# Insurance for pet shops and pet supply retailers in Germany

> In a pet shop, some of the stock is alive. A parrot bites a child, a terrarium heater fails, the aquarium system floods: no other kind of retailer has claims like these. This page explains which insurance pays for them and what it costs.

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

## Who pays if an animal from my shop bites a customer?

Your public liability does, provided keeping animals on the premises is included. As a pet shop owner you are the keeper of the animals in your shop, and under German law you are liable for bites, scratches and transmitted diseases even when you are not at fault. Make sure every species you sell is listed in the policy, including reptiles and exotic animals.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory:** No statutory insurance requirement; anyone trading in animals does, however, need a licence under section 11 of the Tierschutzgesetz (Animal Welfare Act)
- **Biggest risk:** Injuries and illness caused by animals, and the loss of live animals when equipment fails
- **Basic cover from:** around 80 euros a year for the public liability of a small specialist shop
- **Berufsgenossenschaft:** BGHW, the statutory accident insurer for retail and logistics, compulsory for every business with employees
- **Often forgotten:** Live animals are often excluded from contents insurance or covered only up to a small limit

## What goes wrong in this trade

- **Bites and scratches:** Rabbits, parrots, rodents and reptiles can react unpredictably when children reach into their cages.
- **Transmissible diseases:** Salmonella in tortoises and reptiles, parrot fever in birds: if you sell a sick animal, you are liable for the consequences.
- **Equipment failure:** If the terrarium heating or the pump of the aquarium system fails, animals can die within hours.
- **Water from the tanks:** Large aquarium systems hold thousands of litres. One leaking tank can flood the shop and the rooms below.
- **Heavy feed sacks:** Sacks of 15 kilograms are stacked high. If one falls, it lands on a customer or a member of staff.
- **Food and accessories:** Contaminated pet food or toys from outside the EU can make pets ill, and their owners will ask you to pay the vet's bill.

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

## The insurance you need

- **Business liability** (Essential): Covers bites, disease transmission and falls in the shop as well as harm caused by food and accessories you sell, when animal keeping and products liability are included. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-liability.php
- **Business contents** (Strongly advised): Replaces fittings, aquariums, food and accessories after fire, water, storm and burglary; live animals only if expressly included. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-contents.php
- **Business interruption** (Strongly advised): Pays running costs while the shop stays closed after a water damage or fire, because the animals still need looking after. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-interruption.php
- **Electronic equipment** (Depends on the business): Covers controllers, filters and heating in large aquarium and terrarium systems against breakdowns and power surges. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-electronic-equipment.php
- **Business legal expenses** (Depends on the business): Legal expenses cover for disputes with customers over sick animals, or with breeders and landlords. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-business-legal-expenses.php
- **Fleet insurance** (Depends on the business): For the delivery van if you take food to customers, animal shelters or boarding kennels. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-fleet-insurance.php

## What it costs: example prices

Premiums for pet shops are in line with the rest of retail. Costs rise with a large number of live animals, big aquarium systems and your own delivery service.

| Insurance | Example | Typical range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business liability | Pet supplies shop without live animals | around 80 to 250 euros a year |
| Business liability | Pet shop with birds, rodents and reptiles | around 200 to 600 euros a year |
| Business contents | Fittings, tank systems and stock worth 100,000 euros | around 300 to 800 euros a year |
| Business contents | Live animals included up to 10,000 euros | around 80 to 250 euros a year extra |
| Business interruption | Loss of income for up to twelve months | around 100 to 300 euros a year |

For comparison: A pet shop's liability and contents insurance together cost roughly as much a year as 15 large sacks of premium dog food.

