# Insurance for scaffolding contractors in Germany

> A scaffold stands for weeks in front of other people's houses, on pavements and over cars, and every other trade relies on it. If it topples or a board comes loose, the scaffolder is often liable. On top of that comes material worth as much as a family home, spread across many sites. This page explains what you need and what it costs.

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

## Am I liable if another tradesman falls from the scaffold?

Yes, if the scaffold was put up defectively, for example if a board was missing or the anchoring was wrong. Your public liability policy then pays compensation for pain and suffering, loss of earnings and the recovery claims of the Berufsgenossenschaft, the statutory accident insurer. If someone else altered the scaffold without authorisation, the liability usually lies with them. That is why handover records and inspection tags are so important.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No statutory insurance duty for the business itself; motor liability for lorries and trailers, and for scaffolds on public roads, local councils usually ask for proof of liability cover together with the special use permit
- **Biggest risk:** A scaffold collapsing or toppling over, with damage to buildings, vehicles and people
- **Basic cover from:** about €900 a year for public liability with €50,000 turnover
- **Statutory accident insurer:** BG BAU, the Berufsgenossenschaft for the construction industry; membership is compulsory from your first employee
- **Often forgotten:** Your own scaffold material on other people's sites: theft and storm are usually not covered by ordinary business contents insurance

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Scaffold topples:** Gusts of wind, missing anchors or a sheet hung on it with too much wind load: a falling scaffold hits roofs, cars and in the worst case people.
- **Other trades falling:** Painters, roofers and facade builders work on your scaffold. If a guardrail is missing, you are liable for their fall.
- **Material theft:** Steel and aluminium scaffolding is stolen on a large scale, often whole lifts overnight.
- **Pedestrians and traffic:** Falling couplers or boards, a lorry driving into the scaffold: in public spaces, damage hits bystanders.
- **Damage to the building:** Anchors leave holes, drilling hits pipes and cables, scaffold tubes scratch facades and windows.
- **Your own accidents:** Erecting and dismantling is among the most dangerous jobs in construction. Falls often have lasting consequences.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Pays for injury and property damage caused by your scaffold, including to other trades' workers and to passers-by in public spaces. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Essential): Scaffold material is your capital; with cover extended to sites it is protected against theft, storm and fire. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Fleet insurance** (Strongly advised): Lorries with loading cranes and trailers under one fleet policy, with comprehensive cover for the expensive vehicles. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-fleet-insurance.php
- **Accident insurance** (Strongly advised): Owners without voluntary Berufsgenossenschaft cover are otherwise unprotected after a fall. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-accident-insurance.php
- **Occupational disability** (Strongly advised): Scaffolders have a high risk of being permanently unable to work in their trade; income protection covers that. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php
- **Group accident insurance** (Depends on the business): Extra benefit for your crews after accidents, around the clock. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-group-accident.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): Business legal expenses cover for disputes about hire periods, hire extensions and unpaid invoices with clients. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php

## What it costs: example prices

Scaffolding is one of the more expensive trade risks. Even small firms pay well over €900 a year for liability, and cover for the material on site comes on top.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | €50,000 turnover, €3 to €5 million cover, €250 excess | about €900 to €1,800 a year |
| Business liability | €200,000 turnover, €3 to €5 million cover | about €1,250 to €2,550 a year |
| Business liability | €500,000 turnover, €3 to €5 million cover | about €2,950 to €5,800 a year |
| Business contents | Scaffold material worth €200,000 with cover on sites | about €1,200 to €3,500 a year |

For comparison: Liability insurance for a small scaffolding firm costs roughly as much per year as scaffolding the facade of a detached house for four weeks.

_Guide prices excluding German insurance premium tax, as of September 2026. Liability comes from published tariff comparisons; material cover is a guide value from our quoting practice, because it depends heavily on the theft risk in your region. We obtain the exact quote for you._

- [betriebshaftpflicht24.de: Betriebshaftpflicht Gerüstbau](https://www.betriebshaftpflicht24.de/betriebshaftpflicht-geruestbau.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Start** (small firm with one crew and its own material): Business liability, Business contents, Accident insurance. Together: about €2,200 to €5,000 a year
- **Scaffolder** (two to four crews, lorry with loading crane): Business liability, Business contents, Accident insurance, Fleet insurance, Group accident insurance. Together: about €5,000 to €11,000 a year excluding the fleet
- **All round** (larger firm with industrial and facade scaffolding): Business liability, Business contents, Accident insurance, Fleet insurance, Group accident insurance, Business legal expenses. Together: about €10,000 to €22,000 a year excluding the fleet

## The worst day in scaffolding

Six claims as they really happen to scaffolders, all on a single stormy Monday. Go through the day and see who pays.

- 06:15: Forty square metres of scaffolding including boards have vanished overnight from a site on the edge of town. (€9,000, Paid by: Business contents)
- 08:30: A lorry reverses into the scaffold by the road. Two bays buckle and a parked car is damaged. (€7,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 10:45: A roofer falls because a guardrail was missing. The Berufsgenossenschaft seeks recovery from the scaffolder. (€65,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 12:20: A gust of wind topples a sheeted scaffold. It falls onto the neighbour's conservatory. (€38,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 14:40: During dismantling, a coupler falls from twelve metres and injures a passer-by's shoulder. (€14,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 16:10: While dismantling, the owner steps into thin air and falls five metres. He is not voluntarily insured with the Berufsgenossenschaft. (€90,000, Paid by: Accident insurance)

**Damage so far:** €223,500

## Practical tips from your broker

- Choose at least €5 million cover; for industrial and roadside scaffolds clients often ask for €10 million.
- Have damage to third-party property the scaffold is fixed to, and anchoring damage to facades, included.
- Insure scaffold material on other people's sites expressly against theft and storm.
- Check whether hiring out scaffolds without erecting them yourself is covered, if you offer it.
- Document every handover with a record and photos; in a dispute about unauthorised alterations, that is your most important evidence.
- As the owner, join BG BAU voluntarily or take out personal accident insurance with a high sum: both together are the safest option in scaffolding.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We ask the right insurers:** Not every insurer writes scaffolding on reasonable terms. As a broker we obtain quotes from several insurers that know the risk.
- **Storms are our daily business:** In boat insurance we settle storm claims ourselves. We know how weather data and photos prove a loss.
- **Material, vehicles and liability together:** We look after scaffolding, lorries and liability in one view, so material on site does not fall between two policies.
- **Owner-managed since 1989:** You have one fixed contact person. The insurer pays our remuneration, so it is free for you.

## FAQ

### How much does liability insurance cost for scaffolders?

Published tariff comparisons show about €900 to €1,800 a year at €50,000 turnover and about €2,950 to €5,800 at €500,000 turnover.

### Is my scaffold material insured on site?

Usually not under ordinary contents insurance, which only applies on your own premises. You need cover extended to sites or a special policy for scaffold material.

### Who is liable if another tradesman alters the scaffold?

In principle, whoever made the alteration. But you have to prove that your scaffold was in order at handover. Handover records are therefore essential for your own sake.

### Do I need special insurance for scaffolds by the road?

Public liability covers damage in public spaces. Many cities ask for proof together with the special use permit and check the limit of cover.

### Does insurance pay if a storm blows the scaffold over?

Liability pays for damage to houses, cars and people if you anchored the scaffold properly. Damage to your own scaffold is only paid by property cover for the material.

### Am I as the owner insured against accidents?

Only if you insure yourself voluntarily with BG BAU, the statutory accident insurer, or make private provision. In scaffolding you should look at both.

## 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-scaffolding.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.