English
Insurance Broker (Versicherungsvermittlung)
GewO §94 Z.69 Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: RELIABILITY TRADE — cannot start immediately!
- Two types: Agent (Versicherungsagent) vs. Broker (Versicherungsmakler)
- Mandatory: Professional liability insurance REQUIRED
- Ongoing: 15h/year continuing education (IDD directive)
- Anti-money laundering: GwG compliance required
Agent vs. Broker
| Type | German | Represents |
|---|---|---|
| Agent | Versicherungsagent | One or more insurance companies |
| Broker | Versicherungsmakler | The customer (independent) |
Translation Status: UNOFFICIAL
Qualification: how to prove it
Versicherungsvermittlung is a regulated trade under §94 Z.69 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO 1994). The standard route is the qualification exam (befähigungsprüfung).
- Examined by: Meisterprüfungsstelle WK
- Exam fee: €0 — exam fees are covered by the federal government
If you cannot sit the exam, these routes are open to you:
- Einschlägige Ausbildung + Berufspraxis
- Individual assessment under §19 GewO
- Appointing a qualified managing director
Registering the trade
- Cost: Free — registration itself carries no fee
- Where: District administrative authority (Bezirksverwaltungsbehörde)
- Decision within: max. 3 months (includes a reliability check)
- Typically takes: 2-6 Wochen (Zuverlaessigkeitspruefung)
You can register in these ways:
- Online via GISA (the trade register)
- Online via USP (the business service portal)
- In person at the authority
Who may register
- Minimum age: 18
- Citizenship or residence: Austria, EU, EEA or Switzerland
- Clean record: no disqualifying convictions (checked by the authority)
Documents to bring
- Photo ID
- Certificate of competence (Befähigungsnachweis)
- Proof of liability insurance
- Criminal record certificate
Terms shown in German are the ones printed on the Austrian forms — you will meet them exactly like this at the authority.
Where to go, by province
| Province | Competent authority |
|---|---|
| Styria | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Graz |
| Tyrol | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Innsbruck |
| Carinthia | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Klagenfurt/Villach |
| Burgenland | Bezirkshauptmannschaft |
| Vorarlberg | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Bregenz |
Legal basis: GewO 1994 §94 Z.69 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.