_Guide figures excluding insurance tax, as of September 2026. Publicly quoted figures exist for retail in general; the surcharges for live animals and aquarium systems are guide figures from our own quoting practice._

- [Online Vergleich Versicherung: Betriebshaftpflicht Zoohandlung](https://www.online-vergleich-versicherung.de/betriebshaftpflichtversicherung/betriebshaftpflicht-zoohandlung/)
- [Online Vergleich Versicherung: Betriebshaftpflicht Einzelhandel](https://www.online-vergleich-versicherung.de/betriebshaftpflichtversicherung/betriebshaftpflichtversicherung-einzelhandel/)
- [Versicherungsengel: Kosten der Inhaltsversicherung](https://www.versicherungsengel.de/versicherungen/inhaltsversicherung/kosten)

## Our suggestions: three packages

- **Start** (pet supplies or feed shop without live animals): Business liability, Business contents. Together: around 300 to 800 euros a year
- **Specialist** (pet shop with aquatics, small animals and birds): Business liability, Business contents, Business interruption, Electronic equipment. Together: around 800 to 1,900 euros a year
- **All round** (large pet store with a delivery service and several employees): Business liability, Business contents, Business interruption, Electronic equipment, Fleet insurance, Business legal expenses. Together: around 1,800 to 3,800 euros a year

## The worst day in the pet shop

Six losses of the kind pet shops really face, all on one Saturday. Tap through and see who pays.

- 07:40: A tank in the aquarium system has cracked overnight. 800 litres of water cover the shop floor and run into the neighbour's cellar. (€12,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 07:55: In your own shop, shelves, pet food and carpet are soaked through. (€7,500, Paid by: Business contents)
- 10:20: An African grey parrot bites a child's finger, and the wound needs stitches. (€2,500, Paid by: Business liability)
- 12:45: A power surge knocks out the controller of the marine aquarium; heating and water flow stop. (€4,800, Paid by: Electronic equipment)
- 15:10: A family claims that the tortoise they bought gave their child salmonella. (€6,000, Paid by: Business liability)
- 16:30: The shop stays closed for two weeks while it dries out, yet the animals and staff still have to be paid for. (€8,000, Paid by: Business interruption)

**Damage so far:** €40,800

## Practical tips from your broker

- Have every species you keep and sell named in the policy, especially reptiles, birds and venomous exotic animals.
- Find out whether live animals are covered by your contents insurance, and up to what amount.
- Make sure leaking aquarium water is covered: damage to other people's premises through liability, damage to your own shop through contents insurance.
- Protect the tank equipment with surge protection and an alarm; many insurers take this into account in your favour.
- Add products liability for food and accessories from outside the EU if you import them yourself.
- If you take in animals for care or holiday boarding, that needs to be included separately.

## Why NAMMERT for your business

- **We ask about what others overlook:** For many insurers, live animals are a special case. As a broker we compare who includes them and on what terms.
- **We know water damage from boats:** We settle boat claims ourselves and deal with water every day. After an aquarium leak we know how to report the liability and contents sides cleanly and separately.
- **Business and private cover in one place:** Your shop, delivery van, your own pets and your personal protection are looked after together.
- **A family business since 1989:** You can reach us on +49 3375 29 12 77 when things go wrong, and we cost you nothing: the insurer pays our commission.

## FAQ

### Does a pet shop need public liability insurance?

Not by law, but in practice absolutely. As keeper of the animals in your shop you are liable even without any fault on your part if an animal injures someone.

### What does insurance for a pet shop cost?

Public liability starts at around 80 euros a year without live animals. With animals, contents and loss of income cover, specialist shops usually pay between 800 and 1,900 euros.

### Are the animals in my shop insured if they die?

Only if live animals are included in your contents insurance, and then usually only for insured causes such as fire or escaping water, not illness.

### Who is liable if an animal I sold is ill?

Towards the customer you are liable under the sales contract. Public liability covers consequential harm such as a person being infected, but not replacing the animal itself.

### Is water damage from an aquarium covered?

Yes: damage to neighbours through liability, and damage to your own shop through contents insurance, provided its water damage cover includes aquarium water.

### Do I need a licence to sell animals?

Yes, under section 11 of the Animal Welfare Act, issued by the local veterinary office (Veterinäramt). It is not an insurance matter, but insurers often ask about it.

## 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-pet-shop.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.