Small businesses
Protection for your equipment and stock means you can avoid lengthy interruptions to your business operations.
What is business contents insurance?
Business (or commercial) contents insurance covers the physical items inside your business premises.
It protects the equipment, stock, furniture, and fixtures you rely on to run your operations.
This insurance helps cover the cost of repair or replacement if these contents are damaged or destroyed due to events including:
fire, storms or flooding
burglary
vandalism
Do I need commercial contents insurance?
You might need commercial contents insurance if your business owns or relies on physical items such as:
equipment
stock
tools
office furniture
Business types that might need business contents insurance include retail stores, offices, restaurants and workshops.
What type of businesses need commercial contents insurance?
Commercial contents insurance can be especially helpful for:
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Offices
Office equipment isn’t cheap and is susceptible to damage and theft from employees, clients and outside parties.
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Home Businesses
Your home insurance policy may not include cover for work equipment if you are running your business from home.
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Hospitality
If you own a pub, café, or guest house, contents insurance can cover your furniture, fixtures, and fittings.
What does business contents insurance cover?
Business contents insurance typically covers damage or loss to your business’s physical assets.
For example, this type of policy would cover you if items in your office were damaged by fire or floods, or if you had a break-in and items were stolen.
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Items typically covered include
Office equipment including computers, monitors, laptops, and chairs
Furniture and fittings
Stock
Raw materials
Tools and machinery
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What isn’t normally covered
Wear and tear to your property
Damage caused by negligence
Damage from pests and other animals
Deliberate vandalism by your staff
The building structure itself
Vehicles used for business
Loss of earnings
What are insured events?
Business contents insurance covers your business equipment, stock, and furnishings against loss or damage from a variety of common risks or “insured events”. These include:
Fire and explosion
Flooding and water damage
Theft and burglary
Vandalism and malicious damage
Storm damage
Impact damage
Electrical damage
Escape of water or oil
How do I make a business insurance claim?
To claim on your business insurance, follow these three steps:
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Contact insurer
Do this as soon as possible. You'll need your policy number, information about the problem, and proof of the ownership and value of any losses.
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Investigation
How long the insurance investigation takes varies a lot depending on how complex the claim is. It can take from a few days to several months.
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Payment
If your claim is accepted, your insurer will pay a settlement to you or a third party. This is usually quick, although you may have to wait a few days.
How much contents cover do I need for my business?
To calculate how much business contents insurance you need, you need to estimate the total value of your business’s contents.
You can do this by making an inventory and estimating the replacement cost of each item.
💡 Top tip:
If you insure for less than the actual replacement value, your insurer might apply something called the "average clause", which reduces your payout in proportion to how underinsured you are.
Example inventory:
Office equipment (computers, phones, printers) – £10,000
Furniture and fixtures (desks, chairs, shelves) – £5,000
Tools and machinery – £20,000
Stock and materials – £10,000
Décor or signage – £7,000
Total: £52,000
Should I use a brokers or professional valuation service?
Using a broker or professional valuation service can be a good way to accurately calculate the value of your contents. They can guide you through the process, helping you identify items you might overlook and ensuring you're neither underinsured nor overpaying.
Professional help can ensure that in the event of a claim, you have the right level of cover to fully recover. Without adequate cover, your business would be left to foot any shortfall after a claim.
What affects the cost of commercial contents insurance?
Here are some of the factors that affect the cost of business contents insurance:
Type of business
Riskier industries (e.g. retail with high-value stock) usually pay more than low-risk ones (i.e. accountancy).
Value of contents
The higher the total replacement cost of your contents, the higher the premium.
Location of premises
Businesses in areas with high crime rates or flood risk may face higher premiums.
Security measures
Having alarms, CCTV, and secure locks can reduce your premium by lowering the risk of theft or vandalism.
Type of building
Older buildings, those with poor maintenance or non-standard construction, can be deemed higher risk.
Claims history
A history of previous insurance claims can make your business appear higher risk and increase your premium.
Level of cover
More comprehensive policies (including accidental damage or portable equipment) cost more than basic cover.
Excess amount
Choosing a higher voluntary excess (the amount you pay toward a claim) can reduce your premium.
Business hours and occupancy
Premises left unoccupied for long periods or operating irregular hours can affect risk and pricing.
What other types of insurance can I get for my business?
There are many other parts of your business that may need insuring. These include:
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Employers’ liability insurance
Protection if staff become ill or injured because of their work.
If you have employees, this is a legal requirement.
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Public liability insurance
Protection if a member of the public is hurt, or if their property is damaged.
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Business buildings insurance
Protection for the bricks and mortar of your business, whether it’s a shop, an office, or a factory.
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Professional indemnity insurance
Protection for professional mistakes or a client is unhappy.
