Choose how much cover you need
Determine your needed cover based on your business's risks. Coverage usually starts at £1 million.
Protect your business from third party claims
In partnership with Simply Business
Public liability insurance is a type of business insurance. It covers incidents where members of the public ("third parties") are injured, or their property damaged, because of your business activities. Public liability insurance is also called third party liability insurance.
Any business can take out public liability insurance, including freelancers, sole traders and the self-employed.
Unlike employers' liability insurance, public liability insurance is not legally required. However, it can protect your business from unexpected and expensive costs.
Some companies and organisations will only award contracts to businesses that have public liability insurance.
Legal expenses
Compensation to third parties
Accidental damage to third party property
Injury and death claims by third parties
Repair costs for third party property damaged by your business
Medical fees for third parties
Injuries to yourself (you'd need income protection insurance)
Injuries to your employees (you need employers’ liability cover)
Damage to your own property (you'd need commercial buildings insurance and commercial contents insurance)
Professional mistakes which cause damage to clients (you'd need professional indemnity insurance)
Intentional harm or damage by you or your employees
Determine your needed cover based on your business's risks. Coverage usually starts at £1 million.
In the event of an incident, notify your insurer of any claims, providing necessary documentation like photos or witness statements.
Your insurer will assess coverage and either negotiate a settlement or defend your business in court.
The average annual cost for public liability insurance is £58.05[3]According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid £58.05 or less annually for public liability insurance policy with Simply Business. Figure based on annual quotes purchased between 1st October- 31st December 2024. according to Simply Business data.
You may pay more or less depending on:
Business size and value - larger businesses usually face higher premiums
Nature of your business and associated risks
Excess amount - a higher excess can lower premiums
Claims history - past claims may raise the cost of a policy
Public liability insurance is a vital piece of coverage for businesses that interact with the public, offering vital legal and financial protection in the event of an accident. Whether a customer trips over loose cables or is injured by falling signage, these claims can result in significant consequences - and in the year ending March 2023 the Compensation Recovery Unit saw over almost 59,000 public liability claims.
Having robust public liability insurance is a must for many businesses, so it’s always worth comparing quotes from different providers to find the best deal possible. This way you’ll be able to rest assured knowing your business has the right protection for the best price.
Jake Edmonds Insurance Expert
Public liability insurance can cover all types of businesses, including sole traders, tradesmen and the self-employed.
It is valuable for any business that works with the public, in public spaces, or in other people’s properties.
Cleaners insurance can offer protection if, for example, your cleaning staff unintentionally damage property in a client's office.
Builders insurance: It's beneficial to have coverage in case scaffolding collapses and damages property, such as a vehicle
Plumbers insurance: Picture a situation where someone slips and gets injured just before you manage to put up a 'wet floor' sign
Electricians insurance: Despite adhering to safety regulations to prevent electrical hazards, unforeseen accidents can still occur
Roofers insurance: A roofer might accidentally drop tools or materials from a height, potentially causing injury to someone below or damaging property
Shop and retail insurance: A customer could slip on a wet floor or trip over an obstacle within the retail space, leading to injury
Pub insurance: Spillages or broken glass could result in a patron's injury, for which the establishment could be held liable
Hairdressers insurance: A client could suffer a reaction to a hair treatment or slip in the salon, prompting a claim against the business
Photographer insurance: During a photoshoot, equipment might fall and injure someone or damage property
Catering insurance: Suppose you're catering a wedding and a guest alleges they got food poisoning from the food you provided
Window cleaners insurance: Consider the scenario where a bucket of water falls from a height onto a busy street, ruining a pedestrian's clothing and phone
Carpenters insurance: Imagine a client tripping over an unsecured cable during a visit to your workshop!
Employers’ liability insurance is legally required if you have anybody working for you. It covers the costs if they become ill or injured because of their job.
Product liability insurance covers costs if a person or their property is harmed by a product you supplied them, even if you didn’t manufacture it.
Professional indemnity insurance covers you against claims arising from you providing negligent services or advice.
Business interruption insurance provides income supplementation if your business operations are disrupted by insurable events like fires.
Tool insurance covers costs if your tools are stolen, damaged, or lost.
Commercial contents insurance covers costs if equipment is stolen, damaged or lost. Commercial buildings insurance is for damage to physical structures.
Provide info about your business and employees for tailored deals.
Ensure it meets your business needs and read policy documents.
Click through to your chosen provider to finalise your purchase.
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.
No, it is not a legal requirement for most UK businesses. However, it is recommended for businesses that interact with the public as it provides financial protection against third party injury and damage claims.
Moreover, public liability insurance might sometimes be required for:
Regulated professions
Contractual obligations
Trade Associations membership
Public liability insurance will usually cover legal fees that are related to incidents that are covered under your policy.
It is not compulsory. However, self-employed individuals who interact with the public often find public liability insurance a valuable and affordable safeguard against claims that could otherwise cost them thousands or even millions of pounds.
It is not compulsory. However, small businesses that interact with the public often find public liability insurance a valuable and affordable safeguard against claims that could otherwise cost them thousands or even millions of pounds.
Most public liability insurance policies have cover limits of between £1 million - £10 million. Cover limits are the maximum an insurer will pay out for claims. They are high for public liability insurance because it needs to cover claims for things like loss of earnings, medical care and legal fees, which can be expensive.
How much coverage you need will depend on factors such as how big your business is, how much you work with the public, and what type of work you do.
Some clients will require that you have a certain level of public liability insurance. UK local and national governments usually require public liability insurance coverage of £5 million.
Yes, your insurer can provide you with a public liability insurance certificate.
Policies typically last 12 months, after which you’ll have the option to renew it.
The cost will vary depending on event type, number of attendees, duration, location, coverage level, and special considerations. Small events may cost a few hundred pounds, larger ones substantially more.
If you’re getting married, public liability insurance can protect you from claims made against you and your partner regarding any guest injuries or venue damages. Many wedding insurance policies include it.
While it is not legally required, some wedding venues will insist you have it.
Product liability insurance covers costs if there are issues with products you have supplied, sold, or manufactured.
Public liability insurance covers costs if members of the public are injured, or their property is damaged, because of your work.
Product liability insurance is often included within public liability insurance policies.
Personal liability insurance is for incidents that happen in a non-work context. It cover your costs if members of the public ("third parties") claim you or your family are responsible for injuring them or damaging their property.
Public liability insurance is also for third party claims, but ones that happen because of your work.
Yes, third party liability insurance is another term for public liability insurance.
You work hard to earn your money, and we don’t think you should waste a penny of it paying over the odds on your household bills. That’s why at MoneySuperMarket, we’re on a mission to save Britain money.
Whip your credit score into shape with Credit Score
Super save over and over again with Energy Monitor
There are always more ways to save with MoneySuperMarket
So how do we make our money? In a nutshell, when you use us to buy something, we get a reward from the company you’re buying from.
You might be wondering if we work with all the companies in the market, or if our commercial relationships with our partners might make us feature one company above another. We’ve got nothing to hide, and we want to give you clear answers when it comes to questions like these, so we’ve pulled together everything you need to know on this page.
MoneySuperMarket are partnered with Simply Business to offer you business insurance policies. Simply Business are one the the UK's largest business insurance brokers, authorised and regulated by Financial Conduct Authority. They specialise in protection policies for small and new businesses and work with an extensive panel of providers to help small business owners find tailored policies for good value.
