Public liability insurance

In case you or your gallery staff injure someone or damage their property.

What’s typically covered by public liability insurance for an art gallery?

Claims against your business for:

• damage caused by your gallery to someone else’s property (excluding any third party-owned art)
• injury caused to someone else while in your gallery – or because of work at your gallery
• accidental damage or injury caused by your gallery employees (excluding any third party-owned art. Remember that if you employ anyone, you’re required by law to have employers’ liability insurance in place.)

For example:

• someone comes into your gallery and slips on a wet floor because you forgot to put a sign up after cleaning
• someone accidentally knocks a sculpture over and it injures a member of the public

What you’ll need additional cover for

• hosting events or exhibitions – you’d need a specific events insurance policy to be covered for these
• any third party-owned art would need to be covered separately

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

In case something happens to a gallery employee while they’re working for you.

What’s typically covered by employers’ liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• a gallery employee, including a temp or casual worker, suing you after falling ill because of being employed by you
• an employee suffering an injury and suing you, as a result of working for your gallery

**Employers’ liability insurance is required by law if you have people working for you. Without it, you could be fined up to £2,500 a day for each employee.**

For example:

• an employee falls off a stepladder and is injured, while hanging a piece of art in your gallery
• one of your gallery assistants trips on a raised floorboard, injuring their knee

Business and office equipment insurance

In case something happens to your gallery equipment or office supplies.

What’s typically covered by business and office equipment insurance?

• accidental loss, damage or theft of the equipment you use to run your gallery, like your laptop

For example:

• someone breaks into your gallery and steals your company laptops
• there’s a fire in your building, damaging all the display units and other equipment in your gallery

What you’ll need additional cover for

• the artwork in your gallery’s care – you’ll need specialist cover for this, such as artwork insurance or fine art insurance

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you’re faced with legal costs while running your gallery.

What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

• legal expenses resulting from your day-to-day business activities, like a dispute with a gallery employee
• the cost of legal claims relating to property damage, nuisance or trespass
• HMRC investigations, and tax or compliance disputes
• your cover includes a tax advice helpline and crisis PR support, helping you protect your gallery’s reputation

For example:

• if you’re investigated, or selected at random by HMRC, this cover could help with tax enquiries on the gallery, and on you personally
• defending your legal rights if you dismiss an employee from your gallery

Read more about legal expenses insurance

Personal accident insurance

In case you or anyone you’ve covered has an accident, at your gallery or somewhere else.

What’s typically covered by personal accident insurance?

• injury or death at work – or outside it – for anyone covered by your gallery’s policy
• lost income, medical costs and hospitalisation benefit

For example:

• you trip and fall over a customer’s bag, breaking your ankle
• a gallery employee shuts their hand in the car door on their way to work

Read more about personal accident insurance

Which type of workers do I need insurance for?

Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ people.

If you have people working for you, including bona fide subcontractors (BFSC), labour-only subcontractors (LOSC), part-timers, or full-time staff, employers’ liability insurance is required by law.

Read on for our simplified guide to the difference between labour-only subcontractors and bona fide subcontractors.

Does art gallery insurance cover my work correctly?

Make sure you’re picking the right cover to protect you properly. It’s important to know that if you have another trade or job, you’ll need additional cover. For example, do you need to consider artists studio or artist insurance?

Do I need cover for other types of work?

If you provide other services, make sure you’re covered:

• Art dealer insurance
• Museum insurance
• Journalist insurance
• Photography insurance
• Videographer insurance
• Photo booth insurance

Other types of insurance

• Limited company insurance
• Consultant insurance

Which public liability cover limit should I choose?

Think about the maximum possible loss your business could face in the event of a claim, and make sure you take legal fees and damages into consideration. You can choose from three levels of coverage – £1 million, £2 million, or up to £5 million.