Business Protection: What You Really Need as an Entrepreneur in Germany

As an entrepreneur, you bear full responsibility, for your team, your customers, and your assets. A single mistake can jeopardize your life's work. Learn how to set up your business securely and which risks you absolutely must outsource.

The Foundation: Public Liability & Professional Indemnity

For IT consultants, skilled tradespeople, and agency owners alike: if you or your employees cause damage to a third party, you are liable without limit. Public Liability Insurance (Betriebshaftpflicht) for bodily injury and property damage and Professional Indemnity Insurance (Vermögensschadenhaftpflicht) for consulting, IT, and agency professions are therefore not a "nice-to-have" but the absolute basis. They fend off unjustified claims and pay in case of emergency, so that your business remains liquid.

Digital Threat: Cyber Insurance

Hacker attacks and data loss are among the greatest risks for companies today. Cyber Insurance covers the financial damage and immediately provides specialists for IT forensics and crisis communication. In a digital world, this is your most important shield.

Attract Talent & Save Taxes

Good specialists are hard to find. With a modern Employer Pension Scheme (bAV) or company health insurance, you position yourself as an attractive employer. At the same time, you take advantage of tax benefits for your company. It's a win-win situation for you and your team.

Focus on Your Growth

Insurance should have your back, not take your time. With the right protection, you minimize your liability risks and create a stable foundation for the success of your business.

What You Should Do Now

Let's analyze your business risks together and develop a rock-solid strategy. As your legal fiduciary representative, I am legally on your side and am liable for the quality of my advice. Together, we can protect your life's work.

Your Liability Depends on Your Legal Form

• Sole traders, freelancers and partnerships (GbR): You are liable for damage caused by your business with all your private assets, including your home, savings and pension.
• GmbH and UG: The company is initially only liable with its own assets. As managing director, however, you are personally liable if you breach your duty of care (§ 43 GmbHG). D&O insurance closes this gap.
• Mandatory cover: For some professions professional indemnity is required by law, for example for lawyers, tax advisors and insurance intermediaries.

When Your Business Stands Still

A fire, water damage or a burglary destroys more than equipment and stock. Often the business is closed for weeks afterwards while rent, salaries and leasing payments keep running. Contents insurance replaces equipment and stock, business interruption insurance pays your running costs and lost profit until you can work again.

Company Pension and Health Insurance: The Numbers

• Tax-free company pension: Up to 8% of the pension insurance contribution ceiling, currently €676 a month, can be paid tax-free into a direct insurance or pension fund (§ 3 No. 63 EStG). Up to €338 a month of that is also free of social security contributions.
• Mandatory employer subsidy: If your employees convert salary into a company pension, you have to add at least 15% of the converted amount, as far as you save social security contributions (§ 1a (1a) BetrAVG).
• Company health insurance as a benefit in kind: Company health insurance can stay free of tax and contributions within the €50 monthly allowance for benefits in kind (§ 8 (2) sentence 11 EStG), as long as the allowance isn't used up by other benefits.

Once a Year: Adjust Your Cover to Your Business

Business insurance is priced on your turnover, number of employees and activities. If your business grows or you offer something new, you should report it. Otherwise a new activity may not be covered at all when a claim comes in, or the sums in your contents insurance are no longer enough. A short annual check with me prevents exactly that.