# Refrigerated stock insurance in Germany: covering spoilage when the cooling fails > A compressor that stops overnight can ruin a cold room full of meat, seafood or medicines without any fire or flood. Standard German business contents insurance does not pay for that. Spoilage cover, called Kühlgutversicherung in German, pays for goods that spoil because the refrigeration plant or the power supply fails. In Germany it is almost always added as a clause or module to the business contents policy rather than sold on its own, so it is easy to assume you have it when you do not. Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-refrigerated-stock.php Updated: 2026-11-07 ## Doesn't my German contents policy already cover spoiled stock? Usually not. Business contents insurance in Germany pays for named perils such as fire, burst pipes, storm and burglary. Food that spoils because the cooling fails has not suffered any of these, so without a specific refrigerated stock clause the loss stays with you. Some hospitality packages include a small amount. Check the policy schedule for the word Kühlgut and the limit next to it. ## At a glance - **Compulsory?:** No, food law requires the cold chain, not the insurance - **Form in Germany:** usually a clause or module of business contents insurance - **Triggers:** breakdown of the cooling plant, power cut, refrigerant leak if included - **Indemnity:** replacement or production cost of the goods, not the sale price - **Typical clients:** restaurants, food retail, butchers, pharmacies, laboratories ## Why the contents policy stays silent German property policies list the perils they cover. A freezer that breaks down is neither a fire nor water damage, and the stock inside looks intact, it just cannot be sold any more. Refrigerated stock clauses close that gap by naming spoilage caused by a technical fault of the plant or a loss of power. The cooling equipment itself is not part of this cover. Repairing the compressor belongs to machinery or electronic equipment insurance, and lost revenue to business interruption insurance. A complete solution combines all three. ## Setting the sum insured Base the sum on the highest value of goods held in cold storage at any one time, not on the average. Stock peaks before holidays, events or promotions. Many German clauses insure refrigerated stock on a first loss basis, meaning up to a fixed amount without an underinsurance check, so the limit you choose is the most you will receive. For pharmacies and laboratories the value per fridge matters more than the volume. One unit holding vaccines, biologics or reagents can be worth more than an entire restaurant cold room. ## Temperature monitoring and maintenance EU rules require frozen food to be kept at minus 18 degrees Celsius or colder throughout, and many medicines are stored between 2 and 8 degrees. Insurers often make a temperature alarm a condition for larger sums. If it is in the policy, it must be switched on and working. Have the plant serviced by a refrigeration contractor and keep the records. After a loss, service reports and temperature logs are the first documents the insurer will ask for. ## What is covered - Spoilage caused by breakdown or failure of the cooling or freezing plant - Spoilage caused by a public power outage, often after a minimum duration - Refrigerant leaks, where included - Food, drinks, medicines and laboratory samples in cold storage - Clean up and disposal costs, where agreed - Goods in cold rooms, display fridges, refrigerators and chest freezers at the insured premises ## What is not covered - Repair or replacement of the cooling plant itself - Lost revenue and profit during the outage - Disconnection by the utility for unpaid bills or after advance notice - Goods that spoil because they are past their shelf life or stored incorrectly - Spoilage without a provable failure of the cooling - The agreed deductible ## Who needs it - Restaurants, hotels, canteens and caterers with cold rooms - Food retailers, butchers, bakeries and ice cream parlours - Pharmacies holding vaccines and refrigerated medicines - Medical practices, laboratories and research facilities - Florists and other businesses storing perishable goods under refrigeration ## Who does not need it - Businesses with little or no refrigerated stock - Businesses whose sector package already includes refrigerated stock at a sufficient limit ## What it costs The premium depends on the sum insured for refrigerated goods, the type of goods and the condition of the equipment. Because these vary so widely from one business to the next, we do not quote sample amounts. **What drives the premium:** - Sum insured for goods in cold storage - Type of goods: food, medicines, laboratory samples - Number, age and maintenance of the cooling units - Temperature alarm and backup power - Deductible and minimum outage duration - Claims in recent years _The premium is only fixed in the quote, once the insurer knows the equipment, the sum and your sector._ ## The policy levels on the market - **Included in a sector package:** Some German packages for hospitality and retail include refrigerated stock up to a small limit. Often enough for businesses with little cold storage, as long as you know the limit. - **Refrigerated stock clause:** Own sum on a first loss basis, plant breakdown and public power outage included, deductible to choose. The standard for restaurants, butchers and pharmacies. - **Stand alone cover for large stocks:** For cold stores, central kitchens and laboratories: high sums, requirements for alarms and backup power, often combined with machinery and business interruption cover. ## How to recognise a good policy | Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Public power outage | excluded | included with a short minimum duration | Grid failures are a frequent cause of spoilage. | | Sum insured | small flat amount in a package | own sum based on peak stock | Before holidays the stock in cold storage can be several times the average. | | Refrigerant leak | not