# Insurance for youth hostels, hostels and school camps in Germany

> In a youth hostel or school camp, dozens of children and teenagers sleep under one roof; in a city hostel, travellers from all over the world. Meals come from a large kitchen, there are football pitches and climbing walls, and at night only a night duty person is on site. This page explains what insurance youth hostels, hostels and school camps in Germany need, what the law says and what it costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-youth-hostel-and-school-camp.php  
Updated: 2026-10-14

## The pupils are insured through their school, so why do I need liability cover?

Statutory accident insurance for pupils deals with pupils' accidents, not with your liability as a house. If a bunk bed breaks because it was poorly maintained, or a teacher slips on a wet staircase, the question is whether you are responsible. Then there are guests who do not come with a school: families, clubs and backpackers. For all of this you need public liability.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No statutory insurance requirement for running the house; motor liability for your own vehicles such as a minibus
- **Liability for luggage:** Anyone providing accommodation is liable for guests' belongings up to one hundred times the daily rate, at least €600 and at most €3,500, and at most €800 for cash and valuables (section 702 of the German Civil Code, BGB)
- **School groups:** Pupils are covered by statutory accident insurance while attending general or vocational schools (section 2(1) no. 8 b of Social Code VII)
- **Biggest risk:** Fire or water damage in a fully booked house and children's accidents on the grounds and play equipment
- **Often forgotten:** Climbing wall, high ropes course, bathing area or bike hire must be named expressly in the liability policy

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Fire in the house:** A forbidden candle or an overheated charger in a dormitory: smoke, evacuation at night and a wing out of use for months.
- **Accidents on the grounds:** A fall from a bunk bed, an injury on the climbing wall, a torn ligament on the pitch. Parents and health insurers ask who is responsible.
- **Large kitchen:** Food poisoning affects a whole school class. Add fat fires and cooling failures.
- **Luggage and valuables:** Phones, cameras and cash disappear from rooms and lockers. Guests demand compensation.
- **Storm and heavy rain:** Houses at the edge of woods, by lakes or in the hills are particularly exposed to weather and water.
- **Lost season:** After a loss, school trips have to be cancelled while staff and building costs keep running.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): For injury and property damage to guests and visitors, with guests' luggage, leisure facilities, kitchen and hire included expressly. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Commercial buildings** (Essential): For the building against fire, burst pipes, storm and hail; with rented houses, the lease decides who insures the building. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-commercial-buildings.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): For beds, kitchen, furniture, technology and supplies, including burglary and vandalism. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Business interruption** (Strongly advised): Replaces income and running costs if the house has to close after insured damage. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Natural hazard cover** (Strongly advised): For heavy rain, flooding and landslides, especially for houses by lakes, rivers and on slopes. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-natural-hazards.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): For the booking system, guest data and payments that become unavailable after an attack. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php
- **Car insurance** (Depends on the business): For the minibus that collects groups from the station; motor liability is compulsory for it. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-car-insurance.php
- **Group accident insurance** (Depends on the business): Accident cover for staff and volunteers on top of statutory protection. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-group-accident.php

## What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on the number of beds, building value, leisure facilities and location. A house with a climbing wall and a bathing area pays more for liability than a simple city hostel.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | House with 120 beds, large kitchen and play area, €5 million limit | about €600 to €1,500 a year |
| Commercial buildings | Building with a rebuild value of €3 million, fire, water, storm | about €2,500 to €6,000 a year |
| Business contents | Furnishings and kitchen worth €250,000 | about €400 to €1,000 a year |
| Business interruption | Loss of income for up to twelve months, house with €600,000 turnover | about €500 to €1,400 a year |
| Natural hazard cover | Add on for heavy rain and flooding, house in a medium risk zone | about €300 to €1,200 a year |

For comparison: Public liability for a youth hostel with 120 beds costs about as much a year as two nights for a whole school class.

