Public liability
This covers the costs of third-party compensation claims made against you if you damage someone’s property or cause an injury or death
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1Accurate as of May 2024
Working for yourself comes with a lot of freedom, but there are risks too. You get the flexibility & independence that comes with being your own boss – but if something goes wrong, you’re on your own, for example, what would happen if your business equipment accidentally injured a member of the public or damaged their property? That’s where self-employed business insurance can help.
Insurance for self-employed people protects you against some of the risks that sole traders might face in their business.
For instance, you can get business insurance that protects the self-employed against the cost of lawsuits from clients, or claims from members of the public.
Getting insured is something all self-employed people should consider – it means that wherever your business takes you, your insurer will have your back.
Public liability insurance isn’t a legal requirement – but some companies that work with self-employed people might demand that you have public liability insurance in place before they’ll do business with you.
Even if that’s not the case, self-employed people should still consider getting public liability cover, depending on the kind of work they do. Public liability covers you if you harm a member of the public – by either damaging their property, or causing an injury or death.
If you’re self-employed, there’s still a risk this might happen. For instance, if you work in construction, falling tools or scaffolding could injure someone on the street.
Even if you work from home, it’s worth thinking about – visiting clients or customers might injure themselves in your home, and you could still be held liable.
There are a few different types of business insurance that can provide cover self-employed people. These include the following:
This covers the costs of third-party compensation claims made against you if you damage someone’s property or cause an injury or death
If a client isn’t happy with your work and takes you to court, this covers you for legal fees plus any damages you have to pay
If you have a business premises, or even if you work from home, this keeps you protected against damage to your building
Employers’ liability insurance financially protects business owners should their staff make a compensation claim for an incident that causes injury or damage to their property.
This means that if you’re self-employed and you employ others, then you are likely to be required to get employers’ liability insurance by law. This can hold true not just for regular staff but also subcontractors and even volunteers.
If you don’t need employers’ liability insurance, then you might still want to consider public liability, professional indemnity and business building insurance as a self employed individual.
There’s a whole range of insurance options available for self-employed people, and they all work to protect you against different risks.
If your work takes you out and about and involves interacting with the public, then public liability insurance will pay out if anyone makes a legal claim against you.
Or if you work with clients and there’s a risk you could damage their property or reputation, professional indemnity cover is a must.
With optional add-ons, it’s easy to tailor your self-employed insurance to your needs. For instance, you might want insurance to cover your van or car, or to protect any products you have in transit.
You might also want insurance to cover any tools or equipment you use for your business – including your home computer. If they’re used for work, they might not be included in your home insurance contents cover, but self-employed insurance can keep them protected.
There’s no one answer – the cost of self-employed insurance is determined by a range of different factors. Here’s what goes into the price you’ll pay:
Riskier work usually costs more to insure – so an electrician or a builder might find insurance more expensive than a graphic designer
Legal expenses and fees vary in different regions of the UK, so where you’re based could have an impact on your premiums
This is one of the main factors insurance providers look at – bigger businesses often have to pay more for cover
If you’ve made public liability claims in the past, insurers might think you’re more risky, and they’ll often charge more
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Starting a business by yourself comes with its own set of challenges. When choosing insurance, think about what your business does. If you give advice for a living, you need professional liability insurance to protect against mistakes you might make. Work with clients or the public? Public liability insurance is key for covering accidents. Remember, the right insurance does more than just protect you; it helps your business look trustworthy and keeps it steady as it grows. Pick your insurance carefully to make sure it keeps up with your business's needs, giving you confidence and room to grow.
We’ve partnered with Simply Business to help you find the cheapest quotes on business insurance for self-employed people. It’s quick, easy, and free – here’s what you’ll need on hand:
Tell us what line of work you’re in, and whether you’re a sole trader or if you own a small business
We’ll need to know how long you’ve been working for yourself to bring you the right deals
Tell us how much you expect to make in the next year – this is one of the main factors insurers use to give you a quote
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