# Fairground showmen insurance in Germany: liability, the ride itself and the road between fairs

> A travelling fairground business lives on wheels. Rides and stalls are driven, built up, operated, taken down and stored for the winter, and something can go wrong at every stage. German law (the Schaustellerhaftpflichtverordnung, SchauHV) makes liability insurance compulsory for rides and several other attractions. The ride, the trailers and the decoration are only protected by a separate property policy for showmen, usually combined with transport cover.

Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-showmen-insurance.php  
Updated: 2026-11-14

## Is showmen insurance compulsory in Germany?

The liability part is, for many businesses. Under § 1 SchauHV anyone running a travelling business that carries or moves people needs it, and so do motor stunt shows, wall of death rides, shooting galleries, circuses, dangerous animal shows and pony rides. For rides the minimum is 1,000,000 euros for bodily injury and 150,000 euros for property damage per occurrence. Cover for the ride itself, transport and loss of income is voluntary, but for most businesses it protects the larger part of their assets.

## At a glance

- **Compulsory?:** Liability yes for rides, shooting galleries, animal shows and other attractions listed in § 1 SchauHV
- **Minimum for rides:** EUR 1,000,000 bodily injury and EUR 150,000 property damage per occurrence
- **Minimum for other listed attractions:** EUR 500,000 bodily injury and EUR 150,000 property damage
- **Proof:** insurance documents must be shown to the authority on request (§ 2 SchauHV)
- **The ride itself:** voluntary property cover against fire, storm, hail, transport and manoeuvring accidents

## What the German showmen regulation requires

The SchauHV applies to self-employed showmen who travel from fair to fair. The cover has to protect the owner and the staff for the whole time the business operates, not just on fair days. For attractions that carry or move people the minimum is 1,000,000 euros for bodily injury; for shooting galleries, circuses, animal shows and riding businesses it is 500,000 euros. Property damage needs at least 150,000 euros in both cases.

Keep the insurance documents on the fairground, because the authority may ask to see them while you operate. Working without cover, or with too little, is an administrative offence under the German Trade Regulation Act (Gewerbeordnung). The statutory sums are a floor, not a target: one serious accident with several passengers can exceed them, so many operators agree considerably higher limits.

## Inspection book and acceptance: no paperwork, no operation

In German building law rides, marquees and grandstands are temporary structures (Fliegende Bauten). Before first use they need a design approval, which is entered in the inspection book (Prüfbuch). Recognised testing bodies check the structural safety, and before the ride opens at a fair the local building authority normally inspects it and records the result in the book. The ride may only be assembled as described there.

This matters for insurance as well. Many policy wordings require a valid approval and acceptance, and after an accident any expert will ask for the inspection book first. A missing entry or an unrecorded modification can turn an insured claim into an argument about whether the insurer has to pay.

## Cover for the ride on the road and in winter storage

Liability insurance only pays for damage you cause to others. If your own trailer burns, tips over while manoeuvring or loses its roof in a gust, you need property cover for the business. In Germany this is sold as Schaustellerkasko or showmen transport insurance and typically covers fire, transport and manoeuvring accidents, storm and hail, and with better policies the months in winter storage.

Many wordings only treat wind as a storm from force 8 on the Beaufort scale. On top of that, showmen policies often state the wind speed at which operation must stop and the ride must be secured. These rules should match the manufacturer instructions for your ride, otherwise a reduced payout is a real risk.

## Theft, idle periods and security clauses

Rides often stand for days on a fairground, at a truck stop or in a depot, so many policies link theft cover to security clauses such as guarding or extra protection for longer stays. In 2010 the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) ruled on the theft of a fairground ride where exactly such a clause for idle periods of more than 24 hours was in dispute (case IV ZR 24/09). Knowing the clauses before you sign is the only way to keep to them on the road.

