Public liability insurance Public liability insurance

Public liability isn't mandatory by law in the UK. However, the unexpected costs of a claim against your business could be devastating, so it's important to weigh up the relatively small cost of public liability versus the potentially devastating costs associated with a claim.

Purchasing public liability insurance is easy. Simply click 'Start your quote' and work your way through the questions. You'll be asked to disclose your business type, the type of work you do, your turnover and whether you have employees working for you.

Our quote builder will then display the covers that are most applicable to you, including public liability cover.

This process takes only a few minutes and you could be covered with public liability insurance in just 10 minutes.

You may often see public liability insurance and liability insurance used interchangeably. That's because they mean the same thing, but public liability insurance is the term most widely used in the UK, while liability insurance is generally used in the US and occasionally in the UK.

Both terms refer to insurance that protects against claims of accidental injury or property damage to third parties.

Accidents happen. Whether it’s a slip, trip, fall or someone injuring themselves using your equipment – it could lead to a lawsuit. There are many ‘no win, no fee’ services these days, which means you can still face a liability or compensation claim even if it wasn’t your fault. Public liability protects you should a claim be made. Find out more about what liability insurance covers.

Check your client contracts to see whether they require a minimum level of cover before you choose your plan. When you’ve found an insurer you’re considering signing with, make sure they are aware of the risks that employees face while working with you (heavy lifting, working with chemicals, etc.).

Public liability does not cover employees - it's designed to cover third parties and members of the public. Basically, anyone who isn't an employee. To cover employees, you'll need to have employers' liability insurance, which is a legal requirement in the UK if you have one or more employees.

These two covers are similar in what they cover, but with a few key differences. Liability insurance covers injury and property damage claims made by a a member of the public (e.g. anyone from a customer to a complete stranger) as a result of your business.

Employers' liability insurance covers injury claims made against you by an employee as a result of your business.

Another key difference is that employers' liability is a legal requirement in the UK for any business that hires people, while public liability is not a legal requirement but protect businesses from large legal and compensation costs if a claim was made against them.

Yes. Public liability insurance is considered a business cost which counts as an 'allowable expense'. This means that you can deduct it when calculating your taxable profit and therefore tax deductible in the UK.

When calculating your taxable profit, you should keep a record of your business income and expenses, not only so that you can calculate it accurately but also as evidence in case HMRC wants to check on your business. For business insurance, this means your invoices and policy documents.

Even if your business is office-based, you’ll no doubt have clients or members of the public visiting you from time to time, or your staff will spend time out and about at events. And if an accident happens, either on your premises, or as a result of your activities elsewhere, you could be held liable, with serious financial repercussions for your business.