# Insurance for animal shelters, rescue associations and volunteers in Germany

> A dog slips its lead on a walk, a cat scratches its new owner at handover, a storm lifts the roof of the cattery: animal shelters carry the risks of a business but are usually run by a registered association with volunteers. Here is what cover a shelter, a rescue association, its board and its helpers in Germany need, and what it roughly costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-animal-shelter.php  
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Who pays if a shelter dog knocks a cyclist over during a walk?

The keeper of the dog is normally the shelter, meaning the association. Its liability policy must include all animals kept, also when volunteers walk them. Make sure the helpers are co-insured; otherwise they may be left unprotected or face a recourse claim.

## At a glance

- **Permit:** Keeping animals in a shelter or similar facility requires a permit under § 11 (1) No. 3 of the German Animal Welfare Act
- **Compulsory insurance:** No general compulsory insurance for animal shelters and rescue associations
- **Biggest risk:** Bites and accidents involving animals, dog walkers, visitors and adopters
- **Board members:** Volunteer board members paid no more than €3,300 a year are liable to the association under § 31a of the Civil Code only for intent and gross negligence
- **Often forgotten:** Volunteers in a private association are not automatically covered by statutory accident insurance

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Bites and falls:** A nervous dog bites a visitor, a strong male pulls the walker into the road. Compensation for pain and medical costs follow.
- **Road accidents:** A dog that runs off causes a car crash. Injury and vehicle damage can be serious.
- **Injured volunteers:** Volunteers are bitten, scratched or slip while cleaning kennels, often without statutory accident cover.
- **Buildings and enclosures:** Storm, fire, burst pipes: kennels, cattery and quarantine units are costly to replace, and animals need emergency housing.
- **Board mistakes:** Grants misused or contracts signed without a resolution: volunteer board members can be liable too, in full for gross negligence.
- **Disputes after adoption:** Adopters reclaim vet bills or want to return the animal, former owners take legal action.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): As association liability including keeper's liability for all animals, co-insured volunteers and events such as open days. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Commercial buildings** (Strongly advised): If the association owns the shelter: fire, storm and water damage to kennels, cattery and outbuildings. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-commercial-buildings.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): For equipment, food stocks, veterinary equipment and office after fire, water, storm and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Group accident insurance** (Strongly advised): For volunteers without statutory cover, paying after bite injuries and falls. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-group-accident.php
- **D&O insurance** (Depends on the business): Protects board members against financial loss claims, for example over donations or grants. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-directors-and-officers.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): For disputes with adopters, authorities, landlords or staff. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Fleet insurance** (Depends on the business): For animal rescue and transport vehicles if the association runs several. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-fleet-insurance.php

## What it costs: example prices

Premiums depend on the number and type of animals, building values and how many volunteers help. Dogs weigh more heavily in liability than cats and small animals.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Rescue association with foster homes, no own shelter, €5 million limit | about €250 to €600 a year |
| Business liability | Shelter with up to 40 dogs and 80 cats, volunteers co-insured | about €1,200 to €3,000 a year |
| Commercial buildings | Shelter buildings with €1.2 million rebuild value | about €1,500 to €3,500 a year |
| Group accident insurance | 50 volunteers, €50,000 base sum | about €300 to €700 a year |
| D&O insurance | Association board, €500,000 sum insured | about €300 to €700 a year |

For comparison: Liability cover for a medium sized shelter costs about as much a year as feeding ten dogs.

_Guide figures from our own quoting work, excluding German insurance premium tax, October 2026. We obtain the exact premium from several insurers. The sources below support the legal statements._

- [German Animal Welfare Act, § 11 permit](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/tierschg/__11.html)
- [German Civil Code, § 31a liability of board members](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgb/__31a.html)
- [Social Code VII, § 2 persons insured by law](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_7/__2.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Foster network** (Rescue association without its own building, animals in foster homes): Business liability, Group accident insurance. Together: about €500 to €1,200 a year
- **Shelter** (Association with its own shelter, dogs, cats and volunteers): Business liability, Commercial buildings, Business contents, Group accident insurance. Together: about €3,500 to €8,000 a year
- **Large shelter** (Shelter with staff, vehicles, stray animal contracts with municipalities and a larger board): Business liability, Commercial buildings, Business contents, Group accident insurance, D&O insurance, Business legal expenses, Fleet insurance. Together: individual, usually from about €8,000 a year

## The worst day at the shelter

Six things shelters really experience, all on one Sunday open day. Tap through and see who pays.

- 07:30: A storm overnight damaged the cattery roof and water got in. (€24,000, Paid by: Commercial buildings)
- 09:15: A volunteer is bitten in the hand while feeding and is out for six weeks. (€5,000, Paid by: Group accident insurance)
- 11:40: A dog breaks free on a walk; a cyclist falls and breaks his collarbone. (€14,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 14:00: At the open day a dog jumps up at a child; glasses break and the child needs stitches. (€3,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 16:20: An adopter demands vet bills back and threatens legal action. (€2,500, Paid by: Business legal expenses)
- 18:10: A fridge with vaccines and medicines fails and the stock is spoiled. (€1,800, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €50,800

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have all animals kept, foster homes and volunteer dog walkers named in the association's liability policy.
- Ask whether your federal state has special rules for dogs and align the cover with them.
- Take out group accident insurance for volunteers; in a private association they are often not covered by law.
- In buildings cover, look for extra costs of temporarily housing animals after a loss.
- Have dog walkers sign a short briefing; it helps clarify things after an incident.
- Consider D&O cover if the association manages large grants, legacies or building projects.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **Association and business at once:** A shelter is an association, employer, animal keeper and property owner. We bring the policies into order and compare several insurers.
- **A broker for your board:** Cover is arranged by Norman Nammert as an insurance broker. We explain the gaps clearly to the board, also in English.
- **Family business since 1989:** Our work is free for the association; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Does an animal shelter in Germany need a permit?

Yes. Anyone keeping animals in a shelter or similar facility needs a permit from the competent authority under § 11 (1) No. 3 of the Animal Welfare Act.

### Are volunteer dog walkers insured?

For liability only if the policy co-insures them. For their own injuries, volunteers in a private association are not automatically covered by statutory accident insurance, so group accident cover is worth it.

### Is the board of a rescue association personally liable?

Towards the association, volunteer board members paid no more than €3,300 a year are liable under § 31a of the Civil Code only for intent and gross negligence. A risk remains for gross errors and towards third parties, which D&O cover can cushion.

### What does insurance for an animal shelter cost?

A shelter with liability, buildings, contents and accident cover for volunteers usually pays about €3,500 to €8,000 a year. That is a guide figure from our quoting work.

### Are animals in foster homes covered?

If the association remains the keeper, foster homes should be named in its liability policy. The foster family's personal liability often excludes other people's dogs.

### Who pays if the animal bites after adoption?

From handover the new owner is responsible. For a dog they should have their own dog liability insurance from day one.

## 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-animal-shelter.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.