## What is covered

- Injury and property damage suffered by passengers and visitors
- Damage caused while assembling and dismantling the ride
- Damage to the fairground surface, cables and rented areas, where included
- Liability of employees and casual helpers
- Fire, storm and hail damage to the ride (property cover)
- Transport and manoeuvring accidents between fairs (property cover)
- Theft of the ride, subject to the agreed security conditions
- Loss of income after an insured property claim, as an add-on

## What is not covered

- Wear and gradual deterioration of the ride
- Operating without a valid design approval or acceptance, depending on the policy
- Damage caused by the towing vehicle on the road, which falls under motor liability
- Breaches of storm rules and security clauses, depending on fault
- The agreed deductible
- A cancelled fair without insured property damage, unless an add-on was agreed

## Who needs it

- Operators of adult and children's rides
- Shooting galleries, raffles and walk-through attractions
- Food, drink and confectionery stalls at fairs and markets
- Businesses with animal shows or pony rides
- Family businesses with several attractions and their own vehicles

## Who does not need it

- Clubs that hold their own festival once a year usually need event liability instead
- Permanent amusement parks, which are normally insured individually

## What it costs

The premium depends mainly on the type of attraction. A children's carousel and a large thrill ride are worlds apart for both liability and property cover, and so are a sweets stall and a shooting gallery. There are no independent published price comparisons for showmen in Germany, so we do not quote sample premiums.

**What drives the premium:**

- Type and number of attractions, and for rides the design and passenger capacity
- Liability limit above the statutory minimum
- Replacement value of rides, trailers and decoration
- Perils chosen for the property cover, such as storm, theft and winter storage
- Where you travel, Germany only or neighbouring countries too
- Deductible and claims history

_The premium is only fixed in the quote, once the insurer knows the attractions, their values and your travel plan._

## The policy levels on the market

- **Statutory liability under the SchauHV:** Liability at the legal minimum with a confirmation for the authority. Covers damage to others, not the ride itself.
- **Liability plus ride cover:** Higher limit, assembly and fairground damage included, plus property cover for fire, storm, hail, transport and manoeuvring accidents.
- **Full cover for a family business:** Several attractions in one contract, winter storage, theft, loss of income and cover in neighbouring countries.

## How to recognise a good policy

| Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Limit for bodily injury | EUR 1,000,000 under the SchauHV | several million euros | One accident with several passengers easily exceeds the minimum. |
| Assembly and dismantling | not expressly mentioned | expressly covered | Many claims happen while building up and loading. |
| Fairground damage | excluded | surface, cables and rented areas included | Councils bill you for damage to the site. |
| Storm rule | fixed wind limit, otherwise no payout | securing according to the manufacturer, no blanket exclusion | The right limit depends on the ride, not on a form. |
| Transport and manoeuvring | road accidents only | manoeuvring, loading and unloading as well | Most transport damage happens on site, not on the motorway. |
| Winter storage | not covered | fire, storm and theft in storage too | The ride stands still for months, the risks do not. |
| Territory | Germany only | Europe | Otherwise fairs abroad are uninsured. |
| Loss of income | not covered | with an indemnity period long enough for the season | A destroyed ride earns nothing until it is repaired. |

## Insurers on the German market

Only a few German insurers write showmen risks with dedicated products, and much of the business runs through specialist brokers and underwriting agencies. We found dedicated showmen offers from R+V, KRAVAG and SIGNAL IDUNA; for the other insurers under German federal supervision it has to be checked whether they accept a particular attraction. This is a market overview, not a ranking and not a statement about who we work with.

- **R+V**: cooperative banking group insurer, business liability for showmen
- **KRAVAG**: R+V group company, ride cover against fire, transport and manoeuvring accidents, storm and hail, including winter storage
- **SIGNAL IDUNA**: product information for showmen with business liability and modular showmen transport insurance
- **Haftpflichtkasse**: liability specialist with its own terms for short events; whether a showmen business is accepted has to be checked case by case
- **Allianz**: large commercial insurer; scope for showmen businesses to be checked case by case

163 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Allgemeine Haftpflicht, Hagel-, Frost- und sonstige Sachschäden). Source: BaFin company database, 2026-09-18; EU insurers without a German office excluded.

