# Insurance for artists, musicians, bands and stages in Germany

> Your instrument is your tool, and your hands and voice are your income. Around them are promoters who want proof of liability cover, other people's stages where things get broken, and the question of what you live on if an injury ends the tour. The Künstlersozialkasse (KSK, the artists' social insurance fund) helps with pension and health insurance, but with nothing else.

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

## Is my instrument covered by my home contents insurance?

Usually not, once you earn money with it. Home contents insurance covers private belongings in your flat, often only against burglary, fire and water. Instruments used for work, transport in the car and damage on stage are almost always excluded. For that there is dedicated instrument or equipment insurance on an all risks basis.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No insurance is required by law; many promoters and venues do require liability cover in the contract
- **Biggest risk:** Loss of or damage to your own instrument and equipment, on the road and in the rehearsal room
- **Basic cover from:** about 75 to 150 euros a year for professional liability for a self-employed musician
- **Statutory accident insurer:** VBG, the Berufsgenossenschaft (statutory accident insurer) for stages, orchestras and employees; the self-employed can join voluntarily. The KSK does not provide accident cover
- **Often forgotten:** Income protection: tendonitis or hearing damage can end a career
- **WZ 2025 / NACE:** 90.11 Literarisches Schaffen und Musikkomposition, 90.12 Bildende Kunst, 90.13 Sonstige kunstschaffende Tätigkeiten, 90.20 Darstellende Kunst

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Theft on the road:** A band van outside the hotel, a guitar case on the station platform: instruments and gear are stolen deliberately and are hard to replace.
- **Damage on other people's stages:** A speaker stack topples and injures a guest, fog fluid sets off the fire alarm, a cable scratches the parquet floor of the town hall.
- **The instrument itself:** Temperature changes, a fall from the stage, a crack in the soundboard: repairs to fine instruments quickly run into four figures.
- **Cancellation and loss of work:** Illness before the premiere, losing your voice mid tour: the fee is gone, but travel and crew costs remain.
- **Copyright and personal rights:** A photo on the tour poster, an uncleared sample, a recording of the audience: legal warning letters often arrive months later.
- **Your body is your capital:** Overworked hands, tinnitus, back problems from carrying gear: for musicians and performers, health is the real business asset.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Professional indemnity** (Essential): Covers injury and property damage you cause to guests, equipment and other people's venues during performances, set up and rehearsals, and promoters often ask for it. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-professional-indemnity.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Strongly advised): Insures instruments, amplifiers, lighting and sound equipment on an all risks basis, including on the road and on stage. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Occupational disability** (Strongly advised): Protects your income if your hands, voice or hearing no longer allow you to work; the KSK pays nothing for this. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php
- **Accident insurance** (Strongly advised): Pays out for permanent effects of an accident, because as a self-employed artist you have no statutory accident cover unless you join the VBG voluntarily. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-accident-insurance.php
- **Legal expenses insurance** (Depends on the business): Helps in disputes over fees, contracts with labels and agencies, or legal warning letters. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-legal-expenses.php
- **Car insurance** (Depends on the business): For the band van or transporter, ideally with fully comprehensive cover and a load module for the equipment. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-car-insurance.php

## What it costs: example prices

For solo artists, premiums are manageable. Costs rise with the value of the instruments, many performances abroad and your own productions with staff.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional indemnity | Self-employed musician with income of around 43,000 euros, 5 million euros cover | about 75 to 150 euros a year |
| Professional indemnity | Band with four members | about 160 to 400 euros a year |
| Electronic equipment | Instruments and equipment worth up to 3,000 euros | about 50 to 90 euros a year |
| Electronic equipment | Band set up with backline, mixing desk and lighting worth 30,000 euros | about 450 to 900 euros a year |
| Occupational disability | Musician, aged 30, monthly benefit of 1,500 euros up to age 67 | about 1,000 to 2,000 euros a year |

For comparison: Professional liability plus instrument cover for a set up worth up to 3,000 euros costs about as much a year as two sets of good guitar strings a month.

