Public Liability

Public liability insurance covers any damage or accidental injury to a third party or their property caused by you or your employees or your business. It also covers any related costs and expenses such as legal fees, as well as hospital treatment costs (including ambulance charges) that the NHS may claim from you.

Public liability does not cover claims from your employees for damage or injury; you will need to ensure that you have employer's liability insurance.

Public liability insurance protects you if you deal with members of the public; if they go to your work premises or if you go to theirs (including working from home). If you interact with members of the public, you should think about making sure that you have public liability insurance.

A business that isn't covered by public liability insurance runs the risk of being in serious financial trouble if was found to be liable to pay for damages or compensation from its own pocket, as some public liability insurance claims can run into the hundreds of thousands.

Many customers will require proof of valid public liability insurance before allowing work to be undertaken, though it is not a compulsory insurance for businesses.

Typical levels of public liability insurance are £1,000,000, £2,000,000, £5,000,000 or £10,000,000.

You can discuss the level of public liability that you need with our specialist insurance advisors to ensure you get the level of cover required to meet the unique needs of your business.  That level will depend on the size and nature of your business and its activities, and there are conditions and exclusions that differ between policy providers.

Public liability premiums are calculated based on the type of business and an estimate of the level of activity for that business.  Usually, this will be calculated using the turnover of the business, though other factors may be used.  For example, a hotel might have it's public liability premium calculated based on the number of rooms to reflect the number of guests.

To find out more or to get a public liability insurance quotation, get in touch with one of our public liability insurance specialists to discuss your requirements and receive a tailor made policy.