# Insurance for building materials, glass and ceramics manufacturers in Germany

> A precast concrete element that is not strong enough, a batch of tiles with a colour fault, double glazing that mists up: building materials get built in, and the damage often only shows once the house is finished. Add kilns, mixers and presses running round the clock. Here is how to insure all that in Germany and what it costs.

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

## Who pays if our paving stones start flaking after one winter?

No insurance replaces the stones themselves; that is a warranty matter. The cost of taking out the faulty stones and laying new ones can be insured through extended product liability, provided removal and refitting costs are agreed. Because paving, tiles or windows are often installed over large areas, this is the most important building block of all.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No statutory insurance; motor liability for truck mixers, lorries and registered wheel loaders
- **Biggest risk:** Defective building materials that have been installed and are costly to remove
- **Basic cover from:** around €800 a year for the general liability of a small concrete products or ceramics works
- **Berufsgenossenschaft:** The statutory accident insurer is BG RCI for building materials, stone and earths, and VBG for the glass and ceramics industry
- **Often forgotten:** Removal and refitting costs at the building owner's site, which go far beyond the value of the goods
- **WZ 2025 / NACE:** 23.11 Herstellung von Flachglas, 23.12 Veredlung und Bearbeitung von Flachglas, 23.13 Herstellung von Hohlglas, 23.14 Herstellung von Glasfasern und Waren daraus, 23.15 Herstellung, Veredlung und Bearbeitung von sonstigem Glas einschließlich technischen Glaswaren, 23.20 Herstellung von feuerfesten keramischen Werkstoffen und Waren, 23.31 Herstellung von keramischen Wand- und Bodenfliesen und -platten, 23.32 Herstellung von Ziegeln und sonstiger Baukeramik, 23.41 Herstellung von keramischen Haushaltswaren und Ziergegenständen, 23.42 Herstellung von Sanitärkeramik, 23.43 Herstellung von Isolatoren und Isolierteilen aus Keramik, 23.44 Herstellung von keramischen Erzeugnissen für sonstige technische Zwecke, 23.45 Herstellung von sonstigen keramischen Erzeugnissen, 23.51 Herstellung von Zement, 23.52 Herstellung von Kalk und gebranntem Gips, 23.61 Herstellung von Erzeugnissen aus Beton, Zement und Kalksandstein für den Bau, 23.62 Herstellung von Gipserzeugnissen für den Bau, 23.63 Herstellung von Frischbeton, Transportbeton, 23.64 Herstellung von Mörtel und sonstigem Beton, ohne Frischbeton, 23.65 Herstellung von Faserzementwaren, 23.66 Herstellung von sonstigen Erzeugnissen aus Beton, Zement und Gips, 23.70 Be- und Verarbeitung von Naturwerksteinen und Natursteinen, 23.91 Herstellung von Schleifkörpern und Schleifmitteln auf Unterlage, 23.99 Herstellung von sonstigen Erzeugnissen aus nichtmetallischen Mineralien a. n. g.

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **A fault built into the structure:** Too little strength, the wrong mix or colour deviations often only appear months after installation. Then it is about demolition and rebuilding.
- **Kiln and glass tank:** Kilns, glass melting tanks and dryers run continuously. A failure ruins the batch and can damage the plant itself.
- **Mixers and presses:** Large units wear quickly and spare parts have long delivery times. Without the mixer the whole works stands still.
- **Dust and noise:** Fine dust, quartz dust and noise affect neighbours and staff. Complaints and official conditions are common.
- **Breakage and transport:** Glass, precast elements and tiles break during loading or on site, often with people hurt.
- **Heavy loads:** Crane work, forklifts and heavy parts cause serious workplace accidents, and quartz dust adds occupational illness.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): With extended product liability for removal and refitting costs, because your materials are permanently installed and faults only show later. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Essential): Replaces plant, moulds and stock after fire, storm, burst pipes and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Machinery breakdown** (Essential): Kilns, glass tanks, mixers and presses are the heart of the works; a breakdown quickly costs six figures. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-machinery-breakdown.php
- **Business interruption** (Strongly advised): Bridges wages and fixed costs until a kiln or mixer runs again after a loss, ideally after machinery breakdown as well. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Fleet insurance** (Strongly advised): For truck mixers, crane lorries and delivery vehicles that are on building sites every day. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-fleet-insurance.php
- **Cargo insurance** (Depends on the business): For glass, precast elements and ceramics on the way to the site or the dealer. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cargo-insurance.php
- **Group accident insurance** (Depends on the business): Adds to the statutory accident insurer for staff in the works and on deliveries. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-group-accident.php

## What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on the product, turnover and payroll, and above all on the building blocks of product liability. Works with kilns or glass tanks also pay for machinery insurance.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Small concrete products or ceramics works up to €1 million turnover, €5 million cover | around €800 to €2,500 a year |
| Business liability | Works with 40 staff, extended product liability with removal and refitting costs | around €5,000 to €14,000 a year |
| Machinery breakdown | Kiln, mixer and presses with a new value of €1.5 million | around €5,000 to €12,000 a year |
| Business contents | Plant and stock worth €2 million | around €2,000 to €5,000 a year |
| Business interruption | Business interruption after property damage and machinery breakdown, twelve months | around €1,500 to €4,500 a year |

For comparison: General liability for a small concrete products works costs roughly as much a year as 60 to 120 square metres of paving ex works.

