# Insurance for freight forwarders, warehouse keepers and logistics firms in Germany

> As a forwarder you organise transport that others drive and store goods that do not belong to you. If something goes missing you are still liable, often for your subcontractors' mistakes too. This page shows which policies are compulsory, which ones carry your business and what they cost.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-freight-forwarding.php  
Updated: 2026-09-18

## Do I need insurance at all as a forwarder without my own lorries?

The Road Haulage Act (Güterkraftverkehrsgesetz) only obliges those who drive vehicles over 3.5 tonnes themselves. But if you work under the ADSp, as almost all forwarders do, you must show liability insurance, otherwise you cannot rely on the ADSp liability limits. And towards your customer you are also liable for the carrier you hired. Without carrier's liability insurance, your business bears that alone.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** Goods in transit liability under § 7a GüKG, Germany's Road Haulage Act, as soon as you carry goods yourself in vehicles over 3.5 tonnes (at least €600,000 per claim); if you work under the ADSp, the German forwarders' standard terms, you must also hold liability insurance
- **Biggest risk:** Loss and theft of consignments, including through fraudulent carriers, and damage to customers' goods in storage
- **Basic cover from:** about €180 a year per vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes for carrier's liability in regional traffic
- **Statutory accident insurer:** the BG Verkehr, the Berufsgenossenschaft (statutory accident insurer) for transport; compulsory for every forwarder with employees
- **Often forgotten:** Customers' goods in your own warehouse are not covered by your contents insurance; that needs warehouse keeper's liability or storage insurance on the customer's behalf
- **WZ 2025 / NACE:** 52.10 Lagerei, 52.21 Erbringung von sonstigen Dienstleistungen für den Landverkehr, 52.22 Erbringung von sonstigen Dienstleistungen für die Schifffahrt, 52.23 Erbringung von sonstigen Dienstleistungen für die Luftfahrt, 52.24 Frachtumschlag, 52.25 Erbringung von Logistikdienstleistungen, 52.26 Erbringung von sonstigen Dienstleistungen für den Verkehr, 52.31 Vermittlungstätigkeiten für die Güterbeförderung, 52.32 Vermittlungstätigkeiten für die Personenbeförderung

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Phantom carriers:** Fraudsters with stolen identities sign up on freight exchanges, load the goods and vanish. The customer holds you responsible.
- **Cargo theft:** Curtain slashers at motorway services and whole trailers stolen: electronics, tyres and drinks are especially sought after.
- **Damage in the warehouse:** Forklift accidents, goods stored wrongly, water through the roof: as warehouse keeper you are liable for customers' stored goods.
- **Wrong loading:** Poorly secured loads, the wrong temperature in a reefer trailer, mixed up consignments: the damage often happens during loading.
- **Delay and misrouting:** A just in time delivery arrives late and the customer's production line stops. Under the German Commercial Code (HGB), exceeding delivery times must be compensated.
- **Cyber attacks and fake emails:** Forged bank detail changes from carriers and encrypted forwarding software hit logistics firms particularly often.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Cargo insurance** (Essential): Carrier's liability insurance covers your liability as forwarder, carrier and warehouse keeper under the HGB, CMR and ADSp, including the compulsory cover under § 7a GüKG. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cargo-insurance.php
- **Business liability** (Essential): Covers injury and property damage outside the contract of carriage, for example when a forklift rams a customer's gate. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Fleet insurance** (Strongly advised): Covers your own lorries, vans and road registered forklifts; from three vehicles usually cheaper than separate policies. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-fleet-insurance.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): Covers racking, forklifts, equipment and your own goods in the warehouse against fire, escape of water, storm and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Strongly advised): Covers encrypted forwarding software and, where included, fraud through fake payment instructions. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php
- **Business interruption** (Depends on the business): Keeps the business solvent if the warehouse cannot be used after a fire. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Machinery breakdown** (Depends on the business): Covers forklifts, stacker cranes and conveyor systems against breakdown and operating errors. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-machinery-breakdown.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): Legal expenses for disputes over freight charges, with subcontractors and in employment law. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php

## What it costs: example prices

Carrier's liability is priced per vehicle or by turnover. What matters is vehicle weight, area of operation, whether you agree liability at the HGB level or above, the type of goods and your claims history.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cargo insurance | Carrier's liability per vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes, regional traffic, statutory liability | about €180 to €250 a year |
| Cargo insurance | Carrier's liability per truck and trailer over 7.5 tonnes, Germany and Europe under CMR | about €620 to €800 a year |
| Cargo insurance | Forwarder without own vehicles, €2 million forwarding turnover, with warehouse | about €2,000 to €6,000 a year |
| Fleet insurance | 7.5 tonne lorry in goods transport, liability and comprehensive | about €2,500 to €5,000 a year per vehicle |
| Business liability | Forwarder with warehouse and ten staff, €5 million limit | about €800 to €2,000 a year |

For comparison: Carrier's liability for an articulated lorry in European traffic costs about as much a year as a single full load over roughly 300 kilometres.

