# Insurance for car body and paint shops in Germany

> Car body and paint shops in Germany have other people's cars in the unit every day, along with solvents, paint and a heated spray booth. A fire rarely hits only your own equipment; it takes the client cars with it. Add overspray, mistakes on the jig and accidents on test drives. Here is what a business should insure and what it costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-car-body-and-paint-shop.php  
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Who pays if a client's car burns in my spray booth?

Your contents insurance only replaces your own equipment. For the client's car you need cover for vehicles in your care, usually the motor trade policy with workshop risk or a goods in care extension to your liability policy. Without either, the loss stays with you. The limit should cover every car that can be in your unit and yard at once.

## At a glance

- **Trade:** Painters and varnishers and vehicle body builders are listed in Annex A of the German Crafts Code, so both are regulated crafts
- **Compulsory:** Motor liability for your own vehicles and for red trade plates under section 41 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance, at least €7.5 million for injury and €1.3 million for property damage
- **Biggest risk:** A fire in the spray booth or unit with several client cars inside
- **Basic cover from:** about €500 a year for public liability for a small paint shop, a guide value from our quoting work
- **Often forgotten:** Client cars in your care and damage to worked on items are excluded in many liability policies

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Booth fire:** Solvents, filters full of paint dust and a burner: a booth fire spreads quickly to the unit and parked cars.
- **Overspray:** Spraying outside or with the door open lands paint mist on cars and walls nearby.
- **Faulty work:** Wrong shade, runs, dust inclusions or panels pulled out of shape on the jig: the part has to be redone.
- **Test drives:** An accident on a red plate drive or while delivering a client's car.
- **Downtime:** Without the booth there is no paint work, while wages and leases keep running.
- **Health:** Isocyanates, sanding dust and noise strain lungs, skin and hearing over the years.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Third party injury and damage, with worked on items, goods in care and environmental risks from paint and solvents. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Fleet insurance** (Essential): The motor trade policy covers red plates, your own vehicles and, with workshop risk, client cars. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-fleet-insurance.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): Spray booth, mixing system, jig and stock against fire, burglary and water damage. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Business interruption** (Strongly advised): Pays fixed costs and lost profit while the booth is out of action after a fire. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Machinery breakdown** (Strongly advised): Booth burner, compressors and jig systems against breakdown and operating errors. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-machinery-breakdown.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): For disputes with clients and insurers over accident repairs, shades and invoices. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Occupational disability** (Depends on the business): Lungs, skin and back are under heavy strain in paint work. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php

## What it costs: example prices

For body and paint shops, the booth, the number of client cars in your care and turnover drive the premium. Shops doing accident repairs for insurers usually need higher limits.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Paint shop with two staff, €3 million limit, with worked on items | about €500 to €1,200 a year |
| Fleet insurance | Motor trade policy with one red plate and workshop risk for ten client cars | about €1,200 to €3,500 a year |
| Business contents | Booth, mixing system and stock worth €200,000 | about €900 to €2,200 a year |
| Business interruption | Up to twelve months' downtime, €600,000 turnover | about €600 to €1,500 a year |
| Machinery breakdown | Booth with burner and jig worth €150,000 | about €700 to €1,600 a year |

For comparison: Liability and workshop risk for a small paint shop cost about as much a year as painting two bumpers and a bonnet.

_All premiums are guide values from our quoting work, excluding German insurance premium tax, as of October 2026. Minimum motor limits are set in the Compulsory Insurance Act, red plate rules in section 41 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance._

- [Pflichtversicherungsgesetz, Annex: minimum sums insured](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pflvg/anlage.html)
- [Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung, section 41](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fzv_2023/__41.html)
- [Handwerksordnung, Annex A](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hwo/anlage_a.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Start** (Painter with one booth and one or two staff): Business liability, Fleet insurance, Business contents. Together: about €2,500 to €6,000 a year
- **Body and paint** (Accident repair shop with jig and client cars overnight): Business liability, Fleet insurance, Business contents, Business interruption, Machinery breakdown. Together: about €4,500 to €10,000 a year
- **Full cover** (Larger shop with two booths, courtesy cars and work for dealers): Business liability, Fleet insurance, Business contents, Business interruption, Machinery breakdown, Business legal expenses. Together: individual, usually from about €9,000 a year

## The worst day in the paint shop

Six things body and paint shops really go through, all on one Wednesday. Tap through and see who pays.

- 07:30: Driving into the unit, a technician scrapes a client's car on the door frame. (€2,400, Paid by: Fleet insurance)
- 09:50: The new door does not match and the client wants the whole side painted. (€1,800, Paid by: Business liability)
- 11:20: Overspray drifts across the yard onto three cars next door. (€4,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 13:40: A rear end collision on a red plate delivery drive. (€7,500, Paid by: Fleet insurance)
- 16:10: The booth burner fails and the part takes two weeks to arrive. (€9,000, Paid by: Machinery breakdown)
- 22:30: A filter fire in the booth spreads to the unit. Two client cars and the equipment are destroyed. (€180,000, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €205,200

## Practical tips from your broker

- Insure client cars in your care with a limit for your busiest day of the year.
- Include worked on items in your liability policy, or you pay for failed paint jobs yourself.
- Change booth filters on schedule and keep a log; insurers ask for it.
- Store paint and solvents in an approved cabinet or room away from the booth.
- Check business interruption limits: a new booth often has long delivery times.
- Confirm that collection and delivery drives with client cars are covered.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We know the goods in care gap:** Between contents, liability and motor cover, client cars often fall through. As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert compares the wording of several insurers and closes that gap.
- **We know paint claims:** In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves, including paint and gelcoat. We know which reports and photos an insurer wants.
- **Business and personal:** Unit, booth, red plates 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

### Which insurance is compulsory for a paint shop in Germany?

Motor liability for your own vehicles and red plates. Public liability is not required by law, but without it you pay every claim by clients and neighbours yourself.

### Are client cars in my unit insured?

Only with cover for vehicles in your care, for example workshop risk in a motor trade policy. Contents insurance only pays for your own equipment.

### Who pays if the shade does not match?

Putting it right is your own warranty work. Damage to other parts is covered by liability only if worked on items are included.

### What does insurance cost for a paint shop?

In our quoting work a small shop with liability, workshop risk and contents pays about €2,500 to €6,000 a year.

### Do red plates need their own insurance?

Yes. Under section 41 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance, motor liability must be in place for red plate drives; it is usually part of the motor trade policy.

### Is business interruption cover worth it?

Especially for paint shops: without the booth there is hardly any turnover, and replacing it can take weeks or months.

## 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-car-body-and-paint-shop.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.