Public liability insurance
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Based on 39,800 reviews
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For 80% of settled claims
Why is public liability insurance important?
The UK’s most common accident is a slip, trip, or fall, and the majority of them happen out and about. Public liability insurance (PLi, PL or liability insurance) is designed to protect your business against third party claims for injuries or property damage – from a customer or client to a passer-by or visitor to your premises, whether you’re at fault or not.
- business liability insurance, UK-based claims and customer service team
- get it as a standalone cover or add it to a broader business insurance policy
- rated 4.7/5 based on 39K+ public liability customer reviews
What does business liability insurance cover?
Most UK public liability insurance covers you for accidents on your premises or off-site, from a customer tripping over your tool kit to damaging someone’s dress during hair-up at a wedding. It’s important to review a public liability insurance quote carefully, checking your insurer offers cover for the risks you face (for example, some insurers won’t cover accidents caused by your products).
Keep in mind, accidents caused by your employees will only be covered if you have employers’ liability insurance in place too.
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Injury
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Damage
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Product liability
How much does public liability insurance cost?
Working out the public liability insurance cost depends on a number of factors, like the type of business you run and the level of cover you choose. Usually, businesses who insurers see as risky will pay more for their public liability insurance.
Find out how much you’ll pay by completing a public liability insurance comparison from a range of trusted insurers
Prices start from £4.79 per month
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*The price is for customers purchasing landlord buildings cover only policy – 10% of customers paid £130.80 or less annually between 1st Oct 2023 – 31st Mar 2024. Equivalent to £10.90/month (and excludes the extra costs for paying monthly). If you complete a quote more types of cover will be available, these all have additional costs.
Example public liability insurance quotes, real prices
£9.80 /month
£78.01 /year
A self-employed builder that works on altering, converting or extending residential properties
- 1-2 years’ experience
- Sole trader
- No employees
- Based in Manchester
Public liability
2,000,000
Employers’ liability
Not included
Tool insurance
Not included
£65.48 /month
£582.03 /year
A local domestic cleaning business working only in residential properties
- 5+ years’ experience
- Limited company
- 3 employees
- Based in Edinburgh
Public liability
5,000,000
Employers’ liability
10,000,000
Tool insurance
7,000
How we work out example quotes These examples are real quotes from our online system (created 10/11/2022). 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.
How it works
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Does public liability insurance cover my work?
Public liability insurance for business protects your work by covering the legal claim if a member of the public is injured, gets ill, or loses out financially and blames your business. Some examples of trades we cover include:
- Builders insurance
- Catering insurance
- Cleaning insurance
- Contractor insurance
- Hairdressing insurance
- Home baking insurance
- Online retailer insurance
- Public liability insurance for security guards
- Restaurant insurance
Is your profession not listed? When you run a quote you can select your trade from over 1,000 options. Running a quote should give you an idea of the PL insurance cost for your business.
Other types of insurance:
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
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How do 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.
£28 million in claims paid out in 2021
Paying 80% of settled claims within 24 hours in 2021
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 liability insurance through Simply Business has saved small business owners thousands of pounds when the unexpected happened.
Imran saved more than £19,000
Imran (not his real name) had been spraying some cladding, and accidentally coated a few cars parked nearby in a car dealership. His public liability insurance policy covered the claim raised by the dealership, as well as his legal costs.
Insurance payout
£19,380
Covering the cost of accidental damage
Imran’s costs
£100
The excess amount stated in Imran’s policy terms
Chosen by 900,000 small businesses and landlords
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Liability insurance covers FAQs
This is a key cover for most businesses – our comprehensive FAQs answer some of the most popular questions about public liability insurance. You can also check out our public liability insurance FAQs.
Public liability insurance (PLi) is one of the main types of business insurance. It protects you if a member of the public gets ill, injured, or suffers financially and blames your business. Public liability can cover the resulting legal costs and compensation payments.
There isn’t a legal requirement for your business to have PL insurance. But if you regularly interact with the public as part of your business, it’s an important protection to consider.
Public liability insurance reassures your customers that you – and they – are properly protected in case things go wrong. While it isn’t a legal obligation under UK law, your clients, industry regulator, or membership body may require you to have it. At Simply Business, we can provide public liability insurance for limited companies, and public liability insurance for individuals.
Here’s where public liability insurance can be useful: a furniture fitter needed to claim on his insurance while working on a house. A cabinet he had installed fell off the wall and knocked a fellow contractor off a step ladder, causing injury to the contractor’s wrist and back. The claim was settled at £25,235, but the furniture fitter only had to pay the £250 excess.
Check out more public liability claim examples
If you deal with the public on a regular basis, you should seriously consider public liability insurance.
Public liability insurance protects you if a member of the public sues you for injury or damage. While it’s not required by law, it can protect you from crippling compensation costs. It’s a popular choice of cover with tradespeople, hairdressers, restaurant owners and shopkeepers.
If you have staff, it’s likely that getting employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement. But while public liability insurance isn’t required by law in the UK, it’s worth considering and is an important cover for many businesses. It protects against claims and legal action for injury and property damage.
Public liability insurance covers your business against compensation claims and legal costs if a third party suffers injury or property damage while on your premises, or while you’re working on their property.
But when it comes to liability insurance, what is it that you’re covered for? Typically, public liability cover can protect you against:
- compensation payments for third party injury (or even death)
- repair or replacement costs, for damaged property or possessions
- medical fees, if the NHS decide to claim for hospital treatment, or an ambulance call out
- legal expenses, while you’re defending any of these claims
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.
These two covers have similar names but there are important differences. Public liability insurance protects against claims from members of the public, who are injured or suffer a loss and blame your business. Employers’ liability insurance protects against claims from employees, who are injured or get ill as a result of working for you.
Simply Business offers a minimum level of £1 million public liability insurance. Depending on the nature of your business and client demands, you may need a higher level of cover.
It’s a good idea to check your policy when you take on each new job or contract. For example, companies working on government contracts are usually required to be covered for a minimum of £5 million or even £10 million in public liability insurance.
Insurers generally don’t give out certificates because public liability isn’t a legal requirement. This is different to employers’ liability, which is a legal requirement and is certified.
Getting public liability insurance for your business is easy.
First, you’ll need to get a quote from us. Just answer a few questions about your business, and we’ll present you with a selection of insurers who offer the kind of insurance you’re looking for.
Once you’ve settled on the cover that’s right for you, you’ll be able to buy your insurance online in a matter of minutes. Or if you’d prefer, you can speak to someone in our contact centre who’ll walk you through the process.
Once you’ve bought your insurance, you’ll be covered straight away and we’ll email your policy documents over on the same day.
Public liability insurance can protect you and your business if a member of the public suffers an injury or another loss because of your business. If you sell, create, manufacture, or distribute a product, then it’s worth considering product liability insurance too, as it can provide further protection for you and your business.
Businesses can deduct costs when calculating taxable profit. These are known as ‘allowable expenses’ – and business insurance is an allowable expense. Make sure you keep records of income and expenses, including receipts and invoices, for HMRC. This also means keeping your policy documents safe.
This depends on a number of factors, like the type of business you run and the level of cover you choose. It’s easy to find out how much it might cost – just enter a few details about your business, and we’ll show you a selection of online business insurance quotes. Usually, businesses who insurers see as risky will pay more for their public liability insurance.
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
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