Public liability insurance for copywriters

In case your copywriting business causes an injury or property damage.

What’s typically covered by public liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• injury or damage to someone’s property, caused by you or as a result of your work
• accidental damage or injury caused by your employees, if you have any

For example:

• you leave your laptop charging cable running across the floor and your client trips over it during a pitch, landing awkwardly and breaking their elbow
• an employee spills hot coffee on your client’s laptop, scalding their arm and damaging the laptop screen

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

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

What’s typically covered by employers’ liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• injuries or illness as a result of working for you (includes temp staff and casual workers)

**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:

• your employee trips over a cable and fractures their arm, while presenting to a client
• an employee slips down the stairs in your shared workspace, after you’ve mopped up spilled coffee – they cut their hand badly and need a few stitches

Professional indemnity insurance for copywriters.

In case there’s a claim for negligence, or breaches in your duty of care.

What’s typically covered by professional indemnity insurance?

Claims against your business for professional negligence or a loss-causing breach of contract. This can include:

• advice which turns out to be incorrect
• mistakes in your work that cost others money to fix

For example:

• you amend copy to improve your client’s website rankings, but instead incur a penalty, causing your client to suffer a financial loss
• you proof-read and update your client’s blog post but it goes live with errors, causing a partnership dispute and financial losses

Read more about professional indemnity insurance

Business and office equipment insurance

In case something happens to equipment like your laptop or phone.

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

• theft of the operational equipment you use to run your business, like your headphones and laptop
• accidental loss of your equipment
• flood, fire, or accidental damage

For example:

• you lock your workspace up for Christmas and your employee calls to say a leak from the toilet plumbing has damaged your hardware
• someone steals your laptop from a table in a coffee shop while you’re paying

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Legal expenses insurance

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

What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

• legal costs that you’re responsible for, within your business
• property damage, nuisance, or trespass – specifically, the associated legal claims and compensation payouts
• tax and compliance disputes and investigations you need help with
• access to expert advice – including a tax advice phone line, confidential 24/7 legal phone line, and crisis support to help you protect your professional reputation

For example:

• a contractor raises a dispute with you, and you need to pay for legal representation
• HMRC begin a randomised investigation into your most recent tax return, incurring costs which you need to recover

Read more about legal expenses insurance

Personal accident insurance

In case you or anyone you’ve covered has an accident, at work or off duty.

What’s typically covered by personal accident insurance?

• accidental injury or death of anyone you’ve chosen to cover in your policy – whether this happens at work or elsewhere
• lost income, hospital bills, or other medical costs associated with the accident

For example:

• you dislocate your shoulder while in the playground with your children, and can’t type properly for at least 12 weeks
• a printer falls on your employee’s head while they’re reaching for post-its in your office stock cupboard, causing a deep cut and concussion

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 copywriter 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 photography insurance or journalist insurance?

Do I need cover for other types of work?

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

• Web designer insurance
• Illustrator
• Videographer insurance
• Designers insurance
• Will writing insurance
• Translator insurance
• Publishing insurance

Other types of insurance

• Limited company insurance
• Self-employed insurance
• Freelance insurance
• Consultant insurance
• Contractors insurance
• Sole trader 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.