German insolvencies up 10.4% in September, official figures show

Insolvencies among German companies continue to rise, official figures showed on Monday.

In September, the expected number of regular insolvencies rose by 10.4%, according to preliminary figures from the Federal Statistical Office.

The increase was only slightly lower than the August figure, which showed a 11.6% rise.

The figure is preliminary as it remains to be seen whether all cases will be finalized by the insolvency courts so that they are included in the official statistics.

According to the Wiesbaden-based agency, the date of the insolvency application is often almost three months in advance of court proceedings.

Final figures for July show that insolvency proceedings were opened for 2,197 companies.

This was 13.4% more than a year earlier.

Creditors' claims totalled €3.7 billion, compared to €3.2 billion in July 2024, with companies in the transport and storage sector being hit particularly hard. 

Several credit agencies expect more company bankruptcies in Germany over 2025 than in the previous year.

According to official figures, last year's figure of 21,812 cases of insolvency was the highest since 2015.

The increase was expected after government support from the coronavirus pandemic came to an end. High energy prices, bureaucracy and political uncertainty are also weighing on companies amid two consecutive years of recession for the German economy.