# Insurance for volunteer fire brigades and fire brigade associations in Germany

> In Germany, volunteer firefighters have statutory accident cover, and the municipality insures vehicles, the fire station and liability in action, usually through municipal loss pools or framework contracts. Almost all volunteer fire brigades also have an association (Feuerwehrverein or Förderverein). It runs the annual fire brigade festival, keeps the social fund, buys equipment and sometimes looks after a vintage fire engine. That is the part a broker can help with.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-fire-brigade-and-fire-brigade.php  
Updated: 2026-10-14

## The town insures everything, doesn't it? What does the association need?

The town insures emergency operations and the accident fund covers the firefighters. The association, however, is a separate legal entity. It runs festivals, holds money, owns marquees, equipment or a vintage engine and has a board. It needs its own policies for that. A broker checks what the municipality already covers and fills only the gaps.

## At a glance

- **Firefighters:** People who help in emergencies without pay, in particular as volunteers, have statutory accident insurance under § 2 (1) no. 12 of Social Code Book VII, including training
- **Accident insurer:** Depending on the federal state, a fire brigade accident fund (Feuerwehr-Unfallkasse) or the state accident fund, for example FUK Mitte for Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia or FUK Niedersachsen for Lower Saxony
- **Municipality:** Vehicles, fire station and liability in action are usually covered by the municipality through loss pools or framework contracts
- **Basic cover from:** about €80 to €200 a year of association liability, a guide figure from our quoting work
- **Often forgotten:** The fire brigade festival with marquee, bar and guests is an event of the association, not of the municipality

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Fire brigade festival:** A marquee collapses in a storm, a guest falls at the bar, a child is scalded at the sausage stand. The association is the organiser.
- **Association vehicles:** A vintage fire engine or a minibus owned by the association drives in parades and to youth camps.
- **Equipment:** Marquee, beer tables, a refrigerated trailer and a sound system are stored at the station or in a barn.
- **Board and funds:** Social fund, donations and festival takings: mistakes with charitable status or accounts can hit the board personally.
- **Youth activities off duty:** Camps and trips organised by the association are not always fire brigade service.
- **Helpers and guests:** Friends, partners and neighbours help at the festival. Anyone who is not a member of the fire brigade is not automatically covered by the accident fund.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): As association and event liability it covers claims from the festival, parades, maypole raising and youth trips. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): Covers the association's marquee, tables, trailer and sound system against fire, storm, water and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **D&O insurance** (Strongly advised): Protects the board and treasurer from personal liability for financial losses of the association. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-directors-and-officers.php
- **Group accident insurance** (Depends on the business): Pays fixed sums for permanent disability, for example for festival helpers and participants in trips outside fire brigade service. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-group-accident.php
- **Car insurance** (Depends on the business): For vehicles owned by the association, such as a vintage fire engine, often on a classic car tariff with seasonal plates. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-car-insurance.php
- **Commercial buildings** (Depends on the business): If the association owns its own clubhouse or storage hall. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-commercial-buildings.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): For disputes with marquee hire firms, caterers or authorities around events. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php

## What it costs: example prices

Premiums for fire brigade associations are small. Large festivals, own vehicles and an own clubhouse cost more.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Association with 120 members and one festival with about 1,500 guests a year | about €80 to €200 a year |
| Business contents | Marquee, 30 table sets, refrigerated trailer and sound system, about €30,000 | about €150 to €400 a year |
| D&O insurance | Board of a fire brigade association, €250,000 limit | about €150 to €350 a year |
| Car insurance | Vintage fire engine with historic plates, liability and partial cover | about €150 to €400 a year |
| Group accident insurance | Blanket accident cover for 30 festival helpers | about €50 to €150 a year |

For comparison: Liability cover for a fire brigade association costs about as much a year as one keg of beer at the festival.

_Guide figures from our own quoting work, October 2026, excluding German insurance premium tax. The points on statutory accident cover come from Social Code Book VII and the fire brigade accident funds._

- [Social Code Book VII, § 2 statutory cover](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_7/__2.html)
- [Feuerwehr-Unfallkasse Mitte](https://www.fuk-mitte.de/)
- [Feuerwehr-Unfallkasse Niedersachsen](https://www.fuk.de/)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Association** (association with one festival and a social fund): Business liability, D&O insurance. Together: about €250 to €550 a year
- **Festival** (association with its own marquee, equipment and many helpers): Business liability, D&O insurance, Business contents, Group accident insurance. Together: about €450 to €1,100 a year
- **Heritage** (association with a vintage fire engine and its own clubhouse): Business liability, D&O insurance, Business contents, Group accident insurance, Car insurance, Commercial buildings. Together: individual, usually from about €1,200 a year

## The worst day for a fire brigade association

Six things that really happen to fire brigade associations, all on festival day. Tap through and see who pays.

- 09:30: While unloading, a table set slides off the trailer and dents a neighbour's car. (€2,100, Paid by: Business liability)
- 12:10: A child is scalded at the sausage stand and the parents claim damages. (€5,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 15:45: A helper who is not a firefighter falls while carrying crates and injures her knee. (€3,500, Paid by: Group accident insurance)
- 18:20: A gust of wind tears the association's marquee. (€9,000, Paid by: Business contents)
- 21:00: A guest slips on the wet dance floor and breaks a wrist. (€8,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 23:30: The tax office later queries the festival accounts and the board is asked to pay the back tax. (€4,500, Paid by: D&O insurance)

**Damage so far:** €32,600

## Practical tips from your broker

- Ask the municipality in writing what it insures for the fire brigade and the station.
- Keep an inventory that separates association property from municipal equipment.
- Tell the liability insurer in advance about large festivals with marquees, stages or rides.
- Arrange cover for festival helpers who are not fire brigade members.
- Insure a vintage fire engine as a classic vehicle with an agreed value.
- Review the policies whenever the board changes.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **Honest about where we are not needed:** Operations, vehicles and firefighters are covered by the municipality and the accident fund. We insure only what the association lacks.
- **We know associations:** As an insurance broker we have worked with clubs for years. Boards, treasurers and summer festivals are familiar ground.
- **Several insurers compared:** For liability, equipment and vintage vehicles we obtain quotes from several insurers.
- **Family run since 1989:** Arranging insurance since 1989. Free for the association; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Are volunteer firefighters insured in Germany?

Yes. Volunteers helping in emergencies have statutory accident cover under § 2 (1) no. 12 Social Code Book VII, including training. The insurer is a fire brigade accident fund or the state accident fund.

### Who insures fire engines and the fire station?

The municipality as the body responsible for the fire brigade, usually through loss pools or framework contracts.

### Does a fire brigade association need its own liability cover?

Yes, once it runs festivals, parades or trips. The municipality's cover does not automatically extend to the association.

### What does cover for a fire brigade association cost?

Association liability starts at about €80 a year. With D&O for the board, expect €250 to €550.

### Are festival helpers insured?

Not automatically if they are not fire brigade members. Blanket group accident cover is an inexpensive solution.

### How do you insure a vintage fire engine?

As a classic vehicle with historic or seasonal plates and an agreed value for own damage cover.

## 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-fire-brigade-and-fire-brigade.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.