_Guide prices excluding German insurance premium tax, as of September 2026. The per vehicle figures come from a published tariff with a €125 excess, the motor figures from public comparison data. Forwarding policies priced by turnover and public liability are guide values from our own quoting work._

- [Dialog Versicherung: Tarifrechner Frachtführerhaftung (PDF)](https://www.dialog-versicherung.de/resource/blob/10926/35afca14dca37761ec72f1c55b9891f5/Tarifrechner%20Frachtf%C3%BChrerhaftung)
- [Bundesamt für Logistik und Mobilität: Güterschaden-Haftpflichtversicherung](https://www.balm.bund.de/SharedDocs/FAQs/DE/Gueterkraftverkehr/Gueterschadenhaftpflicht.html)
- [FSA24: Speditionsversicherung](https://www.fsa24.de/Speditionsversicherung)
- [versicherungsvergleich-lkw.de: Was kostet eine 7,5-Tonner-Versicherung?](https://www.versicherungsvergleich-lkw.de/was-kostet-eine-7-5-tonner-lkw-versicherung/)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Desk** (Forwarder without own vehicles and without a warehouse): Cargo insurance, Business liability, Cyber insurance. Together: about €2,500 to €6,000 a year
- **Forwarder** (Forwarder with a few own vehicles and a small cross docking warehouse): Cargo insurance, Business liability, Fleet insurance, Business contents, Cyber insurance. Together: about €12,000 to €30,000 a year
- **Logistics** (Contract logistics with a large warehouse, fleet and conveyor systems): Cargo insurance, Business liability, Fleet insurance, Business contents, Business interruption, Machinery breakdown, Cyber insurance, Business legal expenses. Together: from about €30,000 a year, priced individually

## The worst day at the forwarder's

Six cases forwarders really go through, all on one Friday. Tap through and see who pays.

- 06:40: A carrier booked through a freight exchange does not exist. The load of laptops has vanished. (€85,000, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 09:10: A forklift hits a rack in the warehouse and three pallets of customer goods come crashing down. (€14,000, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 11:30: Manoeuvring on a customer's premises, your driver damages a roller door. (€6,500, Paid by: Fleet insurance)
- 13:45: A subcontractor emails new bank details. The email was forged and three freight payments are gone. (€19,000, Paid by: Cyber insurance)
- 16:00: The reefer trailer breaks down and a load of dairy products arrives too warm. (€32,000, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 22:20: A smouldering fire in the forklift charger damages racking and equipment in the warehouse. (€58,000, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €214,500

## Practical tips from your broker

- Get the compulsory insurance certificate under § 7a GüKG issued for every vehicle over 3.5 tonnes; it must be carried on every journey.
- If you agree liability above 8.33 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram, your carrier's liability cover must match that amount.
- Check carriers before the first job, for example via the commercial register and proof of insurance; some policies make this a condition of cover.
- Warehouse keeper's liability and storage insurance on the customer's behalf are two different things. Find out which your customers expect.
- Ask for cover against fraud by fake carriers and forged payment instructions.
- Claims must be reported to the insurer within short deadlines; a fixed procedure for claim notifications saves a lot of money in a dispute.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We speak transport law:** HGB, CMR, ADSp and the Montreal Convention: as a broker we compare carrier's liability policies from several insurers and make sure the cover matches your contracts.
- **We settle claims ourselves:** In boat insurance we handle claims ourselves, including transit damage to boats. We know which documents an insurer needs after a lost load.
- **Fleet, warehouse and staff in one place:** Carrier's liability, vehicle fleet, warehouse and company benefits are handled together, coordinated without gaps.
- **Family run since 1989:** Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission. And we can be reached when the customer calls on a Friday afternoon.

## FAQ

### Is carrier's liability insurance compulsory?

For road haulage with vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, yes: under § 7a GüKG with at least €600,000 per claim. For forwarders without their own vehicles, the ADSp require liability insurance.

### What does carrier's liability insurance cost?

Depending on vehicle and area of operation, about €180 to €800 per vehicle a year. Forwarders without their own vehicles are usually priced by turnover.

### Does carrier's liability also cover the value of the goods?

Only up to the liability limit, within Germany usually 8.33 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram. Covering the full value needs cargo insurance, which you can offer your customers.

### Who is liable for the subcontractor?

Towards your customer, you are. Your carrier's liability covers that, and you can recover from the subcontractor if they are insured themselves.

### Are goods in the warehouse insured?

Your liability as warehouse keeper is covered by carrier's liability insurance if storage is included. The full value of customers' goods is only covered by storage insurance on the customer's behalf.

### Do I have to carry the insurance certificate?

Yes. Drivers must carry proof of goods in transit liability on every journey and show it at roadside checks.

## Request quotes

We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison. Free of charge and without obligation: the insurer pays our commission. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-freight-forwarding.php#anfrage

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NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker.

NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, 15711 Königs Wusterhausen, +49 3375 29 12 77, info@nammert.com. Wikidata: Q141141479.