# Insurance for asbestos, mould and hazardous material remediation in Germany

> Removing asbestos, mineral fibres, PAH or mould from buildings means working with hazardous material that can make people ill for years. A torn airlock, dust carried out on clothing or a wrongly disposed panel, and a whole building has to be cleaned. This page explains the duties for remediation in Germany, which insurance asbestos and mould firms need and what it costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-asbestos-and-mould-remediation.php  
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Does my public liability cover asbestos work at all?

Only if asbestos remediation is expressly written into the policy. Many wordings exclude damage from asbestos and other hazardous substances because the effects last a long time. Get the inclusion confirmed in writing, with environmental cover and a limit large enough for cleaning a whole building.

## At a glance

- **Authority duties:** Work with asbestos must be notified to the authority at least one week before it starts; high risk work needs an approval valid for at most six years (§ 11a Gefahrstoffverordnung, the Hazardous Substances Ordinance)
- **Expertise:** Proof by an officially recognised course, valid for six years (Annex I No. 3.7 of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance)
- **Biggest risk:** Fibre release that contaminates rooms, neighbours or a whole building, and the clean up afterwards
- **Basic cover from:** about €1,200 a year for public liability with asbestos work expressly included, a guide figure from our quoting work
- **Often forgotten:** Many liability wordings exclude asbestos; remediation firms need the activity expressly included

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Fibre release:** An airlock tears and fibres reach the stairwell. The building is closed, measured and cleaned.
- **Carry over:** Contaminated clothing or equipment brings dust into vehicles, stores or other sites.
- **Mould comes back:** Weeks after remediation, mould returns; tenants claim rent reductions and damaged furniture.
- **Disposal:** Hazardous waste ends up in the wrong place and the authority orders follow up work and fines.
- **Equipment:** Negative pressure units, air cleaners and meters are expensive and fail mid job.
- **Staff health:** Respirators, heat in protective suits and hard work take their toll. A sick day hits a small firm hard.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Pays for injury, property damage and clean up costs from your work, but only with asbestos and hazardous material work expressly included and environmental cover. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Car insurance** (Strongly advised): Compulsory for every vehicle; vans carrying equipment and waste need the right use stated in the policy. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-car-insurance.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Strongly advised): For negative pressure units, air monitoring and drying equipment that fails through defects or short circuits. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Strongly advised): For proceedings with authorities, disputes with clients and employment matters. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Business contents** (Depends on the business): Replaces stores, protective gear and equipment after fire, burglary or water damage. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Business interruption** (Depends on the business): Pays fixed costs if equipment or premises are out of action after a loss. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Occupational disability** (Depends on the business): If you work in the suit yourself, your health is your income. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php

## What it costs: example prices

Insurers rate remediation firms strictly. What counts is the type of substance, risk level, turnover, staff and the limit for clean up and environmental damage.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Mould remediation without asbestos, two people, €3 million cover | about €500 to €1,000 a year |
| Business liability | Licensed asbestos and hazardous material removal, five staff, €5 million with environmental cover | about €1,200 to €4,000 a year |
| Electronic equipment | Negative pressure units and measuring equipment worth €60,000 | about €400 to €1,000 a year |
| Business legal expenses | Business with contract, employment and administrative legal expenses | about €500 to €1,100 a year |
| Car insurance | Van up to 3.5 tonnes, liability and partial cover | about €700 to €1,400 a year |

For comparison: Liability cover for an asbestos firm often costs less a year than cleaning a single contaminated stairwell.

_Guide figures from our quoting work, excluding German insurance premium tax, October 2026. Not every insurer covers asbestos removal; we obtain the exact quote for you._

- [Gefahrstoffverordnung, § 11a: asbestos approval and notification](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/gefstoffv_2010/__11a.html)
- [Gefahrstoffverordnung, Annex I No. 3: asbestos](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/gefstoffv_2010/anhang_i.html)
- [Pflichtversicherungsgesetz, § 1: compulsory motor liability](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pflvg/__1.html)
- [SGB VII, § 2: persons insured by law](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_7/__2.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Mould** (small mould remediation firm without asbestos): Business liability, Car insurance, Electronic equipment. Together: about €1,600 to €3,400 a year
- **Asbestos** (licensed asbestos and hazardous material removal with staff): Business liability, Car insurance, Electronic equipment, Business legal expenses. Together: about €2,800 to €7,500 a year
- **All round** (remediation business with several crews, stores and fleet): Business liability, Car insurance, Electronic equipment, Business legal expenses, Business contents, Business interruption. Together: individual, usually from about €7,000 a year

## The worst day in remediation

Six claims asbestos and mould remediation firms really see, all on one day. Click through and see who pays.

- 07:15: The airlock sheeting tears and asbestos fibres get into the stairwell. The whole building is measured and cleaned. (€38,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 09:40: The negative pressure unit fails after a short circuit and work stops. (€4,500, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 11:30: Removing a ceiling panel, a piece falls onto a tenant's car outside. (€3,200, Paid by: Business liability)
- 13:50: The equipment van is involved in a rear end collision on the way to site. (€7,800, Paid by: Car insurance)
- 15:20: A landlord claims damages because the mould came back and refuses to pay the invoice. (€5,600, Paid by: Business legal expenses)
- 18:00: The authority queries a notification that arrived too late for one site. (€1,500, Paid by: Business legal expenses)

**Damage so far:** €60,600

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have asbestos and hazardous material work expressly written into your public liability.
- Check for environmental cover and a limit for clean up and decontamination costs.
- Keep expertise certificates, approval and notifications up to date; insurers ask for them.
- Document clearance measurements and handovers; in a dispute they are your best evidence.
- Insure negative pressure and measuring equipment under electronics cover.
- Tell the insurer every substance you handle: asbestos, mineral fibres, PAH, PCB and mould.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We find insurers that cover remediation:** Not every insurer takes asbestos firms. As an insurance broker, Norman Nammert approaches those that do and compares inclusions and limits.
- **We read the small print:** Hazardous substance exclusions are often far back in the wording. We look for them before a claim does.
- **We know claims work:** In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves and know how reports and costs need to be documented.
- **Family run since 1989:** Our advice is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### What insurance does an asbestos removal firm need?

Public liability with asbestos work expressly included and environmental cover, plus motor, electronics and legal expenses insurance.

### Do I need permission for asbestos work in Germany?

Asbestos work must be notified to the authority at least one week before it starts. High risk work needs an approval under § 11a of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, valid for at most six years.

### How long is the expertise certificate valid?

Six years from issue. A recognised refresher course extends it by six years each time.

### Is mould remediation as hard to insure?

No, without asbestos the rating is usually cheaper. Still name every substance so the policy fits.

### What does liability cover cost?

From our quoting work, about €500 to €1,000 a year for mould only and about €1,200 to €4,000 with asbestos.

### Are my employees covered for accidents at work?

Yes, employees are insured by law through the Berufsgenossenschaft (statutory accident insurer). As the owner you can join voluntarily.

## 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-asbestos-and-mould-remediation.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.