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Guest house insurance is specialised business insurance for people who run guest homes and bed and breakfasts (B&Bs).
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
Product liability insurance - covers costs if something you sell harms someone
🚩 Employers liability insurance is a legal requirement if you have non-family staff
However large or small your guest house or B&B is, insurance can financially protect you if something goes wrong.
Without business insurance you could end up paying some very high costs if your guests damage your home, your employee has an accident, or you serve food or drink that harms someone.
Neither landlord insurance nor standard home insurance policies are likely to cover guest house owners.
If anyone becomes ill or injured while at your guest house you could be held responsible for the associated costs, including expensive compensation claims.
For example, if someone falls over your furniture and breaks their leg or if a guest gets severe food poisoning from your breakfast.
Public liability insurance and product liability insurance cover harm to members of the public.
If anyone who works for you becomes ill or injured because of their job you could be responsible for the associated costs, including expensive compensation claims.
Employers' liability insurance covers harm caused to employees, contractors, volunteers and anyone else doing any work for you. It's also a legal requirement.
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*.
Employers liability insurance covers the compensation costs if a worker becomes ill or injured because of their work for you. This includes ex-employees.
For example, if a worker was exposed to toxics which created health issues years later they could sue their old employer for failing to put adequate health and safety measures in place.
Business contents insurance can help you recover the cost of losing belongings to fire, flood, theft and other disasters, while commercial building insurance will do the same for the physical structures of your guesthouse.
Standard home insurance policies are unlikely to cover B&Bs and guesthouses.
Income protection insurance can replace your salary if you have to take time off work for ill health, so you don't have to worry about paying your bills or maintaining the lifestyle of your family.
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 company's business activities, including if their property is damaged.
Guest house owners could be found liable for everything from selling souvenirs containing harmful materials to having unsecured furniture which then falls on a guest.
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 contents insurance protects equipment, including in home offices.
Commercial building insurance protects offices and workplace buildings.
Employers’ liability insurance protects you if your staff become ill or injured at work.
Product liability covers legal fees if your product causes injury to a customer.
Business interruption insurance protects against disruption from events like fires.
Cheapest Annual Price | Average Annual Price | |
|---|---|---|
Public liability | £54.43* | £86.24* |
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* 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.
Compensation: Payouts to third parties that had their person or property harmed by your work activities
Legal expenses: For things like employment disputes, property disputes, and tax investigations
Personal accident: Offers a lump sum payment if you or an employee are hurt and no longer able to work
Accidental death: Offers a lump sum should you or an employee die as a result of an unforeseen incident
Business contents: Covers items such as office furniture or computers and phone systems if they’re damaged or stolen
Product liability: Pays out if a customer falls ill or is injured by one of your products
Intentional harm or damage: Either by yourself or an employee
Theft without forcible entry: If your items were not stored safely and there are not signs of forced entry or exit
Drugs or alcohol: If you or your employees were under the influence when the event you want to claim for occurred
Wear and tear: Insurance won't pay out for damage or breaking of items that are the result of age and use
Stolen cash: Most policies will not cover theft of takings
Costs beyond your cover level: Insurance usually has cover limits which is the maximum the insurer will pay out
Your excess: All insurance comes with an excess – that’s the amount you’ll have to pay yourself towards any claim.
A B&B needs insurance to cover potential risks. These include building damage, liability for guest injuries or property damage, and business interruption.
Standard B&B insurance policies typically include buildings, contents, and public liability cover, with optional extras for specific needs.
Public liability covers your business in case your guests or any other members of the public are injured while they are at your B&B or guest house.
The terms "guest house" and "B&B" (bed and breakfast) can sometimes be used interchangeably. However, B&Bs send to be smaller and often family-run, with breakfast included. Guest houses are usually larger and more business-oriented.
You might be able to run a B&B from your home but you are likely to need planning permission from your local council, as this may be regarded as a 'change of use' for your property.
To insure your house for Airbnb hosting, you'll need dedicated host insurance or a specialist home insurance policy that covers paying guests. Standard home insurance usually won’t cover paying guests.
Airbnb offers free "AirCover for Hosts" which includes Host Damage Protection and Host Liability Insurance, automatically covering hosts for property damage and guest injuries.
Running a guest house can be an enjoying experience – but it will be hard work too. Having the right insurance in place – to protect both your guests and your property – can negate some of the risks of running a guest house. For example, you’ll need insurance if a guest is injured in your property, or if items are damaged or stolen.
Emma Lunn Personal finance expert
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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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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.
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.
According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid £4.80 or less monthly for public liability insurance policy with Simply Business. Figure based on annual quotes purchased in September 2024.
Simply Business is one of the UK's leading providers of business insurance, serving 1 million customers across 1,500 trades.
Source: Gov.uk
Simply Business data 2024
YouGov Survey 1st October 2023 to 30th September 2024. Net recommended score derived from “Which of the following online service website would you recommend to a friend or colleague, or tell them to avoid?” Base: Current Customers of (MoneySuperMarket n=19272, CompareTheMarket n=17631, Go.Compare n=10457, Confused.com n= 8421, Uswitch n=681)
From 01.06.23 to 31.05.24 MoneySuperMarket customers received £1.59bn estimated savings based on (i) SuperSaveClub reward redemptions, and (ii) savings claims per product multiplied by the number of sales. Products included - Car, Home, Pet and Travel insurance, Broadband, Credit Cards, Loans and Mortgages.
According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid £54.43 or less annually for a public liability insurance policy. Figure based on annual quotes purchased between 1st March - 31st May. The price is for up to £2 million of public liability insurance and excludes the extra costs for paying monthly
According to Simply Business data, 51% of customers paid £86.24 or less annually for a public liability insurance policy. Figure based on annual quotes purchased between 1st March - 31st May. The price is for up to £2 million of public liability insurance and excludes the extra costs for paying monthly
According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid £4,54 or less monthly for a public liability insurance policy. Figure based on annual quotes purchased between 1st March - 31st May. The price is for up to £2 million of public liability insurance and excludes the extra costs for paying monthly
Average claims value for MoneySuperMarket customers who claimed on their business insurance in the last 12 months. Data provided by SimplyBusiness.
88% of business insurance claims made by MoneySuperMarket customers were accepted in the 12 months before March 2025. Data from SimplyBusiness.
