# Insurance for speech and language therapists in Germany

> Speech and language therapists in Germany treat children with language delays, adults after a stroke and patients who cannot swallow safely. Claims are rare, but if a patient chokes during swallowing therapy or a child falls in the waiting room, the practice is liable. Add home visits, care homes, patient data and the fact that your voice is your main tool. This page shows which insurance you need and what it costs, whether you are self employed or run a practice with staff.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-speech-therapy.php  
Updated: 2026-10-14

## My qualification is from abroad. Can I work as a speech therapist in Germany?

The title Logopäde or Logopädin needs a permit under § 1 of the Logopädengesetz. Therapists from the European Economic Area may use the title without a permit when they provide services temporarily and occasionally, but have to notify the authorities. For permanent work you apply for recognition. Your insurance should be in place from the first session, because you are personally liable for treatment errors.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No liability insurance required by law: § 124 SGB V asks for training, suitable premises and acceptance of the contracts for approval by the health insurers, not for insurance
- **Biggest risk:** Aspiration during swallowing therapy and accidents involving children
- **Basic cover from:** about €80 to €150 a year for professional liability of a sole practitioner, a guide figure from our quotes
- **Statutory accident insurer:** BGW, which lists self employed speech therapists among the entrepreneurs it insures compulsorily
- **Often forgotten:** Home visits, therapy in nurseries and care homes and video therapy must be named in the policy

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Swallowing therapy:** With dysphagia after a stroke or with Parkinson's, food or water can enter the lungs. If pneumonia follows, the family may blame the therapy.
- **Children in the practice:** Young patients climb, trip and put small toys in their mouths. The practice is liable for accidents in the waiting and therapy rooms.
- **Home visits and care homes:** A dropped hearing aid, a lost key or a fall in the patient's home ends up with you.
- **Patient data:** Prescriptions, diagnoses, reports and video recordings are health data. A hacked laptop or a report sent to the wrong address triggers reporting duties.
- **Your own voice:** Speech therapists talk all day. Voice problems, hearing loss or a long illness stop a small practice at once.
- **Billing and employment disputes:** Deductions by health insurers, approval reviews and disputes with employed therapists quickly need a lawyer.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Professional indemnity** (Essential): Not required by law, but essential: covers injuries caused by therapy and damage on home visits, and defends you against unfounded claims. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-professional-indemnity.php
- **Business liability** (Strongly advised): For accidents in the practice and damage to rented rooms; many policies combine it with professional liability. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): Replaces furniture, therapy materials, toys and books after fire, water, storm and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Occupational disability** (Strongly advised): Without voice and hearing there is no therapy; a disability pension secures your income if you cannot work in your profession. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Depends on the business): For laptops, tablets, audiometers and biofeedback devices, including operating errors and power surges. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): For attacks on practice software, scheduling and video therapy, including recovery and data breach costs. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): For disputes over billing and approval, with landlords and with employees. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php

## What it costs: example prices

Professional liability is inexpensive for speech therapists because serious injuries are rare. Protecting your own income and, in larger practices, contents and data cost more.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional indemnity | Sole practitioner, €3 to €5 million cover, home visits included | about €80 to €150 a year |
| Professional indemnity | Practice with four employed therapists, professional and general liability combined | about €250 to €500 a year |
| Business contents | Furniture and therapy materials worth €30,000 | about €120 to €280 a year |
| Cyber insurance | Practice with billing software and video therapy, €250,000 cover | about €250 to €500 a year |
| Occupational disability | Monthly pension of €1,500, starting at age 30 | about €600 to €1,200 a year |

For comparison: Professional liability for a sole speech therapist costs about as much a year as two therapy sessions.

_All amounts are guide figures from our quotes as of October 2026, excluding insurance tax on property cover. Your premium depends on staff, services and, for disability cover, age and health. The sources document the legal position._

- [§ 124 SGB V: approval of therapy providers](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_5/__124.html)
- [§ 1 Logopädengesetz: permit to use the title](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/logopg/__1.html)
- [BGW: compulsory insurance for entrepreneurs](https://www.bgw-online.de/bgw-online-de/service/beitrag-leistung/versicherungsschutz/pflichtversicherung-fuer-unternehmerinnen-und-unternehmer-91482)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Starter** (self employed therapist doing home visits, no own premises): Professional indemnity, Occupational disability. Together: about €700 to €1,350 a year, mostly for disability cover
- **Practice** (own practice with one to three therapists): Professional indemnity, Business liability, Business contents, Electronic equipment, Occupational disability. Together: about €1,100 to €2,200 a year
- **Complete** (larger practice or several locations with video therapy): Professional indemnity, Business liability, Business contents, Electronic equipment, Cyber insurance, Business legal expenses. Together: about €1,500 to €3,000 a year, excluding disability cover

## The worst day in a speech therapy practice

Six things that really happen in speech therapy practices, here all on one Wednesday. Tap through the day and see who pays.

- 08:10: On a home visit a patient's hearing aid falls off the table and breaks. (€1,800, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 09:40: A four year old climbs a shelf in the waiting room, it tips over and the child breaks an arm. (€6,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 11:30: After swallowing therapy in a care home a patient develops pneumonia and the family blames the therapist. (€15,000, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 14:15: Ransomware locks the practice software and all therapy reports. (€7,500, Paid by: Cyber insurance)
- 16:50: Burglary: laptop, tablets and audiometer are gone, the door is broken. (€4,800, Paid by: Business contents)
- 18:20: A dismissed therapist takes the practice to the labour court. (€3,500, Paid by: Business legal expenses)

**Damage so far:** €38,600

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have home visits, therapy in nurseries, schools and care homes and video therapy named in your professional liability policy.
- Add cover for lost keys if patients or institutions give you keys.
- Document findings, diet and patient information carefully in swallowing therapy; in a dispute your records protect you.
- Choose at least €3 million for personal injury, because a care case after aspiration can be expensive.
- Take out disability cover early and make sure voice and hearing are not excluded.
- Check backups and access control in your practice software before applying for cyber cover; the application asks exactly about this.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We compare several insurers:** As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert obtains quotes from several insurers and checks that home visits, care homes and video therapy are really included.
- **Advice in English:** We explain German policy wording and the German legal position in plain English, so you know what you sign.
- **Practice and personal cover together:** Liability, contents, cyber and disability cover with one contact, on +49 3375 29 12 77.
- **No cost to you:** We have been arranging insurance since 1989. The insurer pays our commission, not you.

## FAQ

### Is professional liability insurance compulsory for speech therapists in Germany?

Not by law. For approval by the health insurers § 124 SGB V names training, premises and acceptance of the contracts, not insurance. You are still personally liable, and many institutions ask for proof.

### What does professional liability cost?

About €80 to €150 a year for a sole practitioner and about €250 to €500 for a practice with several therapists. These are guide figures from our quotes.

### Am I covered by statutory accident insurance as a self employed therapist?

Yes. The BGW names speech therapists among the self employed it insures compulsorily. Employees are insured through the practice anyway.

### Are employed therapists covered by the practice policy?

Usually yes. Ask for written confirmation, especially for freelance therapists working in your practice.

### Is video therapy covered?

Not automatically. Check that the policy names treatment by video and consider cyber cover for data breaches.

### Who may use the title Logopäde in Germany?

Only someone with a permit under § 1 of the Logopädengesetz. Therapists from the European Economic Area working temporarily are exempt but must notify the authorities.

## 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-speech-therapy.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.