mentioned | expressly included | A leak in the circuit is a typical cause of a slow temperature rise. | | Operating error | excluded | included, for example an unplugged unit | Not every outage is a technical defect. | | Alarm and maintenance conditions | strict and vague | clear and achievable | Breaching a policy condition can cost you the whole claim. | | Disposal costs | not covered | covered | Spoiled animal products must be disposed of professionally. | | Deductible | high per claim | low or selectable | Small outages are more frequent than large ones. | ## Insurers on the German market In Germany refrigerated stock is mainly written by insurers that also offer business contents insurance, usually as a clause or module. This is a market overview, not a ranking and not a statement about who we work with. What is covered in a given case is set out in the policy wording. - **R+V**: refrigerated stock as a section of its commercial property wording - **die Bayerische**: clause for chilled and frozen goods added to contents insurance - **Allianz**: hospitality package with food in refrigerators covered to a limited extent - **Württembergische**: sector package for hospitality, hotels and food retail including spoilage of chilled goods after a power failure - **Gothaer**: business contents insurance for small and mid sized firms; whether refrigerated stock is included is set out in the wording - **HDI**: business contents insurance; scope for refrigerated stock to be checked in the wording 155 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Hagel-, Frost- und sonstige Sachschäden). Source: BaFin company database, 2026-09-18; EU insurers without a German office excluded. ## Typical claims and who pays - **Compressor fails over the weekend** (the contents of the cold room, often four to five figures): The core case. The insurer pays the value of the spoiled goods up to the sum insured, minus the deductible. - **Power cut across the district** (all refrigerated stock): Only covered if the clause includes public power outages, often after a minimum duration. - **Temp pulls the wrong plug** (the contents of one freezer): Basic clauses exclude operating errors, strong ones include them expressly. - **Slow refrigerant leak** (goods plus disposal): A leak is a technical defect, but not every wording names it. Strong policies include it. - **Utility cuts the supply** (all refrigerated stock): Disconnection for unpaid bills or an announced shutdown is not an accident. No policy pays for it. - **Kitchen closed for three days** (the lost revenue): Spoilage cover pays for the goods, not the takings. That needs business interruption insurance. ## Myth or truth - „German contents insurance pays for spoiled food after a cooling failure anyway." ✘ False. It pays for fire, water, storm and burglary. Spoilage after a cooling failure needs a dedicated clause. - „A public power outage can be covered." ✔ Yes, if the clause includes it. A minimum duration often applies and announced shutdowns are excluded. - „The insurer pays the menu or shelf price of the spoiled goods." ✘ Usually not. It pays the replacement or production cost. Lost profit is a business interruption matter. - „Spoilage cover also pays for a new compressor." ✘ No. The equipment itself falls under machinery or electronic equipment insurance. - „A temperature alarm can be a condition of cover." ✔ True. For larger sums insurers often require monitoring with an alarm, and it must then actually work. ## Common mistakes - Assuming the contents policy pays for spoilage after a cooling failure - Setting the sum on average stock instead of peak stock - Switching off the temperature alarm even though the policy requires it - Not keeping service records and temperature logs - Throwing spoiled goods away before the loss is documented - Insuring the stock but forgetting the plant and lost revenue ## FAQ ### What is refrigerated stock insurance? It pays the value of goods that spoil because the cooling or freezing plant fails or the power goes off. In Germany it is usually a clause in business contents insurance, less often a separate policy. ### Is a power cut in the whole neighbourhood covered? Yes, if the clause includes public power outages. Many require a minimum duration. Announced shutdowns and disconnections for unpaid bills are generally excluded. ### Will I get the sale price of the goods? Usually not. The insurer pays what it costs to replace or produce the goods. Lost profit belongs to business interruption insurance. ### Is the broken cooling unit covered? No. Repair or replacement of the plant is a matter for machinery or electronic equipment insurance. This cover is for the goods only. ### What should I do after a loss? Report it at once, photograph the goods and list quantities and purchase prices. Keep the temperature log and the refrigeration engineer's invoice. Dispose of spoiled goods only after speaking to the insurer, as far as hygiene rules allow. ### Do pharmacies need a special solution? Often yes, because vaccines and refrigerated medicines are worth a lot in a small space and tolerances are tight. Set the sum on the highest stock in the fridge and use monitoring with an alarm. ### Does a backup generator matter? It reduces the risk and may be reflected in the premium for larger sums. If the policy requires it, it must be tested regularly. ### Can you advise in English? Yes. We explain the German wording in English, obtain quotes from several insurers and compare the clauses on power cuts, minimum duration and conditions. The insurer pays our commission. ## Legal basis and sources - [Insurance Contract Act (VVG, German)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vvg_2008/) - [BaFin company database (licensed insurers)](https://portal.mvp.bafin.de/database/InstInfo/) ## Request quotes We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison, free of charge. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-refrigerated-stock.php#anfrage --- 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.