Public Liability Insurance

What is public liability insurance?

Public liability insurance is a type of insurance policy that helps to protect you and your business if you’re taken to court by a third party.

In the event that your company or its activities are responsible for damage to someone else’s property or if someone is seriously injured or killed, public liability insurance is there to protect you if someone makes a claim. If your business is taken to court and is found guilty of negligence or if you lose the case for whatever reason, you could end up facing hefty compensation costs and legal fees, so public liability insurance acts as protection for your business against these types of costs.

What does public liability insurance cover?

This type of insurance can cover myriad things, depending on the type of policy you take out and how much cover you want.

Most policies offer cover for the following:

• Damage to visitor property - if a member of your staff is working at the premises of a client or customer and they cause damage, your public liability insurance policy will cover any associated costs for repairing the property in question.
• Compensation claims - if someone decides to make a claim against your business, public liability insurance will cover the cost of any legal fees and compensation that is required to be paid out.
• Medical costs - if someone falls ill, suffers from an injury or even dies because of negligence within your business, you could end up being responsible for any necessary medical costs, so public liability insurance will cover you for those claims so you don’t have to pay out of your own pocket.
• Injury or death - if someone is seriously injured or even dies at your business property, you may be held accountable and could face huge costs in compensation, so ensuring that you have a good policy in place can help to cover any hefty costs.

Is public liability insurance a legal requirement?

In most cases, public liability insurance isn’t technically a legal requirement for every business, however, there are certain businesses (such as if you own stables) where you may be legally required to have a policy before a trade association will let you register with them.

Does my business need public liability insurance?

Whether you run a small business with only a handful of staff or you operate a huge enterprise on a large corporate scale, you will be able to take out public liability insurance; it’s designed to suit businesses of any type or size and it also encompasses sole traders and freelancers, too.

While you’re not legally required to have public liability insurance in many cases, it can offer peace of mind that you and your business will be protected in the event that a member of the public makes a claim against your business.

Some of the types of businesses that may benefit from public liability insurance include:

• Taxi drivers
• Builders
• Electricians
• Shopkeepers
• Pub owners/landlords
• Plumber
• Painter/decorator
• Gardener
• Carpenter
• Cleaners
• Doctors and medical professionals

As we mentioned above, almost every type of business can benefit from having a public liability insurance policy in place, but it’s not regarded as a legal requirement for every type of business so it’s up to you as the business owner to determine whether it’s necessary for your company.

What is the difference between public liability and employers’ liability insurance?

Public liability insurance and employers’ liability insurance work in very similar ways in that they cover you in the event that someone makes a claim against your business if they suffer from an injury or their property is damaged, but they differ in who they protect against when someone makes a claim.

Employers’ liability insurance covers you if a member of your staff makes a claim against your company, whereas public liability insurance covers you and your business if a member of the public makes a claim.

How much does public liability insurance cost?

Just like with every type of insurance, whether that’s car insurance, home insurance or life insurance, the cost of public liability insurance depends on numerous factors such as the type of business you operate, how big it is and how many people you employ and whether you’ve made any previous claims in the past.

How to get a cheap public liability insurance quote

Our helpful team are here to help find you an affordable public liability insurance policy, by comparing quotes from our panel of trusted providers.

All we need from you are details about your company such as the type of business you operate (sole trader, freelancer, limited company etc), your trade or profession that the business operates in, your estimated profits for the upcoming year, how long your business has been open and running and the level of cover you want to take out.

Once you’ve provided that information, we’ll provide our best quotes that fit your company needs.