# Insurance for pottery studios, ceramic workshops and pottery classes in Germany

> A kiln firing at 1,250 degrees, shelves of work that breaks at the slightest knock, and pottery classes full of people sitting at a wheel for the first time: a ceramic workshop is small, but not without risk. Add craft fairs, exhibitions and shipping fragile pieces. Here is what cover a pottery studio in Germany needs and what it costs.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/business-insurance-pottery-and-ceramics-studio.php  
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Who pays if a student burns themselves on the kiln?

If you are responsible, for example because the kiln was not secured, your business liability pays. Make sure classes and workshops are named in the policy. Where nobody is at fault there is no claim against you, and the student relies on their own accident insurance.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No compulsory insurance for the studio
- **Trade status:** Ceramics is a licence free craft under Annex B of the German Crafts Code; no master craftsman certificate is required
- **Biggest risk:** Fire caused by the kiln and accidents involving class participants
- **Basic cover from:** about €100 to €200 a year of business liability for a small studio, a guide figure from our quoting work
- **Often forgotten:** Stock at craft fairs and in the car, which contents insurance only protects at the studio

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **The kiln:** Electric and gas kilns often fire overnight. A faulty controller or something flammable too close is enough to start a fire.
- **Kiln failure mid firing:** Elements burn out, shelves crack, glaze runs onto the floor of the kiln. The load is lost and the kiln needs repair.
- **Students get hurt:** Slipping on wet clay, cuts from shards, burns from hot ware: in classes, beginners are in your workshop.
- **Tableware with consequences:** A mug that cracks and spills hot tea, or a glaze that is not food safe, becomes a liability claim.
- **Breakage on the road:** Work breaks on the way to a pottery market or in the post, or a shelf topples at the stall.
- **Break in:** Thieves rarely take mugs, but they do take wheels, tools, laptops and the cash box.

**Risk radar** (Compared with other trades, 1 low to 5 high.): Liability 3, Fire and water 4, Theft 2, Cyber 2, Downtime 3, Health 3

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Covers injury and damage to customers and students, with product liability for tableware and with classes, markets and exhibitions written into the policy. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Essential): Replaces kiln, wheels, glazes, clay and finished work after fire, water, storm and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Cargo insurance** (Strongly advised): Protects work on the way to fairs and in the post, where contents cover does not apply. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cargo-insurance.php
- **Accident insurance** (Strongly advised): Self employed potters are usually not covered by statutory accident insurance, and your hands are your livelihood. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-accident-insurance.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Depends on the business): For kiln controller, till, laptop and camera, including power surges and operator error. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Business interruption** (Depends on the business): If classes are cancelled after a fire and the rent keeps running. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Occupational disability** (Depends on the business): Protects your income if back, shoulders or hands no longer allow work at the wheel. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php

## What it costs: example prices

Pottery studios are usually small and cheap to insure. Classes, gas kilns, a shop and a large stock push the premium up.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | One person studio with sales, €3 million limit | about €100 to €200 a year |
| Business liability | Studio with classes and shop, turnover up to €150,000 | about €200 to €450 a year |
| Business contents | Kilns, wheels, materials and stock worth €40,000 | about €150 to €400 a year |
| Cargo insurance | Goods in transit for fairs and shipping, up to €10,000 per trip | about €120 to €300 a year |
| Accident insurance | Owner, €100,000 base sum with progression | about €120 to €250 a year |

For comparison: Liability cover for a small pottery studio costs about as much a year as a bag of stoneware clay and a tub of glaze.

_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 Crafts Code, Annex B](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hwo/anlage_b.html)
- [German Product Liability Act, § 1](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prodhaftg/__1.html)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Studio** (One potter with a workshop and sales from the studio): Business liability, Business contents. Together: about €250 to €600 a year
- **Studio with classes** (Pottery with classes, shop and craft fairs): Business liability, Business contents, Cargo insurance, Accident insurance. Together: about €600 to €1,400 a year
- **Ceramics workshop** (Workshop with staff, several kilns and online shipping): Business liability, Business contents, Cargo insurance, Business interruption, Electronic equipment. Together: about €1,400 to €3,500 a year

## The worst day in a pottery studio

Six things that really happen to potters, all on one Saturday with a class and a market. Tap through and see who pays.

- 06:30: The kiln over fired during the night; glaze has run onto the shelves and the elements are gone. (€2,800, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 08:15: The van brakes hard on the way to the pottery market and two crates of tableware break. (€1,600, Paid by: Cargo insurance)
- 10:40: A student slips on wet clay and breaks her wrist. (€6,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 13:00: At the stall a shelf tips onto the neighbouring stand and damages glass art. (€2,200, Paid by: Business liability)
- 19:45: A cardboard box next to the still hot kiln catches fire and part of the studio burns out. (€38,000, Paid by: Business contents)
- 20:00: Eight weeks of classes are cancelled while the rent keeps running. (€7,000, Paid by: Business interruption)

**Damage so far:** €58,100

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have classes, workshops and children's parties written into your business liability policy.
- Keep clear space around the kiln, free of boxes, shelves and wood; many studio fires start there.
- Insure stock at fairs and in the post separately, as contents cover usually only applies at the studio address.
- Agree whether finished work is valued at cost or at selling price before a loss happens.
- If you sell tableware, use food safe glazes and keep a record of your recipes.
- Without statutory accident cover, private accident insurance with good benefits for hands and fingers makes sense.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **Small studios taken seriously:** Many potters work alone. We look for policies that really include classes, markets and stock, and compare several insurers.
- **In English, under German law:** Cover is arranged by Norman Nammert as an insurance broker. We explain German policy terms in plain English.
- **Family business since 1989:** Our work is free for you; the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Do I need business liability insurance as a potter?

It is not compulsory, but strongly advisable, especially with classes, a shop or market stalls. Personal liability insurance does not cover business activities.

### Is my kiln insured?

Against fire, water and burglary under contents insurance. For faults in the controller or elements you need electronic equipment or machinery cover.

### What does insurance for a pottery studio cost?

A small studio with liability and contents cover usually pays about €250 to €600 a year. That is a guide figure from our quoting work.

### Are my students insured?

Against accidents you are responsible for, through your business liability. Separate accident cover for students is unusual but possible.

### Do I need a master craftsman certificate to open a pottery?

No. Ceramics is in Annex B of the German Crafts Code, the list of licence free crafts.

### Am I liable for tableware I sell?

As the manufacturer you are liable under the Product Liability Act for injury and property damage caused by defective goods. Product liability is part of a good business liability policy.

## 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-pottery-and-ceramics-studio.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.