Employers' liability insurance

Employers' liability insurance quote

Growth and progress often starts with new employees, but added responsibility can carry added risks. If you employ one or more people, employers’ liability insurance - sometimes called EL insurance - will almost always be a legal requirement. With Simply Business, you can buy employers’ liability insurance as part of a tailored policy, alongside public liability insurance, plus any additional covers you may need.

Insuring temporary workers

Even if you employ short-term staff, casual workers or contractors, you will usually be required to have employers' liability insurance. Simply Business provides temporary workers' insurance for many types of business - grab a quote below, and put a policy in place today.

Need more detail? Read below:

• Do I need employers' liability insurance?
• Public liability insurance vs employers liability insurance
• Learn more about business insurance

Cover from £6.12 a month, get insured in minutes. (10% of direct debit customers repay their annual policy in 10 monthly payments of £6.12 or less across all our trades insured. Based on data from 1 July - 31 December 2019, for comparison only. Cancellation charges may apply, please refer to our full terms & conditions.)

What is employers’ liability insurance?

Employers’ liability insurance protects you against the cost of compensation claims arising from employee illness or injury, sustained as a result of their work for you. It is a legal requirement if your business employs one or more people, and you could be fined £2,500 for each day you're not covered.

For example, if one of your employees develops an RSI or musculoskeletal problems because of their work for you, EL insurance can cover medical bills and legal fees that may arise from a claim.

Still confused? Check out our FAQs for a full employers' liability insurance definition.

Do I need employers' liability insurance?

If you have employees, contractors, casual workers or temporary staff, you're usually required by law to take out employers’ liability cover, to deal with any claims from employees who’ve been injured or become seriously ill as a result of working for you.

Reduce your claim risk

Good health and safety practices are a great first defence, reducing the chance of accidents and illness. Make sure you know the regulations for your industry and carry out regular risk assessments with your employees.

Need more information? check out our FAQs and Knowledge centre articles:

• Is employers’ liability insurance a legal requirement?
• 1969 Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act & 2008 amendment

Watch the details

• If you employ staff and don’t take out employers’ liability cover, you could be asked to pay a £2,500 fine for each day you don't have it in place
• Make sure you tell us the correct number of clerical and manual staff, if you employ both, or any claims you make may be invalid
• Casual workers, part-time workers and temporary staff all count as employees

Claims from former employees

Remember, some illnesses take time to show symptoms. It’s possible that a former employee may claim compensation, perhaps a long time after they’ve stopped working for you. Employers’ liability insurance can cover this, but you must keep on file all documentation related to your insurance, even if it’s expired.

It's good to let your insurer know your ERN as this can be used to trace past employees.