More business liability

D&O insurance starts at roughly €500–€1,500 per year for smaller companies, and can run into five figures for larger organisations. However, the cost of your D&O insurance depends largely on the following factors: 


• Company size & turnover: The bigger your company, the higher the risk.
• sector: In highly regulated or high-risk industries (such as finance or construction), you pay more on average.
• Coverage amount: The higher the insurance sum (e.g. 1 million vs. 10 million), the more expensive the policy.
• Number of insured persons: If your D&O not only insures you, but also other board members or managing directors, this also means higher costs.
• Individual risk assessment: Does your company have a history of lawsuits or claims?

The bottom line: the cost of D&O is always lower than the cost of personal liability.

Because a good D&O protects your private wealth and therefore also your future in an emergency, it is always worthwhile. However, our insurance angels will also find the best price for you on top.

Yes. Although GmbH stands for "Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung" (limited liability company), that protection only applies to claims directed at the company itself — not to you personally as a director.

Your GmbH is sufficient as protection if...

• Your company causes damage, such as a product defect or a breach of contract.
• Customers or business partners assert claims against the GmbH, not against you as a person.
• As managing director, you have acted to the best of your knowledge and belief without breach of duty.

The GmbH does NOT protect you if...

• You are held personally liable for incorrect decisions, e.g. due to procrastination of insolvency, tax errors or gross negligence.
• Shareholders, authorities or investors sue you.
• you are accused of one or more of the breaches of duty mentioned above.
  

The insurance company may decide not to pay in the following cases:

1. If the damage resulted from a business decision made without any breach of duty.

Example: a CFO invests millions in a project without a risk analysis — despite warnings from the finance team. The insurer pays. But if a CFO makes a carefully considered strategic decision that fails due to unpredictable market conditions, the insurer does not pay.

2. When the board member acted intentionally — for example, in cases of fraud or deliberate violations of the law.

3. If the agreed coverage amount is not sufficient.. 

If a CEO is held liable for €10 million in damages but only has €5 million in coverage, the difference comes out of their personal assets.

In short: D&O protects you against negligent mistakes — provided your coverage is adequate. It does not cover intentional misconduct or policies that are too low. That's exactly why professional, personalised advice matters — which is what your Insurance Angel is there for.

Yes — D&O insurance typically remains valid for several years after you leave your position, provided the claim relates to a decision made during your time in office.

Yes — even in a voluntary capacity, you can face personal liability for wrong decisions. For example, if you sign contracts that cause financial harm to the organisation.

Beyond protecting you personally, a good D&O policy can also cover part or all of the actual damage caused by your mistake.

Example: Stefan, managing director of an engineering firm, invests €5 million in a new production line — without adequate due diligence. The equipment doesn't work and the company loses €3 million. Shareholders sue Stefan personally. His D&O policy covers his personal liability as well as a portion of the resulting business losses.

When recommending a policy, your Insurance Angel makes sure it covers not just you, but potential damage to the company as well.

Yes and no. A good D&O policy addresses reputational damage — but only indirectly.

D&O itself does not compensate for lost revenue or a damaged reputation. However, additional coverage options exist that cover crisis management costs, such as PR consultants, mediators, or reputation agencies — all of which help limit the damage.

We connect entrepreneurs, directors, and self-employed professionals with the right commercial insurance at competitive industry rates — plus a dedicated expert who genuinely takes care of everything.

Let's be honest: nobody gets excited about insurance. That's exactly why we make it as simple as possible. Three steps — covered within 24 hours if you need it that quickly.

Our service is 100% free for you — always. Like most brokers, we're paid by the insurers. But here's the important part: this doesn't make your policy more expensive. In fact, thanks to our specialised industry rates, you'll usually pay significantly less than going direct.

VersicherungsEngel is built exclusively for entrepreneurs, directors, and self-employed professionals — anyone who needs commercial coverage. Business insurance is far more complex than personal insurance, and the stakes are significantly higher.

Comparison portals aren't built for this. We are.

VersicherungsEngel is fully independent — we act exclusively in the interest of our clients, never on behalf of a single insurer. To ensure you always work with a reliable expert, every one of them carries our certification.

Every expert you're matched with through VersicherungsEngel holds our certification. That means:

• At least 8 years of experience in your industry
• Independently well-rated (4.3+ Google stars)
• Fast support and payout in a claim
• IHK-certified, plus additional industry qualifications
• Annual audit of advisory quality