Builder's liability insurance

Hello,

the plan is to build a semi-detached house through a general contractor. The general contractor takes out a construction all-risks insurance for the project and all construction services. In the construction service description it states that I as the client should take out a builder's liability insurance as well as a fire shell construction insurance and a building insurance.

When I inquired with the GC whether I absolutely need a builder's liability insurance, the answer was "No, you don't need it!" When I asked my bank whether I need a fire shell construction insurance and a building insurance from the start of construction, the answer was "No, only from the transfer of risk, that is, from moving in; the GC has the construction all-risks insurance."

I don't know what to make of this, as I read everywhere that such insurances are mandatory from the beginning. Or when building turnkey through a GC with a construction all-risks insurance is sufficient?

Hello,
with many insurances, the [Feuerrohbauversicherung] is included free of charge when you take out a building insurance – so, as the shell construction progressed, we took out a building insurance starting at the estimated house handover.
The builder’s liability insurance was taken out by our general contractor. In my opinion, that would be advisable if you or relatives/friends are going to do even the slightest work on the house yourself (painting work, keyword ladder fall, or cutting yourself while laying flooring...).
I would always have parallel inspections carried out by an independent building expert, and that already before signing, so that he can check the building description and contract beforehand. For us, that was about 3000€ in extra costs, but it can save you a lot of trouble. He can also check whether the liability insurance is adequate.
Best regards

Such a builder's liability insurance might cost around 100 euros, you'll need the residential building insurance at some point anyway, and the fire shell construction insurance usually doesn't cost extra.

So I wouldn't waste time philosophizing about the sense or nonsense of it for 100 euros with anyone.

"no, only from the handover of risk, that is from move-in, the general contractor has the construction insurance."

I would have expected this answer when buying from the developer. If you are really building with a general contractor, and the land already belongs to you today, then the risk is already with you. Consequently, you should take out builder’s liability insurance and also a fire shell construction insurance.

In my opinion, that would be advisable if you or relatives / friends also do the smallest amount of work on the house yourself

Liability insurance is important even without own work! For own work, one should consider accident insurance, and if friends help, one must (!) think of the professional association.

Building a house costs several hundred thousand euros. To even consider omitting an insurance that, as Toxi already wrote, is in the 100€ range, I find very strange. Just to clarify what the builder's liability insurance covers: As a builder, you are basically always responsible for securing the construction site. If a liability case occurs on your construction site (e.g., a child climbs into the shell and falls, afterwards becoming paralyzed), this is a case for the builder's liability insurance.

I recently also took out a builder's liability insurance and it didn't cost 100 euros. I searched on a comparison portal and then concluded it directly there. It worked smoothly. As others have already said, you can forget it without insurance if, for example, a child gets injured on the construction site. In addition, liability in Germany is problematic if, for example, the excavator damages something at the neighbor's property or similar. The injured party can make claims against both the builder, the construction company, or the excavator contractor. If the construction company downplays damages or cannot sufficiently cover liability, you are left uninsured and in trouble.