## Typical claims and who pays

- **Passenger injured in a gondola** (medical costs, damages, lost earnings): The core of the compulsory cover. The insurer examines liability, pays justified claims and defends unjustified ones.
- **Gust tears off the roof** (canopy, decoration and fittings): Damage to your own ride. Liability does not pay; property cover with storm does, provided the storm rules were followed.
- **Trailer tips over while manoeuvring** (ride and trailer, often five figures): A classic case for showmen transport insurance. Good policies include manoeuvring on site, not just road accidents.
- **Outrigger damages the paving** (repair of paving or cables): Damage to the fairground is often excluded or capped in simple liability policies. Strong policies include it expressly.
- **Fair cancelled at short notice** (pitch fees and lost takings): Without property damage the ride cover does not pay. Only a separate loss of income or cancellation add-on can help, and it is rare.
- **Drive bearing wears out** (repair and downtime): Wear is not an insured peril. Maintenance according to the manufacturer remains the operator's job.

## Myth or truth

- „Liability cover for a children's carousel is optional." ✘ Wrong. A children's carousel moves people too, so it falls under the showmen regulation with at least 1,000,000 euros for bodily injury.
- „The authority may ask to see your insurance documents on site." ✔ True. Under § 2 SchauHV the insurance documents must be shown on request while the business operates.
- „Without insurance the worst you face is trouble with the fair organiser." ✘ No. Operating without cover, or with too little, is an administrative offence under the Trade Regulation Act, and after an accident you are liable with your own assets.
- „A ride may only be assembled as described in its inspection book." ✔ Right. Permanent or recurring modifications have to be entered, otherwise the set-up no longer matches the approval.
- „Ride property cover also pays when a passenger is injured." ✘ No. Property cover pays for damage to your own ride. Claims by passengers and visitors are a matter for liability insurance.

## Common mistakes

- Insuring only the SchauHV minimum although a ride carries many passengers at once
- Not having modifications entered in the inspection book
- Not knowing the storm rule in the policy and running the ride in strong gusts
- Leaving winter storage uninsured
- Not carrying proof of insurance on the fairground
- Not updating replacement values for years

## FAQ

### Which showmen need compulsory insurance in Germany?

Under § 1 SchauHV everyone who runs a travelling business that carries or moves people, plus motor stunt shows, wall of death rides, shooting galleries, circuses, dangerous animal shows and pony rides. A food or sweets stall is not covered by the regulation, but business liability is still strongly advisable.

### How high must the limit be?

For rides at least 1,000,000 euros for bodily injury and 150,000 euros for property damage per occurrence; for the other listed attractions 500,000 euros for bodily injury. That is the legal floor. For rides we recommend considerably more, because a single accident can injure several people.

### Does liability insurance pay if my carousel is damaged?

No. Liability insurance covers damage you cause to others. Damage to your own ride from fire, storm, hail or a manoeuvring accident is only paid by property cover for showmen.

### What does the inspection book have to do with insurance?

The inspection book holds the design approval and the acceptance records of the temporary structure. Many policies require both to be valid, and after an accident they are checked first. A complete inspection book therefore also protects your claim.

### When does wind count as a storm?

In many German wordings from force 8 on the Beaufort scale, which is at least 62 km/h. Showmen policies often add their own rules on when operation must stop and the ride must be secured. Know both before the season starts.

### Am I covered at fairs abroad?

Only if the territory includes them. Some policies cover Germany only, others the whole of Europe. Check the policy before a fair abroad, and check the rules of the host country as well.

### Is the towing vehicle covered?

Not on the road. Tractor units, lorries and caravans need their own motor liability insurance. Showmen transport insurance covers the ride as cargo, not the liability of the vehicle.

### What happens if a fair is cancelled?

Without insured property damage the ride cover pays nothing. Whether pitch fees or lost takings after a cancellation are replaced depends on a separate add-on, which is rare and narrow in this market.

### Why use a broker?

Because showmen policies differ mainly in storm rules, security clauses, fairground damage and winter storage, and only a few insurers write the class at all. We obtain quotes, compare the wordings and support you when a claim comes in. 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-showmen-insurance.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.