Catering insurance
Join over 900k UK customers (including over 6,000 caterers) – we offer public liability cover from £4.74*
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Based on 39,800 reviews
Claims paid in 24 hours
For 80% of settled claims
Why do you need catering insurance?
From a brand new referral to the most specific dietary requirements, your clients are looking for tip-top quality. Maybe you’re known for amazing street food, or large-scale corporate fine dining – either way, your business faces specific risks. Catering insurance can cover you for accidents and damage, along with employers’ liability claims, if you have any staff.
Are you looking for catering trailer insurance? Jump to our catering van insurance for cover built to fit your trade.
- catering public liability insurance between £1 million and £5 million
- quotes start at £4.74** a month
- peace of mind, letting you focus on the menu, not the what-ifs
What does catering insurance cover?
We’ll start with catering liability insurance, including public, product and employers’ liability, covering you against accidents in your kitchen or claims against your product – for example, if someone has an allergic reaction to an ingredient you’ve used. From there, you can add insurance for stock and equipment, plus personal accident cover for you or anyone else you’ve covered.
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Public liability insurance
In case your catering business causes an injury or property damage.
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Employers’ liability insurance
In case anyone gets ill or injured while working for your catering business.
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Tools insurance
In case something happens to your catering kit.
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Stock insurance
In case something happens to your catering ingredients or materials
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Business and office equipment insurance
In case something happens to the equipment you use to run your business
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Legal expenses insurance
In case you have to pay legal costs connected with your catering business
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Personal accident insurance
In case you or anyone you’ve covered has an accident – at work, or off-duty
This content has been created for general information purposes. Make sure you have the right level of business insurance by checking your policy documentation for details. Read our full Terms and Conditions
How much does catering insurance cost?
Find out how much you’ll pay by comparing prices from a range of trusted insurers. You choose what goes into your policy, so you only pay for what you need.
Prices start from £4.74 per month
Get your quotes in 7 minutes – prices are guaranteed for 30 days.
Get your tailored quotes in 7 minutes
The price is for up to £2 million of public liability insurance – 10% of customers paid £56.82 or less annually between 1st Jan – 31st May 2024. Equivalent to £4.74 a month (and excludes the extra costs for paying monthly). 76% of customers have a £1 million limit and 24% £2 million. If you complete a quote, more types of cover will be available. These all have additional costs.
Example caterer insurance quotes, real prices
£15.93 /month
£139.34 /year
A caterer who prepares food for small events such as weddings and celebrations (exc. mobile van)
- 3-4 years’ experience
- Sole trader
- No employees
- Based in Reading
Public liability
£1,000,000
Employers’ liability
Not included
Contents & business equipment
£5,000
£44.70 /month
£397.31 /year
A small catering company that prepares food for conferences, weddings and large gatherings (inc. mobile van)
- 5+ years’ experience
- Limited company
- 2 employees
- Based in Leicester
Public liability
£1,000,000
Employers’ liability
£10,000,000
Contents & business equipment
£20,000
How we work out example quotes These examples are real quotes from our online system (created 06/03/2023). They’re based on a range of factors, like employees and location. Your own quote will be based on what you tell us about your business. Prices may go up or down from day to day, so the prices you’re quoted may differ to the ones you see here.
What kind of excess should I expect?
An excess is an amount you pay towards any claim you make on your insurance. For example, if your excess is £250 and you make a claim worth £1000, your payout will be a maximum of £750.
Insurance cover | Lowest excess | Highest excess |
|---|---|---|
Public liability | £100 | £2500 |
Employers’ liability | No excess | No excess |
Tools | £60 | £500 |
Stock | £100 | £500 |
Business and office equipment | £50 | £750 |
The figures above are for guidance only and any excess applying to your quote may differ. You’ll get a breakdown of the excesses for each quote when you compare with us.
How it works
Pick what goes into your policy
Only pay for what you need
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How do I choose catering insurance uk?
Making sure you have the right type and level of business insurance can be the difference between getting a claim paid and having to cover the cost of an expensive accident yourself. Read our tips for guidance on what to consider when buying a policy.
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Can I just cover my most expensive catering tools?
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Which type of workers do I need insurance for?
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Will tools insurance cover all my equipment?
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Does catering insurance cover my work correctly?
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Do I need cover for other types of work?
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Which public liability cover limit should I choose?
Talk to an expert
Our team of UK-based insurance experts are here to help, Mon 09.00am – 05.30pm, Tues 09.00am – 05.30pm, Weds 09.00am – 05.30pm, Thurs 09.30am – 05.30pm, Fri 09.00am – 05.30pm, Sat 09.00am – 02.00pm
Call our team
How do catering insurance claims work?
Unlike price comparison websites, we take the hassle out of claims for you. We know how important it is to get your business back on track quickly – and with a minimum of fuss. That’s why you get access to your dedicated claims any time, day or night. Call them on 0333 207 0560 or claim online. They’ll do their best to be fair and supportive.
£51 million in claims paid out in 2023
83% of claims were settled in 2023
The figure above is rounded across our range of products. “Settled” covers paid, declined or withdrawn. Our claims process may vary for different products and operates on a ‘claim by claim’ basis. Our specialist partner Sedgwick will pay the claims on behalf of the insurer. Reviewed on 24/04/2024.
Example claim
Having caterers’ insurance through Simply Business has saved UK hospitality professionals thousands of pounds when the unexpected happened.
Priya saved £10,400
While walking across the courtyard at her venue, Priya (not her real name) tripped on a loose stone, tearing an ankle ligament. The personal accident cover in her catering business insurance policy covered Priya’s treatment fees and lost income.
Insurance payout
£10,400.00
Covering the cost of personal accident
Insurance payout
Covering the cost of personal accident
Covering the cost of personal accident
Catering insurance FAQs
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 catering public liability insurance, catering risks and how our policies work. You can also check out our business insurance FAQs.
The equipment and tools you rely on usually fall into two categories: handheld or portable tools of the trade, like a whisk or vegetable prep machine, and operational equipment that supports your business, like your laptop or an oven. We offer comprehensive catering insurance policies which let you add what you need, depending on what’s in your kitchen, your bag or your office, if you have one. Just tell us what you need when running a quote.
Yes. It’s important to make sure you have the right type and level of insurance for the different types of work you do. For example, if you’re a caterer, you may also teach cookery classes so you’ll need additional cover for this. When you start your quote, you’ll have the option to add another trade or profession to your policy. If you need to add a third trade, give us a call on 0333 043 8527 and one of our insurance experts will help you set up your policy in minutes.
This will depend on whether you have employers’ liability insurance in place. Public liability insurance for catering 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 check policy documentation for details and seek professional advice. Read our full Terms and Conditions
