# Insurance for freelance site managers and project controllers in Germany

> Freelance site managers (Bauleiter) and project controllers (Projektsteuerer) sit between the client, designers and contractors. They supervise, coordinate and approve, and when a defect slips through, a deadline is missed or costs run away, the bill quickly lands with them. In Germany, claims for supervision work on a building become time barred only after five years. This page explains the cover that matters for freelance site managers, project controllers and health and safety coordinators (SiGeKo) and what it costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-site-manager-and-project-controller.php  
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Is my general liability policy enough as a freelance site manager?

No. General liability covers injury and damage you cause yourself, but not errors in supervision, design or project control. For that you need professional indemnity for architects and engineers or a dedicated policy for project controllers, with an adequate limit for financial loss.

## At a glance

- **Limitation:** Defect claims from design or supervision work for a building become time barred five years after acceptance (section 634a BGB)
- **Coordinator:** Where workers of several employers are on site, suitable coordinators must be appointed; the client remains responsible (section 3 BaustellV)
- **Biggest risk:** Supervision errors: an overlooked defect for which you are liable alongside the contractor
- **Basic cover from:** about 1,000 euros a year for professional indemnity of a freelance site manager, a guide figure from our quoting work
- **Often forgotten:** The limit for pure financial loss, for example when deadlines or costs run out of control

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Defect overlooked:** The basement waterproofing is never checked and water gets in years later. The client wants the repair paid by the site manager.
- **Wrong approval:** You approve an interim invoice for work not yet done. The contractor goes bust and the money is gone.
- **Deadline missed:** A coordination gap delays completion and tenants pull out. The client claims lost rent.
- **Site accident:** Fall protection is missing and a worker is injured. The question is whether coordination met its duties.
- **Costs out of control:** Change orders are not checked and the budget is badly exceeded. The client blames project control.
- **On the road:** Lots of driving between sites, with tablet and measuring kit in the car.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Professional indemnity** (Essential): Professional indemnity covers injury, property damage and financial loss from supervision, control and coordination. It is the core of your cover. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-professional-indemnity.php
- **Business liability** (Strongly advised): For damage outside your professional service, for example breaking something in an occupied building. Often included in the professional policy. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Strongly advised): For laptop, tablet, laser and measuring equipment, including theft from the car and drops. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Strongly advised): For fee and contract disputes. Liability claims from the client are handled by the professional indemnity. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Accident insurance** (Strongly advised): Building sites are dangerous. Private accident cover pays for lasting injury around the clock, including in your free time. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-accident-insurance.php
- **Occupational disability** (Depends on the business): Your income depends on being able to work on site. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): For your office, plans and project data. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php

## What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on fee income, scope of services, limit, type of projects and claims history. Project control on large schemes is rated higher than site management of small homes.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional indemnity | Freelance site manager, housing, 3 million euros injury and property, 500,000 euros financial loss | about 1,000 to 2,500 euros a year |
| Professional indemnity | Project controller on commercial buildings, 1 million euros financial loss | about 2,500 to 7,000 euros a year |
| Professional indemnity | Self-employed safety coordinator (SiGeKo) | about 600 to 1,500 euros a year |
| Electronic equipment | Laptop, tablet and measuring kit worth 10,000 euros | about 150 to 350 euros a year |
| Accident insurance | Self-employed site manager, 200,000 euros disability sum | about 200 to 400 euros a year |

For comparison: Professional indemnity for a freelance site manager costs about as much a year as one or two days of site management.

_All prices are guide figures from our own quoting work in 2026, excluding German insurance premium tax._

- [Civil Code (BGB), section 634a: limitation of defect claims](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgb/__634a.html)
- [Construction Site Ordinance (BaustellV), section 3: coordination](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/baustellv/__3.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Freelance site manager** (Sole traders on housing and smaller commercial buildings): Professional indemnity, Electronic equipment, Accident insurance. Together: about 1,400 to 3,300 euros a year
- **Project control** (Firms providing project control and client representation on larger schemes): Professional indemnity, Electronic equipment, Business legal expenses, Cyber insurance. Together: about 3,500 to 9,500 euros a year
- **Safety coordinator** (Coordinators under the Construction Site Ordinance): Professional indemnity, Accident insurance, Electronic equipment. Together: about 1,000 to 2,300 euros a year

## The worst day in site management

Six things freelance site managers really go through, all on one Wednesday. Click through and see who pays.

- 07:30: A client reports damp in the basement four years after acceptance. The waterproofing was never checked. (€85,000, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 09:45: An interim invoice you approved was too high and the contractor is insolvent. (€40,000, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 11:30: Tablet and laser are stolen from your car on site. (€4,500, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 13:50: You trip over reinforcing steel and break your ankle. (€15,000, Paid by: Accident insurance)
- 16:10: Inspecting the neighbouring flat, you knock over an expensive vase. (€2,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 18:30: The client cuts your fee, claiming services were missing. (€9,000, Paid by: Business legal expenses)

**Damage so far:** €156,000

## Practical tips from your broker

- Describe your services precisely to the insurer: site supervision, project control, safety coordination and client representation are different risks.
- Make sure the limit for financial loss is adequate, not just for injury and property damage.
- Check run off cover, because supervision claims often arrive years after acceptance.
- Document inspections with photos and dates, especially for work that will later be covered up.
- Approve interim invoices only against verified progress.
- Protect yourself against accidents, especially as a self-employed person without sick pay.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We read the terms:** As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert compares several insurers and shows where scope of services, financial loss limits and run off cover differ.
- **Site and office together:** Professional indemnity, equipment, accident and legal expenses are kept in one file.
- **Brokering since 1989:** Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission. You speak to people who understand your sites, in English or German.

## FAQ

### How long is a site manager liable for defects in Germany?

Defect claims from design or supervision work for a building become time barred after five years from acceptance under section 634a BGB.

### When does a site need a safety coordinator?

Where workers of several employers are active, suitable coordinators must be appointed under section 3 BaustellV. The client still remains responsible.

### Which insurance do I need as a freelance site manager?

The core is professional indemnity covering injury, property damage and financial loss from your supervision, plus equipment, accident and legal expenses cover as your work requires.

### How much does professional indemnity cost?

As a guide figure from our quoting work, about 1,000 to 2,500 euros a year for a freelance site manager on housing, more for project control on larger schemes.

### Is a project controller insured differently from a site manager?

Often yes. Project control mainly brings financial loss from deadlines and costs. Have project control confirmed expressly in the policy.

### What about damage that shows up years later?

Look for long run off cover so claims are covered after the policy ends. We compare this for you.

## Request quotes

We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison, free of charge. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-site-manager-and-project-controller.php#anfrage

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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.

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