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Café insurance insurance is specialised business insurance for plastering firms, sole traders and contractors.
You can buy different types of insurance:
Employers liability insurance - covers costs if employees are harmed
Public liability insurance - covers costs if members of the public are harmed
Business interruption - covers costs if you need to temporarily shut your restaurant
🚩 Employers liability insurance is a legal requirement if you have staff
🚩 If you provide catering services, clients may insist you have public liability insurance
If you own your own café, insurance can financially protect you if something goes wrong at work.
Without insurance you could end up paying some very high costs if your equipment is stolen or vandalised, or your employee or customers get hurt on your premises.
If you are a UK business and you have any non-family members working for you then by law you must have employers' liability insurance.
Without it, you can be fined up to £2,500 for every day you're not insured[3].
Things can unexpectedly go very wrong when you are working in a café. If anyone becomes ill or injured on your premises you could be responsible for the associated costs, including expensive compensation claims.
Public liability insurance isn't a legal requirement, but it covers you if you cause any harm to members of the public.
From spilling drinks on a customer's coat or phone, to dropping food on someone's bag, there are 101 scenarios that could end up causing expensive damage that owners may expect you to pay for.
With public liability insurance your insurance provider will pay the costs of accidental damage to other people's property, whether that's a client, supplier or member of the public.
If anyone becomes ill or injured because of your work you could be responsible for the associated costs, including expensive compensation claims. This is far from an unlikely scenario: an average 47,000 construction workers are injured each year.[4]
Employers' liability insurance covers harm caused to employees, contractors, volunteers and anyone else doing any work for you. It's also a legal requirement.
Business contents insurance can help you recover the cost of losing company equipment to fire, flood, theft and other disasters. Tool cover can offer similar protection for your expensive cooking and baking tools.
You can be taken to court if a client or a member or the public believe they have been physically or financially harmed because of your establishment, e.g. if you've accidentally food poisoned a customer or served food that is too hot and has scalded their mouth.
Public liability insurance can cover the legal fees and compensation payouts in the event of a claim.
That's how much was paid out in 2024. Without business insurance, those customers would have faced paying that bill themselves.
Comparing quotes from different insurers allows you to find the best deal out there.
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Public liability insurance protects you if your work harms members of the public.
Business interruption insurance protects against disruption from events like fires.
Employers’ liability insurance protects you if your staff become ill or injured at work.
Commercial building insurance protects offices and workplace buildings.
Product liability covers legal fees if your product causes injury to a customer.
Business contents insurance protects equipment, including in home offices.
Cheapest Annual Price | Average Annual Price | |
|---|---|---|
Public liability | £55.50[8] | £84.25[9] |
Professional indemnity | £43.34[10] | £78.40[11] |
The table shows the average prices paid by our customers for the most common types of business insurance.
Average price means 51% of customers paid this amount or less. Cheapest price means 10% of customers paid this price or less.
According to our latest data, 10% of customers paid this when taking out an annual public liability insurance policy.
The cost of fixing insurable problems yourself is usually significantly more expensive than taking out insurance.
Almost 9 in 10[13] of business insurance claims made by MoneySuperMarket customers were accepted last year.
All insurance has conditions and exceptions, so you should read your policy documents carefully to make sure you know what is and isn't covered.
When it comes to business insurance, the cheapest option may not be the best option for you. Sometimes it is worth paying a little more to get a better level of cover.
Financial loss: Compensation payouts to third parties that had their person or property harmed by your work activities
Business van insurance: Standard motor insurance policies won't usually cover vehicles that are used for work
Legal expenses insurance: For things like employment disputes, property disputes, and tax investigations
Accidental death: Offers a lump sum should you or an employee die as a result of an unforeseen incident
Tools and equipment: Cover to repair and replace business equipment that is damaged or stolen
Business contents: Covers items such as office furniture or computers and phone systems for if they’re damaged or stolen
Professional indemnity: Covers you if your business is responsible for any professional negligence
Personal accident insurance: Offers a lump sum payment if you or an employee are hurt and no longer able to work
Intentional harm or damage: Either by yourself or an employee
Poor workmanship: Most insurance policies won't cover you for events that are caused by incompetence, although professional indemnity will cover you for some types of negligence
Drugs or alcohol: If you or your employees were under the influence when the event you want to claim for occurred
Damage to property being worked on: Some policies won't cover damage to a person's property caused while you are working on it
Wear and tear: Insurance won't pay out for damage or breaking of tools or equipment that are the result of general wear and tear
Breach of contract: Some types of insurance will exclude cover for costs arising from you breaching a contract
Improper use of business vehicles: If you're using vehicles for work purposes without declaring that to your insurer, or if the person driving is not covered by the policy
No, you do not need to register your business before getting business insurance. You can take out business insurance even before officially registering your business with HMRC or Companies House.
No, it is not always a legal requirement for a café to have a toilet. Generally, small food outlets with fewer than 10 seats or those providing takeaway services are not required to provide toilets for customers. Laws and guidance can vary by council, so requirements might differ based on location.
Café insurance might include public liability insurance, employer’s liability insurance, business interruption, buildings insurance and contents insurance.
Running a café can be a rewarding experience. To protect your business, you’ll need insurance to protect your business, your staff and your customers. You’ll need insurance to cover any legal costs if a customers is injured on your premises or suffers an adverse reaction to food or drink sold to them. You will also need insurance to protect your café buildings and contents.
Emma Lunn Personal finance expert
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
You’ll need to adhere to food hygiene and safety regulations. This will usually include obtaining a food hygiene certificate. You might also need a licence from the local authority to run a café.
Cafes must register for VAT if they meet the VAT registration threshold which applies to their taxable turnover. From the point of registration, they must charge customers VAT on all qualifying goods and services sold.
Level 2 Food Safety online training is required for anyone who works in a catering, manufacturing, or retail setting where food is prepared, cooked, and handled.
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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.
