# Insurance for psychological counsellors and coaches in Germany

> Many English-speaking counsellors and coaches in Germany trained in the UK, Ireland or the US and now support expats with stress, relationships or career change. German law draws a clear line: anyone who diagnoses, cures or relieves illness practises medicine under section 1 of the Heilpraktiker Act and needs a permit, and the title Psychotherapeut is protected by section 1 of the Psychotherapists Act. Liability questions arise right at that line. This page explains which insurance psychological counsellors and coaches in Germany need and what it roughly costs.

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

## Does my UK or US counselling insurance cover me in Germany?

Usually not for permanent work here. Policies from abroad are rarely designed for clients resident in Germany, German courts and German law. A German professional liability policy should describe your work precisely and include financial loss as well as personal injury. If you also hold a German permit as a Heilpraktiker limited to psychotherapy and treat clients, the policy must expressly include that treatment.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No statutory compulsory insurance for counselling
- **Legal line:** Diagnosing, curing or relieving illness requires a permit under section 1 of the Heilpraktiker Act; the title Psychotherapeut is protected by section 1 of the Psychotherapists Act
- **Biggest risk:** An allegation that you missed a serious mental illness or failed to refer a client
- **Basic cover from:** around 80 euros a year for professional liability without staff, a guide value from our quoting experience
- **Often forgotten:** Financial loss, for example when a client makes an expensive career decision after your advice

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Missed illness:** What looks like a life crisis is depression or a suicide risk. Relatives later claim you should have referred to a doctor.
- **Crossing into treatment:** Diagnosing or promising a cure without a permit under the Heilpraktiker Act creates legal trouble and can put your cover at risk.
- **Consequences of advice:** A client quits a job after coaching and later claims compensation for lost earnings.
- **Confidentiality:** Notes, emails or video recordings reach third parties, with serious consequences for clients.
- **Titles and marketing:** Promising a cure or using a misleading title leads to formal warnings under German competition law.
- **Accidents at your practice:** A client falls on the stairs to your rooms or in a seminar room.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Professional indemnity** (Essential): Pays for personal injury and financial loss arising from your counselling and defends unjustified claims. Your work must be described precisely. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-professional-indemnity.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Strongly advised): For online sessions, video calls and confidential notes: covers data recovery, notifying clients and liability after an attack. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Strongly advised): For fee disputes, formal warnings about marketing or titles, and investigations after a tragic case. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Occupational disability** (Strongly advised): Counsellors fall ill too, often mentally. This replaces part of your income. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php
- **Business contents** (Depends on the business): For furniture and equipment in your practice rooms against fire, water and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Business interruption** (Depends on the business): Keeps paying rent and fixed costs if your practice is closed after damage or illness. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php

## What it costs: example prices

Professional liability for counselling is affordable. What matters is the type of counselling, financial loss cover, group work and whether you also practise under a Heilpraktiker permit.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional indemnity | Counsellor or coach without staff, personal injury, property and financial loss | around 80 to 200 euros a year |
| Professional indemnity | With workshops and group sessions | around 150 to 300 euros a year |
| Cyber insurance | Sole practice with online counselling | around 250 to 500 euros a year |
| Business legal expenses | Self-employed counsellor, contract and criminal legal cover | around 250 to 450 euros a year |
| Occupational disability | Age 45, 1,500 euros monthly benefit to 67 | around 1,200 to 2,400 euros a year |

For comparison: A counsellor's professional liability cover often costs less a year than two sessions.

_Guide values from our quoting experience, as of October 2026, excluding German insurance premium tax. Treatment under a Heilpraktiker permit is rated differently; we obtain the exact quote for you._

- [Heilpraktiker Act (HeilprG), section 1: permit to practise](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/heilprg/__1.html)
- [Psychotherapists Act (PsychThG), section 1: protected title](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/psychthg_2020/__1.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Start** (Part-time counsellor or coach without own rooms): Professional indemnity, Business legal expenses. Together: around 330 to 650 euros a year
- **Practice** (Full-time practice with own rooms and online sessions): Professional indemnity, Cyber insurance, Business legal expenses, Business contents. Together: around 700 to 1,400 euros a year
- **All round** (Practice with workshops, staff and income protection): Professional indemnity, Cyber insurance, Business legal expenses, Business contents, Business interruption, Occupational disability. Together: around 2,200 to 4,500 euros a year

## The worst day in a counselling practice

Six things that can really happen to counsellors, here all on one Monday. Tap through and see who pays.

- 08:30: A client falls on the stairs to your rooms and breaks an arm. (€6,000, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 10:00: A former client claims lost earnings because he resigned after your coaching. (€15,000, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 12:30: Your video tool is hacked, session notes leak and every client must be informed. (€8,000, Paid by: Cyber insurance)
- 14:00: A competitor sends a formal warning about a cure promise on your website. (€2,500, Paid by: Business legal expenses)
- 16:30: Relatives claim you failed to recognise severe depression. (€25,000, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 22:00: A leak from the flat above destroys furniture and equipment in your practice. (€9,000, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €65,500

## Practical tips from your broker

- Describe your work precisely to the insurer, such as coaching, couples counselling, grief support or supervision.
- Make sure financial loss is included; in counselling it is more common than personal injury.
- Do not diagnose or promise a cure; refer clients to a doctor or psychotherapist when you see signs of illness.
- Do not use the title Psychotherapeut; it is protected under section 1 of the Psychotherapists Act.
- Set out in a written agreement what your counselling does and does not include.
- Protect notes and video sessions technically, because confidential data is your biggest digital risk.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We read the activity wording:** As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert compares several insurers and makes sure your counselling and financial loss cover are recorded correctly.
- **We know claims handling:** In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves. We know how much clean records matter when a client makes a claim.
- **Advice in English:** We explain German policy wording in plain English, and you get the documents explained before you sign.
- **Brokering since 1989:** Our advice costs you nothing, as the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Is professional liability insurance compulsory for counsellors in Germany?

No. Without it, however, you are liable with your own assets if a client claims damages, and partners often ask for proof of cover.

### How much does counsellor insurance cost in Germany?

As a guide from our quoting experience, around 80 to 200 euros a year. With workshops and group sessions, usually 150 to 300 euros.

### Can I treat mental illness as a counsellor in Germany?

Not without a permit. Diagnosing, curing or relieving illness is practising medicine under section 1 of the Heilpraktiker Act. Work that only deals with social conflicts is not psychotherapy under section 1 of the Psychotherapists Act.

### Can I call myself a psychotherapist?

No. Under section 1 of the Psychotherapists Act the title Psychotherapeut is reserved for licensed psychotherapists, doctors and the other groups the Act names.

### Am I covered for online sessions?

Professional liability usually applies online too. For hacked video calls, lost data and notifying clients you need cyber insurance.

### I hold a Heilpraktiker permit limited to psychotherapy. What changes?

You then practise medicine and need a policy that expressly includes that treatment. A coaching policy is not enough.

## 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-psychological-counsellor.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.