# Insurance for window makers and installers in Germany

> Window makers and installers in Germany build in the workshop and then work in people's homes: taking out old frames, fitting heavy units and sealing the joints. A mistake often shows months later as a damp reveal, mould or water in the floor. Add broken glass in transit and accidents at height. Here is what a business should insure and what it costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-window-maker-and-installer.php  
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Does my public liability pay if a window leaks and water gets into the wall?

The consequential damage to wall, floor and furniture, yes, unless an exclusion applies. Resealing or replacing the window itself is your warranty work and is not insured. Look for good cover for consequential damage from defects and for damage to the building you work on.

## At a glance

- **Trade:** Window making is not a separate craft in Annex A of the German Crafts Code; windows are usually made by joiners, metal workers or glaziers, all listed there as regulated crafts
- **Biggest risk:** Consequential damage from leaking joints that only shows long after installation
- **Basic cover from:** about €450 a year for public liability for a small business, a guide value from our quoting work
- **Accident insurance:** Employees are insured by law in the statutory accident insurance under section 2 of SGB VII
- **Often forgotten:** Damage to the building while removing old windows, such as plaster, sills and facade

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Leaking joint:** A fault in membrane or sealant lets driving rain into the wall. Mould shows after the first winter.
- **Damage on removal:** Plaster, sills and facade crack when old frames come out, glass falls into the room.
- **Glass breakage:** Large units break in transit, lifting or fitting.
- **Work at height:** Heavy windows upstairs, ladders, scaffolds and lifting gear: falls and dropped parts injure people.
- **Workshop fire:** Wood dust, coatings and machines make fires more likely.
- **Defect disputes:** Clients hold back money because windows stick, draught or show condensation.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Third party injury and damage on site and consequential damage from defects, with damage to the building you work on. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): Machines, profiles, glass and finished units against fire, burglary and water damage. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Machinery breakdown** (Strongly advised): CNC machines, PVC welding machines and glass lifters against breakdown and operating errors. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-machinery-breakdown.php
- **Fleet insurance** (Strongly advised): Installation vans with glass racks under one policy. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-fleet-insurance.php
- **Cargo insurance** (Depends on the business): Covers glass and units on your own vans on the way to site. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cargo-insurance.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): For disputes about defects, handover and withheld final payments. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Accident insurance** (Depends on the business): For you as owner if you are not voluntarily insured with the statutory accident insurer. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-accident-insurance.php

## What it costs: example prices

Few insurers publish tariffs for window makers. The premium depends on turnover, the share of installation, the value of your workshop and the limit for consequential damage.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Installer with three staff, €5 million limit, with damage to worked on property | about €450 to €1,100 a year |
| Business liability | Manufacture and installation with twelve staff | about €1,500 to €3,500 a year |
| Business contents | Workshop with machines, profiles and glass worth €300,000 | about €1,000 to €2,500 a year |
| Machinery breakdown | CNC machining centre worth €200,000 new | about €900 to €2,000 a year |
| Cargo insurance | Own goods in transit, glass and units up to €50,000 per trip | about €250 to €600 a year |

For comparison: Public liability for a small installer costs about as much a year as one large uPVC window fitted.

_All premiums are guide values from our quoting work, excluding German insurance premium tax, as of October 2026._

- [Handwerksordnung, Annex A](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hwo/anlage_a.html)
- [SGB VII, section 2](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_7/__2.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Installation** (Business fitting bought in windows and doors): Business liability, Fleet insurance, Cargo insurance. Together: about €2,000 to €4,500 a year
- **Manufacture** (Own production in timber, uPVC or aluminium with fitting crews): Business liability, Business contents, Machinery breakdown, Fleet insurance, Cargo insurance. Together: about €5,500 to €12,000 a year
- **Full cover** (Larger business working for developers and housing companies): Business liability, Business contents, Machinery breakdown, Fleet insurance, Cargo insurance, Business legal expenses. Together: individual, usually from about €10,000 a year

## The worst day in window fitting

Six things window makers and installers really go through, all on one Monday in autumn. Tap through and see who pays.

- 07:15: A large sliding unit cracks on the glass rack on the way to site. (€4,200, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 09:40: A natural stone sill cracks while the old window comes out. (€1,800, Paid by: Business liability)
- 11:30: A sash slips while being lifted and damages a parked car. (€5,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 13:50: A client reports mould: last year's joint leaked, wall and parquet are affected. (€14,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 16:00: The profile saw fails after an operating error. (€8,500, Paid by: Machinery breakdown)
- 18:20: A client withholds the final payment and threatens to sue. (€3,000, Paid by: Business legal expenses)

**Damage so far:** €37,000

## Practical tips from your broker

- Make sure your liability policy covers consequential damage from defects and damage to the building you work on.
- Photograph joints before the reveal is plastered.
- Insure glass and units in transit, for example with own goods in transit cover.
- Record the condition of sills and plaster with the client before removing old frames.
- Have lifting gear and vacuum lifters inspected regularly and keep the records.
- Agree handover and final payment in writing before fitting the last unit.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We know water damage:** In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves, and water always finds a way. We know how cause and consequential damage are proven.
- **We compare wordings:** As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert compares how several insurers handle consequential damage and damage to worked on property.
- **Workshop, vans and personal:** Production, vans and your personal cover with one contact.
- **Broker since 1989:** A family business, not tied to any insurer. Our service is free for you; the insurer pays our commission. We advise in English.

## FAQ

### Is window making a regulated craft in Germany?

There is no separate entry in Annex A of the Crafts Code. Windows are usually made by joiners, metal workers or glaziers, and those crafts are listed there.

### Who pays if a window leaks?

Consequential damage to wall and floor is paid by public liability unless an exclusion applies. Putting the window right is your warranty work.

### Is damage while removing old windows insured?

Only if damage to the building you work on is included. Ask for written confirmation.

### What does insurance cost for a window installer?

In our quoting work a pure installer pays about €2,000 to €4,500 a year, a business with its own production about €5,500 to €12,000.

### Is glass insured in transit?

Not under liability. You need own goods in transit cover or an extension to your contents policy.

### Are my fitters covered for accidents?

Yes, employees are insured by law under section 2 of SGB VII. As owner you are only covered with voluntary insurance.

## 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-window-maker-and-installer.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.