_All prices are guide figures from our own quoting practice, 2026, excluding German insurance premium tax. Your premium depends on the house, location and claims history. Legal points come from the linked statutes._

- [BGB § 702: Beschränkung der Haftung, Wertsachen](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgb/__702.html)
- [SGB VII § 2: Versicherung kraft Gesetzes](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_7/__2.html)
- [Pflichtversicherungsgesetz, Anlage: Mindestversicherungssummen](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pflvg/anlage.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **City hostel** (Hostel with dormitories, bar and luggage room in rented premises): Business liability, Business contents, Business interruption, Cyber insurance. Together: about €1,500 to €3,500 a year
- **School camp** (Own house with large kitchen, play area and school classes): Business liability, Commercial buildings, Business contents, Natural hazard cover. Together: about €4,000 to €9,000 a year
- **Activity house** (Youth hostel with climbing wall, jetty, minibus and year round operation): Business liability, Commercial buildings, Business contents, Natural hazard cover, Business interruption, Car insurance. Together: priced individually, usually from about €9,000 a year

## The worst day in the youth hostel

Six losses that really happen in youth hostels, hostels and school camps, all on one day with three school classes in the house. Tap through and see which policy steps in.

- 07:20: A slatted base in a bunk bed breaks; a teacher falls and breaks a wrist. (€7,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 09:40: A pipe bursts in the large kitchen and water runs into the dining hall below. (€18,000, Paid by: Commercial buildings)
- 12:30: Three phones and a camera vanish from an unlocked room, and the guests demand compensation. (€2,400, Paid by: Business liability)
- 15:10: Heavy rain floods the basement with the laundry and supplies. (€26,000, Paid by: Natural hazard cover)
- 19:00: An attack disables the booking system; next week's arrivals can no longer be seen. (€6,500, Paid by: Cyber insurance)
- 02:15: A charger sets a mattress on fire. A corridor is evacuated and three rooms are closed for months. (€48,000, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €108,400

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have every leisure facility listed in the liability policy: climbing wall, low ropes course, bathing area, boats and bikes.
- Point guests to lockers; your liability for cash and valuables is generally limited to €800 under the German Civil Code.
- Record checks of bunk beds, play equipment and smoke alarms; in a dispute, proof counts.
- With rented or leased houses, check who insures the building and fixtures.
- Set the business interruption indemnity period to cover a whole season of school trips.
- Ask for natural hazard cover even if the house has never flooded; heavy rain also hits houses on slopes.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We understand group houses:** Many hotel policies do not fit houses with a large kitchen, play areas and school classes. We make sure everything you offer is in the policy.
- **Independent comparison:** Norman Nammert acts as an insurance broker. We approach several insurers and set cover and price side by side.
- **For associations and businesses:** Whether a non profit operator or a private hostel, we put cover together to suit your legal form and your house.
- **Family run, brokering since 1989:** Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Is insurance compulsory for a youth hostel?

There is no statutory insurance requirement for running the house. Motor liability for your own vehicles is compulsory. Public liability and buildings insurance are still the foundation.

### Am I liable for my guests' luggage?

Yes. As an accommodation business you are generally liable up to one hundred times the daily rate, at least €600 and at most €3,500. For cash, securities and valuables the limit is €800.

### Are school classes covered for accidents through their school?

Pupils are covered by statutory accident insurance while attending general or vocational schools. That does not replace your own liability as a house, for example for a defect in the building.

### What does insurance for a youth hostel cost?

For a house with 120 beds, public liability is about €600 to €1,500 a year. With buildings, contents and business interruption, €4,000 to €9,000 is typical.

### Is our climbing wall covered?

Only if it is named in the policy. Insurers ask about higher risk leisure facilities separately.

### What changes for a hostel without school groups?

The risk shifts to luggage, the bar, the shared kitchen and booking data. Public liability, contents and cyber cover then come first.

## 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-youth-hostel-and-school-camp.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.