# Insurance for bookshops and stationery shops in Germany

> Paper does not forgive water. A burst pipe above the stockroom or the water used to fight a fire next door, and hundreds of books are fit only for recycling. Add readings with an audience, ladders between the shelves and a Christmas trade that often decides the whole year. This page explains how to protect a bookshop and what it costs.

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

## Are my books covered if a pipe bursts in the flat upstairs?

Yes, through contents insurance that includes burst pipes and escape of water. It pays for the books at replacement cost, which usually means the price you pay the publisher or wholesaler, plus clearing up and drying out. What matters is that the sum insured covers your entire stock, including the weeks before Christmas when the stockroom is fullest.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No statutory insurance, though landlords often ask for proof of liability cover
- **Biggest risk:** Water and fire damage to the book stock
- **Basic cover from:** around 80 euros a year for the public liability of a small bookshop
- **Berufsgenossenschaft:** BGHW, the statutory accident insurer for retail and logistics, compulsory for every bookshop with employees
- **Often forgotten:** Readings and events: guests, the stage and the chairs need to be covered by the liability policy
- **WZ 2025 / NACE:** 47.61 Einzelhandel mit Büchern

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Water:** A burst radiator, a leaking roof or the neighbour's washing machine: wet books cannot be sold.
- **Fire and firefighting water:** Paper burns well, and whatever does not burn is ruined by water and smoke.
- **Readings and events:** Cables to trip over, rows of chairs filled to capacity, drinks in the shop: events are where people get hurt.
- **Ladders and tall shelves:** A customer climbs the library ladder or pulls a heavy volume from the top shelf, and it lands on their head.
- **Closed during the Christmas trade:** Many bookshops take a large share of their annual turnover in November and December. A loss at that time hits hard.
- **Web shop and ordering system:** Orders through your own web shop and the link to the book wholesaler make the shop dependent on its technology.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Pays if customers are hurt in the shop or at readings and, where included, for damage to rented premises and event venues. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): Replaces books, stationery, shelving and the till at replacement value after escape of water, fire, storm and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Business interruption** (Strongly advised): Pays rent, wages and lost profit if the shop has to close after water damage in the middle of the Christmas trade. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): For the web shop, customer accounts and stock management system if they go down after an attack. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Depends on the business): For the till, ordering terminal and label printer against power surges and operating errors. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): For disputes with the landlord, for example over a rent reduction after water damage, or with employees. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php

## What it costs: example prices

Bookshops are among the less expensive businesses to insure in retail. The largest item is contents insurance, because the stock is valuable and very sensitive to water.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Bookshop with one to three employees, 3 million euros cover | around 80 to 250 euros a year |
| Business liability | Bookshop with regular readings and a café corner | around 150 to 400 euros a year |
| Business contents | Stock and fittings worth 150,000 euros | around 400 to 1,000 euros a year |
| Business interruption | Loss of income for up to twelve months | around 100 to 300 euros a year |
| Business legal expenses | Legal expenses cover for tenancy, employment and contract disputes | around 95 to 400 euros a year |

For comparison: Public liability and contents insurance cost a small bookshop about as much a year as 25 hardback novels.

_Guide figures excluding insurance tax, as of September 2026, based on publicly quoted premium examples for bookselling and retail and on our own quoting practice. We obtain the exact quote for you._

- [betriebshaftpflicht24.de: Betriebshaftpflicht Buchhandel](https://www.betriebshaftpflicht24.de/betriebshaftpflicht-buchhandel.html)
- [Finanzchef24: Versicherungen für den Einzelhandel](https://www.finanzchef24.de/versicherung/einzelhandel)
- [Versicherungsengel: Kosten der Inhaltsversicherung](https://www.versicherungsengel.de/versicherungen/inhaltsversicherung/kosten)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Start** (small bookshop or stationer without events): Business liability, Business contents. Together: around 450 to 1,100 euros a year
- **Bookshop** (bookshop with readings, a café corner and up to five employees): Business liability, Business contents, Business interruption. Together: around 650 to 1,600 euros a year
- **All round** (bookshop with web shop, a second branch and school book sales): Business liability, Business contents, Business interruption, Cyber insurance, Business legal expenses. Together: around 1,300 to 2,800 euros a year

## The worst day in the bookshop

Six losses that happen in bookshops, all on one Wednesday in December. Tap through and see who pays.

- 07:50: A radiator on the first floor burst overnight. Water comes through the ceiling into the children's section. (€16,000, Paid by: Business contents)
- 08:30: The section stays closed for three weeks to dry out, right in the middle of the Christmas trade. (€9,000, Paid by: Business interruption)
- 11:20: A customer climbs the library ladder, it slides away and he breaks his foot. (€8,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 14:40: The web shop is hacked and customers receive fake payment requests. Forensics, informing customers, reporting to the authorities. (€6,500, Paid by: Cyber insurance)
- 17:00: The landlord refuses a rent reduction for the closed area, and you need a lawyer. (€1,800, Paid by: Business legal expenses)
- 20:15: At a reading, a guest trips over a microphone cable and hits her head on a shelf. (€4,500, Paid by: Business liability)

**Damage so far:** €45,800

## Practical tips from your broker

- Work out your stock at purchase price before Christmas and agree extra headroom for seasonal peaks.
- Have readings and events, both in the shop and at other venues, expressly written into your liability policy.
- Keep books in the stockroom off the floor, on shelves or pallets; it limits water damage and insurers like it.
- Stock on sale or return that still belongs to the publisher should be listed in your contents policy as third party property.
- If you have a café corner, serving drinks needs to be included in your public liability.
- Think about damage to rented premises: damage to the shop you rent is not included in every policy.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We compare in detail, not across the board:** Water damage is the key risk for bookshops. As a broker we compare several insurers on how they pay for stock, clearing up and loss of income.
- **We know claims from the inside:** We settle boat claims ourselves, and there water is our everyday opponent. We know which evidence an insurer wants to see after a burst pipe.
- **Shop, web shop and private cover together:** Bookshop, web shop, car and your personal cover sit with one contact, reachable on +49 3375 29 12 77.
- **A family business since 1989:** Many bookshops are owner run, just like us. Our advice costs you nothing; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### What insurance does a bookshop need?

Public liability and contents insurance with escape of water cover for the stock. If Christmas brings in a large share of turnover, business interruption cover is worth adding.

### How much does insurance for a bookshop cost?

Public liability starts at around 80 euros a year. Together with contents insurance, small bookshops usually pay between 450 and 1,100 euros.

### At what value are books replaced?

Usually at replacement cost, meaning the price you pay the publisher or wholesaler, not the cover price. Lost profit is paid by business interruption cover.

### Are readings in the shop covered?

Yes, if events are included in your public liability. For readings at other venues, ask about damage to rented premises.

### Is water damage caused by a neighbour covered?

Your contents insurance pays your loss first and then recovers the money from whoever caused it. You do not have to argue with the neighbour yourself.

### Do I need cyber insurance for my web shop?

It makes sense if a significant share of turnover comes online or you store customer data. Simple cover starts at a few hundred euros a year.

## 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-bookshop.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.