Public Liability claims tend to be expensive, meaning you need to be looking for £1m in cover at the very least – Susie Colley, WCHC
Public Liability Insurance
Public Liability Insurance covers you for accidents or damage that arises either when you are out and about on business, or have people visiting your premises.
With the rise of the “where there’s blame, there’s a claim” culture in the UK, Public Liability Insurance has never been more crucial. A seemingly small incident can set off a chain of events that can end up costing a business millions – and having the right insurance cover can mean the different between staying afloat or going bust.
Do I need Public Liability Insurance?
If any of the following statements apply to you and your business, then the answer is yes.
- I have employees who work at my premises, meet my clients or both
- I, or my employees, do meet face to face with our clients from time to time (even if out of the office, or only at public events eg trade shows)
If you think your business needs the protection and peace of mind offered by Public Liability Insurance – or if you’re not sure, ring our expert team who can help you to make the right decision.
We’ll find out more about exactly what you do and where you need protection to create a bespoke policy that best suits you.
FAQs
The amount of cover that your business will require in this area largely depends on the level of risk that it undertakes on a daily basis. You will probably find that there are accepted minimum standards for the particular industry you operate in, and there may be requirements specified by your clients in this area. Before making a decision on how much cover to buy, you should always check out both of the above. In particular, if working on a government or local authority contract you will usually find that they stipulate a minimum level of cover in this area and it’s common for this to be between £5-£10million
The only type of business cover that would be considered a legal requirement is employers’ liability insurance (although this only applies if you have one or more staff members in your employment and there are some noteworthy exemptions). Choosing not to purchase some of the covers that come as part of an overarching business insurance policy will not land you in trouble as they may not be appropriate for your business type, and are therefore not a legal requirement.
It is however important to have public liability cover in place to ensure that your business is protected financially, and also to make sure that the interests of the public and your clients are protected. You’ll also find that some businesses will be required by clients to have certain insurance covers in place. Two examples being; a DJ who would need their own public liability insurance and a financial adviser who would usually be advised to have professional indemnity cover in operation.
A plumber was working on a residential property situated in a block of flats. The plumber made an error and failed to fit taps correctly during the repairs. As a result, the error caused water damage at the flat which also extended to some of the properties below.
The insurance company in this circumstance paid for corrective repairs to the damage caused under the public liability section of the policy, costing a total of £20,000.
The plumber had to pay the excess of £250 in order to facilitate the claim
Testimonial
"You were very patient and very thorough at explaining the different types of insurance. I was particularly grateful that you telephoned me in the evening so we could have a more relaxed conversation and generally sort out the most beneficial type of cover.
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- Nicholas from Havant , WCHC Customer Professional Indemnity Insurance
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