000.

### Are my door staff insured?

Your own employees on the door are covered by your public liability if the policy says so. An external security firm needs its own liability cover under § 34a GewO.

### Does insurance pay for damage caused by rowdy guests?

Contents insurance pays for destruction by guests only if vandalism is included. You can also pursue the person responsible yourself.

### Can a nightclub get insurance at all?

Yes, but not from every insurer. Nightclubs are usually assessed individually, with questions about escape routes, staff and fire safety.

### Are my staff insured?

At work and on the way home through the BGN, the statutory accident insurer for food and hospitality, even at four in the morning.

## 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-bar-pub-club.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.