Artist insurance

Why do you need artists insurance?

Fine art, sculpting, painting, pottery, crafts, illustration – whichever your passion as a creator, you’ll want to protect your business against unwelcome setbacks. Concerned about spillages? Fire or theft? Mistakes and accidents? You can’t always stop these things from occurring, but with artist insurance, you can make sure you’re covered against the unexpected costs.

Artists insurance FAQ

Whether you’re new to buying business insurance or you’ve been trading for a while, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about artists insurance.

• Do I need insurance to sell handmade crafts?

  It’s always a good idea to start with an assessment of the risks your business might face.

  In general, here are some important things to think about when selling handmade crafts:

  If you employ people, you’re required by law to have employers’ liability cover.

  If you come into contact with members of the public in your work as an artist, public and product liability insurance is a key type of cover to consider. Not only does it cover you against mistakes and accidents in person, it also covers you against injuries or damage caused by the pieces that you sell.

  If you use any specialist tools in your work as a maker, creator or artist, such as a sewing machine or easel, you might want to think about getting tool cover.

  Other types of insurance to consider include:

  • business and office equipment insurance
  • personal accident insurance
  • legal protection insurance
• Do I need public liability insurance to sell at a craft stall or craft fair?

  When you’re selling crafts at a craft stall or craft fair, there’s a risk that you could injure someone or cause accidental damage to someone else’s belongings. So although it’s not compulsory, it could be a good idea to protect yourself and your business with public and product liability insurance.

  What’s more, the “product” element of public and product liability means you’re protected if a customer suffers injury or damage due to an item you’ve sold to them.

  Bear in mind, some organisers of craft events may insist that you have public liability insurance as a condition of entry.

  And remember, if you have people working for you (even temporary staff just to help you run your stall), you’re required by law to have employers’ liability cover.

• Can I add cover for a different trade or profession mid-way through my policy?

  Yes. You may start offering additional services that require you to use different skills or carry out different tasks. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to give us a call on 0333 0146 683 to update your policy before you take on this new work. If you don’t have the correct type of cover in place for the work you do, you may be unable to claim on your policy if something goes wrong.

• Can I buy business insurance if I’ve had any CCJs or IVAs?

  Each insurer looks at CCJs and IVAs differently – some apply stricter rules than others, but having a CCJ or IVA doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be able to buy insurance.

• What’s the difference between paying by Direct Debit and paying in one lump sum?

  You can choose the payment type that suits your business and cash flow best. Some customers prefer to pay in one go, while others prefer to pay a regular monthly amount, like you do with lots of other bills. Simply Business offer three ways to pay for your policy:

  • one-off credit or debit card payment
  • BACS payment
  • Direct Debit

  If you choose to pay by Direct Debit, our credit provider, Premium Credit, pays Simply Business the full amount for your policy up front. You then repay Premium Credit in 10 monthly installments.

• Will changing from sole trader to limited company affect my insurance policy?

  If you change your business legal structure from sole trader to limited company mid-way through your policy, give us a call straight away on 0333 0146 683. It’ll only take us a few minutes to cancel your existing policy and replace it with one that correctly covers your new legal structure. It’s worth bearing in mind that your insurer and premium amount may need to change.

• Does public liability insurance cover my business for the actions of my employees?

  This will depend on whether you have employers’ liability insurance in place. Public liability insurance is designed to protect your business against the consequences of legal action brought by members of the public for injuries or damage to their belongings. But when it comes to your employees causing injury or damage, this protection only activates if you also have employers’ liability insurance.

  If you employ people, you’re required by law to have employers’ liability insurance.

  There’s one exception here. Family businesses that aren’t incorporated as a limited company are not legally required to have employers’ liability insurance. The government defines a “family business” as one where all your employees are closely related to you (as a spouse, civil partner, sibling, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, step-parent, stepchild or half-sibling). So if you run an unincorporated family business and you choose not to get employers’ liability insurance, it’s important to know that your public liability insurance wouldn’t cover you against damage or injury caused by your team.

We create this content for general information purposes and it should not be taken as advice. Always take professional advice. Read our full disclaimer