# Insurance for delivery services with vans, cars and cargo bikes in Germany

> A delivery service lives on vehicles that make dozens of stops a day, often double parked and always against the clock. Whether you run vans, cars or cargo bikes, accidents, theft from the load area and injured drivers are part of everyday life. This page shows which insurance is compulsory for delivery services in Germany, what it costs and where the gaps are.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-delivery-service.php  
Updated: 2026-10-15

## My drivers use their own cars or bikes. Who pays if something happens?

Damage the driver causes to others is covered by the motor liability of the driver's own car. Damage to the private car itself and the loss of no claims bonus are not, and this often leads to disputes between business and driver. Clear rules in the employment contract and a business trip comprehensive policy, or company vehicles, avoid that. Commercial cargo bikes have their own tariffs.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** Motor liability for every vehicle, by law at least €7.5 million for injury, €1.3 million for property damage and €50,000 for pure financial loss
- **Goods haulage:** The Road Haulage Act (GüKG) generally does not apply to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes; above that, § 7a GüKG requires liability insurance of at least €600,000 per event for commercial haulage
- **Biggest risk:** Accidents in delivery traffic and vehicles breaking down in peak season
- **Basic cover from:** around €900 a year motor liability for a van up to 3.5 tonnes with a good no claims class, a guide figure from our quoting work
- **Often forgotten:** The cargo: motor insurance pays for the vehicle, not for stolen or damaged goods

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Accidents on the round:** Double parking, manoeuvring in tight yards, getting in and out all day: delivery vehicles have many small and medium accidents.
- **Theft from the load area:** While the driver rings the bell, the van stands open. Parcels, drinks or electronics are gone in seconds.
- **Damaged or spoiled goods:** Glass, electronics, chilled food: if something arrives broken, warm or late, the client wants compensation.
- **Injured drivers:** Falls on stairs and ice, back injuries from carrying, cargo bike crashes.
- **Breakdown at the peak:** If a van is off the road before Christmas, rounds are missed. Hire vehicles and contract penalties soon cost more than the repair.
- **Apps and data:** Route planning, customer data and payment run digitally. An outage or attack stops the whole business.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Car insurance** (Essential): Motor liability is required by law. With comprehensive cover your own vehicle is insured after accident, theft and vandalism too. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-car-insurance.php
- **Fleet insurance** (Strongly advised): From three vehicles, a fleet policy bundles them all; the premium then follows the claims history of the whole business. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-fleet-insurance.php
- **Cargo insurance** (Strongly advised): Insures the cargo against accident, theft and damage and covers your liability to clients for the goods. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cargo-insurance.php
- **Business liability** (Strongly advised): For damage while delivering: the broken glass door in the stairwell, the scratch in the customer's parquet. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Strongly advised): With traffic legal cover for accidents with unclear fault, fines and disputes with clients over deductions. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Bicycle and e-bike** (Depends on the business): For commercial cargo bikes and e-bikes against theft and damage; private bicycle policies often exclude business use. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-bicycle-insurance.php
- **Group accident insurance** (Depends on the business): Pays your drivers a lump sum on top of statutory accident insurance, including after accidents in their free time. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-group-accident.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): For delivery services with their own app, online ordering and customer data. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php

## What it costs: example prices

Motor insurance is the biggest item. It depends on vehicle, region, driver age, no claims class and excess. A van in a big city costs much more than in the countryside.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Car insurance | Van up to 3.5 tonnes, liability only, good no claims class, city traffic | around €900 to €1,800 a year |
| Car insurance | Van with comprehensive cover, €1,000 excess | around €1,800 to €3,500 a year |
| Fleet insurance | Fleet of ten vans, liability and partial cover | around €12,000 to €25,000 a year |
| Cargo insurance | Cargo up to €20,000 per vehicle, five vehicles | around €400 to €1,200 a year |
| Business liability | Delivery service with ten staff, €3 million cover | around €250 to €700 a year |
| Bicycle and e-bike | Commercial cargo bike worth €8,000 | around €250 to €500 a year |

For comparison: For delivery services, quotes differ mainly on comprehensive cover, theft from an unattended vehicle and liability for the cargo. We lay these points side by side, not just the price.

