# Insurance for recording studios, podcasters and radio stations in Germany

> A mixing desk that goes silent after a leak, a podcast remark that gets you sued by a company, a session whose tracks have vanished. In a studio everything depends on equipment, files and words. This page shows which of these should be insured and what it costs.

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

## Is a podcaster liable for what guests say?

Often yes, because German courts are quick to treat whoever publishes a statement as having adopted it. If a guest makes false claims about a company, the injunction and damages claim are aimed at you. Professional indemnity that includes personality rights and media law checks the claim and pays justified demands; standard public liability does not cover this.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No insurance is required by law; broadcasters have duties under German media law, but no obligation to insure
- **Biggest risk:** Damage to expensive, often custom built studio equipment, and claims arising from statements and rights
- **Basic cover from:** about €100 a year for a small studio's public liability
- **Statutory accident insurer:** usually the VBG (stage and studio section), the relevant Berufsgenossenschaft or statutory accident insurer; compulsory from the first employee
- **Often forgotten:** Clients' instruments and gear left in the studio are usually not covered by your contents insurance
- **WZ 2025 / NACE:** 59.20 Tonstudios; Herstellung von Hörfunkbeiträgen; Verlegen von bespielten Tonträgern und Musikalien, 60.10 Hörfunkveranstalter und Verbreitung von Audioinhalten

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Water and power:** Air conditioning, heating and pipes run above expensive kit. One leak or power surge hits desk, converters and computers all at once.
- **Other people's instruments:** Bands bring guitars, amps and keyboards. If a vintage amp falls off its flight case, you are liable for its collector's value.
- **Lost sessions:** A drive fails before backup and an expensive recording with session musicians has to be done again.
- **Statements and rights:** Critical remarks about companies, unlicensed music in a jingle, quotes from other people's work: podcasts and stations receive warning letters.
- **Hearing and voice:** Engineers and voice artists live off their ears and voices. Sudden hearing loss or tinnitus can end a career.
- **Burglary:** Microphones, interfaces and laptops are small and sought after. Studios in back courtyards or basements are often poorly secured.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Covers injury and property damage to clients and guests in the studio, including damage to the instruments they bring, where this is included. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Strongly advised): Replaces desk, converters, monitors and microphones even after power surges, operating errors and short circuits, on location too. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): Covers acoustic treatment, furniture, instruments and equipment against fire, escape of water and burglary. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Professional indemnity** (Strongly advised): Covers financial loss and claims arising from statements, music rights and lost recordings. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-professional-indemnity.php
- **Business interruption** (Depends on the business): Pays rent and lost bookings if the studio is out of action for weeks after damage. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Cyber insurance** (Depends on the business): Covers ransomware attacks on project servers and leaks of unreleased productions. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-cyber-insurance.php
- **Occupational disability** (Depends on the business): Protects your income if your hearing or voice is no longer up to the job. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-occupational-disability.php

## What it costs: example prices

Studio premiums depend mainly on the value of the equipment and whether it stays put or goes out on productions. Liability cover is cheap as long as no live events are involved.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Small studio or podcast production, €3 million limit | about €100 to €300 a year |
| Electronic equipment | Fixed studio equipment worth €30,000 | about €200 to €500 a year |
| Electronic equipment | Mobile recording kit worth €10,000, worldwide, €250 excess | about €200 to €330 a year |
| Professional indemnity | Podcast or web radio with media law cover, €100,000 limit | about €250 to €600 a year |
| Business contents | Fit out, instruments and furnishings worth €40,000 | about €120 to €300 a year |

For comparison: Liability and studio equipment cover cost about as much a year as two days' studio hire with an engineer.