_Guide figures excluding insurance tax, as of September 2026, based on published tariff examples and our own quoting experience. Income protection depends heavily on age, health and your exact work; some insurers only accept musicians with a loading._

- [transparent-beraten.de: professional liability for musicians and DJs](https://www.transparent-beraten.de/berufshaftpflichtversicherung/berufsgruppen/musiker-dj/)
- [instrumentenversicherung-info.de: professional musicians](https://www.instrumentenversicherung-info.de/zielgruppen/berufsmusiker-musikstudenten/)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Solo** (solo artist, street musician, DJ or singer with a small set up): Professional indemnity, Electronic equipment. Together: about 130 to 250 euros a year
- **Band** (band or ensemble with its own backline and band van): Professional indemnity, Electronic equipment, Car insurance, Legal expenses insurance. Together: about 1,300 to 2,800 euros a year
- **Career** (professional musician or performer who lives from performing): Professional indemnity, Electronic equipment, Occupational disability, Accident insurance, Legal expenses insurance. Together: about 1,800 to 3,500 euros a year

## The worst day on tour

Six things that really happen to musicians and stage people, all on a single tour day. Tap through the day and see who pays.

- 08:30: At the motorway services the side window of the band van has been smashed. Two guitars and a laptop with the backing tracks are missing. (€6,800, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 12:00: While loading, the flight case slides off the ramp and the neck of the double bass breaks. (€3,200, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 16:30: A speaker stand tips over during the soundcheck and hits one of the venue's technicians on the shoulder. (€9,500, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 18:45: The fog machine sets off the fire alarm; the fire brigade turns out and sends a bill for the call out. (€1,800, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 21:10: The band van is reversed into a bollard at the stage door. (€4,200, Paid by: Car insurance)
- 23:50: After the gig a legal warning letter arrives over a photo used on the tour poster. (€2,500, Paid by: Legal expenses insurance)

**Damage so far:** €28,000

## Practical tips from your broker

- Insure instruments on an all risks basis that also covers transport, performances and the unattended car up to a fixed time of day.
- Keep a list of your instruments with serial numbers, photos and receipts, and a valuation for vintage instruments.
- Check that your liability cover includes damage to hired or borrowed equipment and to venues.
- Choose income protection that is based on your specific artistic work, not on an alternative occupation the insurer could refer you to.
- Look at the VBG's voluntary cover for business owners: it covers accidents at work and on the way to work for a low contribution.
- Have performances abroad expressly included, otherwise cover often only applies in Europe.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We compare the small print:** With instrument insurance, the clause on unattended vehicles decides everything. As a broker we show you where the policies differ.
- **We know how claims are settled:** In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves. If an insurer argues about the value of a stolen instrument, we know which evidence counts.
- **Everything in one place:** Liability, equipment, the band van and your income protection are all with us, matched to an irregular income.
- **No fee for you:** The insurer pays our commission. Since 1989 you have been dealing with a family business that can be reached between two tours as well.

## FAQ

### Do I need liability insurance as a musician?

Not by law, but many promoters and clubs ask for proof. Personal liability insurance usually does not cover paid performances, so you need professional liability cover.

### What does instrument insurance cost?

For instruments worth up to about 3,000 euros it is around 50 to 90 euros a year. For valuable string instruments or a large backline the premium depends on the sum insured.

### Does the Künstlersozialkasse pay after an accident?

No. The KSK pays part of your contributions to pension, health and long term care insurance. You have to arrange accident and income protection cover yourself.

### Is our band covered through one member's policy?

Usually not. A band should be insured as a group, so that all members are covered at joint performances. That is often cheaper than four separate policies.

### Are instruments in a parked car covered?

Only if the policy says so, often only in a locked boot and not overnight. Read this clause before you sign.

### What happens if I have to cancel a concert?

You lose the fee, and depending on the contract the promoter may claim compensation. Event cancellation insurance exists, but it is usually taken out by the promoter. Agree in the contract who carries this risk.

## 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-artist-musician.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.