_Guide figures excluding German insurance tax, as of September 2026. Machinery insurance is priced per mille of the sum insured; the ranges come from comparable businesses and our own quoting. We obtain the exact quote for you._

- [Versicherungen.org: Maschinenversicherung, Beitragsbeispiele](https://www.versicherungen.org/wiki/Maschinenversicherung,_Beitragsbeispiele)
- [berufshaftpflichtversicherung-experten.de: Betriebshaftpflicht Maschinenbau](https://berufshaftpflichtversicherung-experten.de/betriebshaftpflicht-maschinenbau/)
- [transparent-beraten.de: Betriebsunterbrechungsversicherung](https://www.transparent-beraten.de/betriebsunterbrechungsversicherung/)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Workshop** (Small ceramics studios, glaziers with production and concrete products makers): Business liability, Business contents, Machinery breakdown. Together: around €2,000 to €6,000 a year
- **Works** (Concrete plants, brickworks and tile makers with kilns or mixers): Business liability, Business contents, Machinery breakdown, Business interruption, Fleet insurance. Together: around €15,000 to €35,000 a year
- **Works and distribution** (Manufacturers with their own deliveries, a dealer network and large orders): Business liability, Business contents, Machinery breakdown, Business interruption, Fleet insurance, Cargo insurance, Group accident insurance. Together: around €25,000 to €60,000 a year

## The worst day at the building materials works

Six losses of the kind seen at concrete, brick, glass and ceramics works, put together on one day. Tap through.

- 05:10: The kiln fails after a burner fault, and the whole batch of roof tiles is unusable. (€42,000, Paid by: Machinery breakdown)
- 08:40: A building owner reports that 900 square metres of paving are flaking. Removal, disposal and relaying. (€68,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 10:30: While reversing on site, the truck mixer damages scaffolding and a car. (€14,000, Paid by: Fleet insurance)
- 13:15: On the way to the site, twelve large double glazed units break in the rack. (€9,000, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 15:45: The gearbox of the main mixer breaks. The works stands still for three weeks until the spare part arrives. (€75,000, Paid by: Business interruption)
- 22:00: A short circuit in the dryer sets the hall with its moulds and pallets on fire. (€310,000, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €518,000

## Practical tips from your broker

- Agree removal and refitting costs in extended product liability with a high enough sum, because installed materials cause follow-on costs for the building owner.
- Include business interruption after machinery breakdown too, not only after fire; with kilns and mixers that is the more frequent case.
- Check whether damage from environmental impacts such as dust and waste water is covered by environmental liability.
- Insure moulds and formwork at new value; custom items take weeks to rebuild.
- Bundle truck mixers and crane vehicles in one fleet policy, and check that loading is included for mobile machines with cranes.
- Keep test records and retained samples of every batch; later they often decide whether the fault lay with you or with the installer.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We check the building blocks that count:** Removal and refitting costs, machinery breakdown with business interruption, environment: we compare the wordings of several insurers at exactly these points.
- **We know claims settlement in practice:** In boat insurance we settle claims ourselves. We know how much evidence and expert reports matter when manufacturer and installer argue.
- **Works and fleet with one partner:** We look after the works, truck mixers, lorries and your private cover together, and explain it in English.
- **A family business since 1989:** One fixed contact for your business. Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Are removal and refitting costs included in general liability?

Only in extended product liability, and only if that block is agreed. For building materials makers it is almost always needed.

### Does machinery insurance pay for a broken kiln?

Yes, damage to kilns through operator error, overheating or material defects is covered. The ruined batch is often only covered with its own extension.

### What does insurance cost for a small concrete products works?

Liability, contents and machinery usually cost between €2,000 and €6,000 a year, depending on products and plant.

### Are we liable for dust at the neighbours'?

If dust damages property or harms health, yes. General liability pays if environmental damage is included.

### Which Berufsgenossenschaft is responsible?

For building materials, stone and earths it is BG RCI. Glass and ceramics firms belong to the VBG. Both are statutory accident insurers.

### Do we need transport insurance?

If you deliver glass, precast elements or ceramics yourself, yes. Breakage in transit is not covered by contents insurance.

## 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-building-materials.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.