_Guide figures from our own quoting work, October 2026, excluding German insurance premium tax. Vehicle, region, driver age and claims history move the premium a lot. The legal figures come from the statutes listed._

- [Gesetze im Internet: Compulsory Insurance Act, minimum sums](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pflvg/anlage.html)
- [Gesetze im Internet: § 2 GüKG, exemptions](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/g_kg_1998/__2.html)
- [Gesetze im Internet: § 7a GüKG, liability insurance](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/g_kg_1998/__7a.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Starter** (one or two vehicles, the owner drives): Car insurance, Business liability, Cargo insurance. Together: around €1,500 to €3,500 a year
- **Growing business** (three to ten vehicles with employed drivers): Fleet insurance, Cargo insurance, Business liability, Business legal expenses. Together: around €5,000 to €20,000 a year
- **Own platform** (delivery service with app, cargo bikes and a larger fleet): Fleet insurance, Cargo insurance, Business liability, Cyber insurance, Group accident insurance, Bicycle and e-bike. Together: individual, usually from around €20,000 a year

## The worst day in delivery

Six losses delivery services really suffer, all on one day just before Christmas. Tap through and see who pays.

- 07:40: Manoeuvring in a yard, the van pushes in a customer's gate. (€4,200, Paid by: Car insurance)
- 10:15: During a drop, a box of electronics disappears from the open load area. (€3,800, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 12:30: Carrying a parcel, a driver knocks into a glass door in a stairwell and it shatters. (€1,600, Paid by: Business liability)
- 14:50: Rear end collision at traffic lights; the driver in front complains of neck pain. (€8,500, Paid by: Car insurance)
- 17:20: A cargo bike is stolen outside an entrance. (€7,000, Paid by: Bicycle and e-bike)
- 19:00: The client cuts the invoice over late chilled goods; a lawyer checks the contract. (€1,900, Paid by: Business legal expenses)

**Damage so far:** €27,000

## Practical tips from your broker

- Choose high motor liability cover; the statutory minimums are often not enough for serious injuries.
- From three vehicles, look at a fleet policy, so single cars with a poor no claims class weigh less.
- Check whether theft from an unattended vehicle is covered; many policies require the vehicle to be locked.
- Declare all drivers and their age; young drivers raise the premium, undeclared ones can lead to reduced payouts.
- Agree in writing who pays for damage to private cars or bikes used for deliveries.
- If you carry chilled goods, ask for cover against spoilage when the cooling fails.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We compare fleet tariffs:** As a broker we approach several insurers and set comprehensive cover, excess and cargo cover side by side.
- **Claims experience from boat insurance:** In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves. We use that experience when choosing policy terms for you.
- **Vehicles, business and private in one place:** Fleet, liability, home and pension with one contact person.
- **Family run, brokering since 1989:** Norman Nammert acts as an insurance broker and we can advise you in English. Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Which insurance is compulsory for a delivery service in Germany?

Motor liability for every vehicle, with at least €7.5 million for injury, €1.3 million for property damage and €50,000 for financial loss. Commercial haulage with vehicles over 3.5 tonnes also needs liability insurance under § 7a GüKG of at least €600,000 per event.

### Do I need goods in transit cover with vans up to 3.5 tonnes?

Not under the Road Haulage Act, which generally does not apply to these vehicles. You are still liable to your clients for the cargo. Transport or carrier liability insurance covers that.

### What does insurance for a delivery van cost?

From our quoting work, around €900 to €1,800 a year for liability on a van up to 3.5 tonnes, and around €1,800 to €3,500 with comprehensive cover. Region, driver age and no claims class make the difference.

### How do I insure cargo bikes?

A commercial cargo bike needs its own policy against theft and damage. Damage the rider causes to others is covered by your public liability policy if the bike is included.

### Who pays if a driver is injured?

Employed drivers are covered by statutory accident insurance through the Berufsgenossenschaft. Group accident insurance pays an extra lump sum, including after accidents in their free time.

## 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-delivery-service.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.