# Insurance for saddlers, leather goods makers and upholstery saddlers in Germany

> A girth snaps at a canter, a car seat comes back from the workshop with a burn mark, and the store holds half a year's leather: saddlers, leather goods makers and upholstery saddlers are liable for riders, horses and other people's property. This page explains what to cover in Germany and what it costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-saddler-and-leather-goods-maker.php  
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Am I liable if a rider falls because of a girth I stitched?

Yes, if the fault lay in your work or material, and under the Product Liability Act even without fault. Riding accidents quickly involve serious injuries and loss of earnings. General liability with product liability pays justified claims and defends unjustified ones.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No statutory insurance; saddlers and fine leather goods makers are listed in Annex B section 1 of the German Crafts Code (no. 26) and need no master qualification
- **Liability:** Under the German Product Liability Act the manufacturer is liable without fault, for personal injury up to €85 million
- **Biggest risk:** Riding accidents caused by snapped girths, billets or badly fitted saddles
- **Basic cover from:** around €200 a year for the general liability of a small workshop, a guide figure from our quoting
- **Often forgotten:** Damage to customers' items being worked on, such as saddles, car seats or boat cushions

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Riding accident:** A snapped girth, a torn billet or a pinching saddle: if the rider falls, it is about hospital, damages and sometimes an injured horse.
- **Customers' items:** A burn mark in a classic car seat, a miscut boat cushion, a saddle with the wrong tree width: damage to other people's property is expensive.
- **Leather stock:** Good hides are valuable and flammable; water or smoke can ruin a whole store.
- **Burglary:** Finished saddles and designer bags are easy to sell and a tempting target.
- **Glue and knives:** Solvent based glues burn, and round knives and skiving machines cause cuts.
- **Online sales:** Returns, warranty and warning letters about product descriptions hit small workshops too.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): With product liability for riding equipment and leather goods and cover for damage to customers' saddles, seats and cushions being worked on. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Essential): Replaces sewing machines, tools, leather and finished goods after fire, burst pipes, storm and burglary, including customers' items in your workshop. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Occupational disability** (Strongly advised): Your income depends on your hands, back and eyes. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php
- **Business interruption** (Depends on the business): Helps if the workshop is out of action for months after a fire and orders are lost. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Cargo insurance** (Depends on the business): For saddles and goods on the way to customers, shows and fairs. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cargo-insurance.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): For disputes about fit, warranty and fees. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): For the online shop, customer data and payments. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php

## What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on turnover, type of work and the values in the workshop. Riding saddlers and vehicle upholsterers usually pay more than pure bag makers because of personal injury and damage to items being worked on.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Bag and leather goods workshop, one or two people | around €200 to €500 a year |
| Business liability | Riding saddler with saddle fitting and repairs, €5 million cover | around €400 to €1,200 a year |
| Business liability | Vehicle and boat upholstery with cover for items worked on up to €50,000 | around €500 to €1,400 a year |
| Business contents | Workshop with machines, leather and goods worth €120,000 | around €300 to €900 a year |

For comparison: Liability and contents cover for a small saddlery cost roughly as much a year as a new girth and two bridles.

_Guide figures from our quoting, as of October 2026, excluding German insurance tax. The sources support the legal statements on this page; we obtain the exact quote for you._

- [German Crafts Code, Annex B](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hwo/anlage_b.html)
- [Product Liability Act, section 1](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prodhaftg/__1.html)
- [Product Liability Act, section 10](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prodhaftg/__10.html)
- [Social Code Book VII, section 2](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_7/__2.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Leather goods** (Bag maker with workshop, online shop and markets): Business liability, Business contents, Cyber insurance. Together: around €600 to €1,800 a year
- **Riding** (Saddlery with made to measure saddles, fitting at the stable and repairs): Business liability, Business contents, Cargo insurance, Occupational disability. Together: around €900 to €2,500 a year, without disability cover
- **Vehicle upholstery** (Workshop for car, classic car and boat interiors with staff): Business liability, Business contents, Business interruption, Business legal expenses. Together: around €1,500 to €4,000 a year

## The worst day in a saddlery

Six things that really happen to saddlers, all on one Saturday. Tap through and see who pays.

- 07:50: At a show a newly stitched girth snaps; the rider falls and breaks her collarbone. (€28,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 10:20: A classic car seat is damaged by the heat gun during recovering; the original leather is no longer available. (€6,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 12:40: A customer disputes the fit of a made to measure saddle and wants his money back; an expert is needed. (€2,800, Paid by: Business legal expenses)
- 15:00: Three saddles fall out of the unsecured trailer on the way to a show. (€7,500, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 18:30: The online shop is hacked and customer data has leaked. (€8,000, Paid by: Cyber insurance)
- 03:10: Burglars take finished saddles and customers' saddles from the workshop. (€32,000, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €84,800

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have damage to customers' items being worked on expressly included, especially for vehicle, classic car and boat upholstery.
- Choose at least €5 million product liability; riding accidents with lasting injuries become very expensive.
- Document saddle fittings with photos, measurements and advice to the customer; it helps in disputes about the cause.
- Insure leather stock and customers' saddles at their real value and check the burglary protection.
- If you work at the customer's stable, include damage caused by horses and to other people's facilities in liability.
- Check warning letter risks for your online shop and cyber cover with help after a data leak.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We know riding and the workshop:** Personal injury from riding equipment and damage to customers' items are the two big issues. As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert obtains quotes from several insurers and compares exactly these points.
- **Claims handling seen from the inside:** From boat insurance, including cushions and covers, we know claims handling from our own work. That helps to set sums and records when the policy is taken out.
- **Workshop, horse and family in one place:** Business, vehicle, your own horse and private cover come together with one contact who can explain German policies in English.
- **The Nammert family has arranged insurance since 1989:** Many saddleries are family businesses, and so are we. Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Do I need a master qualification as a saddler?

No. Saddlers and fine leather goods makers are listed in Annex B section 1 of the Crafts Code and need no master qualification.

### Is general liability compulsory for saddlers?

Not by law. Because of liability for riding accidents and customers' items it is still the most important policy for the workshop.

### Does liability pay if I damage a customer's seat while recovering it?

Only with an extension for items being worked on. Without it, such damage is excluded in many policies.

### What does insurance cost for a small saddlery?

In our quoting, liability and contents usually come to €600 to €2,500 a year, depending on riding work, vehicle work and values in the workshop.

### Are customers' saddles covered in a burglary?

If your contents insurance includes third party property and the sum is high enough.

### Are my employees covered for accidents?

Yes, employees are insured by law under Social Code Book VII through the responsible Berufsgenossenschaft.

## 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-saddler-and-leather-goods-maker.php#anfrage

---

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.