_Guide prices excluding German insurance premium tax, as of September 2026. The mobile kit figure is derived from publicly quoted rates; the other values are guide figures from our own quoting work. We obtain the exact quote for you._

- [fotoversicherung.com: Beitragssätze für mobile Technik](https://www.fotoversicherung.com/)
- [Zurich über Deutsche Versicherungsbörse: Medienversicherung einschließlich Tonstudios (PDF)](https://www.deutsche-versicherungsboerse.de/download/tarifkompass/tarife/396/medienversicherung_filmproduktionsfirmen%20Prospekt.pdf)
- [Hiscox: Versicherung für Blogger und Content Creator](https://www.hiscox.de/geschaeftskunden/blogger-versicherung/)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Podcast** (Podcasters and voice artists with a home studio): Business liability, Professional indemnity, Electronic equipment. Together: about €450 to €1,000 a year
- **Studio** (Recording studio with its own premises and client bookings): Business liability, Electronic equipment, Business contents, Business interruption. Together: about €600 to €1,400 a year
- **Station** (Local radio, web radio or production house with employees): Business liability, Professional indemnity, Electronic equipment, Business contents, Business interruption, Cyber insurance. Together: about €1,800 to €4,500 a year

## The worst day in the studio

Six things that really happen in studios, all on one Wednesday. Tap through and see who pays.

- 07:50: A heating pipe in the control room burst overnight. Desk and converters have taken on water. (€24,000, Paid by: Business contents)
- 10:30: A guitarist sets up his amp, the case tips over and the old valve amp is damaged. (€3,800, Paid by: Business liability)
- 12:15: A power surge at switch on: two monitor speakers and an interface are dead. (€4,200, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 14:40: A company sends a warning letter over a podcast episode in which a guest accused it of fraud. (€7,500, Paid by: Professional indemnity)
- 17:00: Drying out takes the control room out of use for three weeks, and booked sessions have to be cancelled. (€9,000, Paid by: Business interruption)
- 22:15: A break in via the courtyard: microphones and a laptop are gone. (€6,500, Paid by: Business contents)

**Damage so far:** €55,000

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have damage to clients' instruments and equipment expressly included in your public liability.
- Insure studio equipment under an electronics policy; contents insurance does not pay for power surges without a lightning strike or for operating errors.
- Include the acoustic fit out as fixtures in the sum insured; it is often worth more than you think.
- Podcasters and stations should have media law and personality rights named expressly in their professional indemnity.
- For location recording and live productions, the kit must also be covered outside the studio.
- Off site backups are the cheapest insurance against lost sessions and often reduce the cyber premium too.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We compare what really protects your kit:** Fixed or mobile, new for old or current value, clients' instruments or not: as a broker we show you how several insurers differ.
- **We know claims from handling them ourselves:** In boat insurance we settle claims ourselves. We know which invoices and photos are needed after water damage.
- **One contact for studio and private life:** Studio, van, instruments and your own income protection are arranged together.
- **Family run since 1989:** Free for you; the insurer pays our commission. You reach people who know your policies.

## FAQ

### Is studio equipment adequately protected by contents insurance?

Against fire, escape of water, storm and burglary, yes. For power surges, short circuits, operating errors and damage on location you need electronics insurance.

### What does insurance for a small recording studio cost?

Liability, equipment, contents and loss of income usually come to €600 to €1,400 a year for a small studio.

### Do I need insurance as a podcaster?

If you earn money from your podcast or talk about companies and people, you should have professional indemnity with media law cover. It starts at a few hundred euros a year.

### Who pays if a client's instrument gets damaged in the studio?

If clients damage it themselves, usually nobody but them. If you or your staff were at fault, public liability pays, provided third party property in your care is included.

### Are music rights covered?

Warning letters over music rights can be handled under professional indemnity with copyright cover, but only if there was no intent. Fees to GEMA, Germany's music royalties society, are never insured.

### Which Berufsgenossenschaft is responsible?

For studios usually the VBG, the statutory accident insurer for this sector. Membership becomes compulsory once you employ staff; owners can insure themselves voluntarily.

## 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-recording-studio.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.