Useful if you provide professional services.
Compare business insurance quotes from leading UK insurers
How do I compare commercial contents insurance quotes?
Comparing business insurance quotes with MoneySuperMarket and our preferred partner SimplyBusiness is an easy way to find an affordable deal. Here's how it works:
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Tell us about your business
Let us know about your business, who you employ, and how much cover you need, and we'll find deals tailored to your requirements
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Review policy
Ensure it meets your business needs and read policy documents.
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Purchase your policy
Once you're happy with your policy offer, simply click through to complete your purchase.
Our expert says…
A business contents insurance policy will safeguard your valuable business equipment, stock and furnishings, offering vital protection in unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances. With businesses incurring an unprecedented £443 million in weather damage claims in 2023, it’s an important and often understated type of coverage worth considering for most businesses.
With MoneySuperMarket you’ll be able to find the right business contents insurance policy for your company and premises - so you can rest assured your vital business assets are protected.
Jake Edmonds Travel & Commercial Insurance Expert
Will business contents insurance cover stock and equipment in storage?
Typically, no – standard business contents insurance does not cover stock or equipment kept in storage facilities.
If you keep items stored off-site (e.g. in a third-party storage facility), check your policy wording to see if off-site storage is included. Make sure you notify your insurer if you move stock or equipment to storage, even temporarily.
You can normally add specific cover for items in off-site storage if not already included.
Do I need business contents insurance if I have home contents insurance?
Yes, you may still need business contents insurance even if you have home contents insurance, especially if you run a business from home.
Most standard home insurance policies exclude business-related items, or they offer only very limited cover for work equipment, stock, or tools. This means items like business laptops are unlikely to be fully protected under your home policy.
Be aware that if you’re running a business from home and don’t inform your home insurer, it could invalidate your entire policy. Insurers need to know if your home is being used for business purposes because it can change the level of risk.
Does business contents insurance cover stock away from home?
Yes, you can get cover for your stock away from home, but this is dependent on the policy you choose. Make sure you look at inclusions and exclusions listed on your policy to make sure what you need to be covered is included.
Is business contents insurance tax deductible?
Yes, business contents insurance is tax deductible as a legitimate business expense.
This applies whether the insurance covers office equipment, stock, tools, or other business-related contents.
Make sure you keep accurate records of how much you spend on business contents insurance, and other types of insurance, for when you compile and file your accounts.
Will business insurance replace new for old contents?
Whether business contents insurance replaces new for old contents depends on the policy you buy.
Why does my business location affect my insurance premium?
Your business location affects your insurance premium because it influences the level of risk your insurer takes on. Certain areas are statistically more likely to experience events like theft, fire, or flooding, which increases the likelihood of a claim and, therefore, the cost of your premium.
Can I reduce my insurance cost by improving security?
Yes, you can often reduce your business insurance costs by improving security. This is because insurers offer lower premiums to businesses that take steps to lower their risk of theft, vandalism, and damage.
Should I include stock or raw materials in my contents insurance value?
Yes, you should include stock and raw materials in your business contents insurance value. These items are essential parts of your business assets and, if damaged, lost, or stolen, could lead to significant financial loss.
How often should I review my contents insurance cover?
You should review your business contents insurance cover at least once a year to ensure it still matches the value of your contents and needs of your business. Regular reviews help you adjust for changes like purchasing new equipment or furniture, increasing or decreasing stock levels, and expanding to new premises or additional locations.
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Why should I use a price comparison website?
One of the best ways to get the lowest prices and best deals is to compare quotes from different companies. We do the work for you, comparing quotes side-by-side and giving you all the information you need so you can choose the right deal for your needs and your wallet.
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Does MoneySuperMarket work with all the providers on the market?
No, not every company can be included in our service. This is because some companies don’t want their products included on comparison sites, and some decide that they would rather not pay a fee. There are also a few smaller providers who can struggle to cope with the volume of customers that can find their products if they appear on MoneySuperMarket.
Our goal is to search deals from as wide a range of companies as possible so that you can choose the deal that suits you.
Is business insurance eligible for SuperSaveClub and rewards?
No, at this time business insurance is not an eligible product for unlocking our SuperSaveClub rewards. It is also not included in our Price Promise.
Who are Simply Business?
Simply Business is one of the largest insurance brokers in the UK. They work with leading and specialist insurers to provide cover for small business owners, landlords and self-employed workers.
MoneySuperMarket has a commercial partnership with Simply Business. They offer various business and landlord insurance policies from different insurers through our platform, allowing our customers to find affordable quotes and policies that suit your specific needs.
Reviewed on 18 Dec 2025 by
Simply Business is one of the UK's leading providers of business insurance, serving 1 million customers across 1,500 trades.