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Public Liability Insurance

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Are you looking for the best deal on public liability insurance with the chance to instantly compare quotes from a range of leading insurers and buy from a specialist broker that has many years experience in the arrangement of this class of insurance?

We are not simply a price comparison site that provides low cost liability insurance quotes online. Yes, we offer that service but we also provide more.

We specialise in the arrangement of public liability insurance and have many years experience as brokers and underwriters in the arrangement of third party liability insurance cover for businesses that range from small and sole traders to much larger organisations with international business insurance requirements.

Public Liability Quote

Our instant quote service provides instant access to our best on-line deals from a range of leading insurers and underwriters that provides immediate quotes and cover for hundreds of occupations. All our on-line quotes come with full information and supporting documents so that you can make an informed decision on your public liability cover.

What is public liability insurance?

Also known as third party liability insurance, public liability protects the policyholder in respect of claims made against them for their legal liability for third party property damage and personal injury i.e. people not employed by the company. The cover provides an indemnity to the policyholder in respect of any awards made against them for compensation and very importantly meets the costs of mounting a legal defence to any actions against the insured.

How much is public liability insurance?

The cost of cover varies greatly from under £50 a year to much higher levels depending upon the risks concerned. The primary factors affecting premium levels for public liability are essentially;

  • what do you do?
  • where do you do it?
  • how much of it do you do?

whilst this may be a simplification, along with details of any previous claims and what experience you have in the business, these are the main rating factors.

Obviously the what you do is answered by your occupation, where is generally straightforward for most trades and how much is determined by insurers using wages, turnover and the number of staff involved depending on the type of policy.

Who needs public liability insurance?

For the majority of businesses in the UK, public liability insurance is not a legal requirement, however it should be considered absolutely essential for trading.

Every day all businesses from the self employed sole proprietors to the largest companies face the risk of being sued and whether this is a speculative action or not, the costs of a defence can be considerable even if they are not found liable. These costs can pose a severe threat to the survival of businesses particularly small businesses and sole traders whose house may be at risk!

How should I compare public liability insurance?

Clearly when you want to compare the quotes you receive your first point of call will be the price of the policy, but what else should you be looking for on the quotation?

Policy excesses

Most public liability policies are subject to a third party property damage excess. This is the amount you pay as your contribution in the event of any claim. The amount can vary from insurer to insurer and some policies will have different excesses for different types of claims under the same policy, for example and increased excess in respect of claims arising from the use of heat.

Policy Endorsements and Restrictions

Whilst the contract protects you in respect of you legal liability, the insurance company can apply terms to the policy that can restrict the type of work you undertake, even within the terms of your business description, and can also specify the procedures you have to put in place when undertaking certain work. You need to be aware of the differences between policy terms and conditions.

Basis of Claims Settlement

Most policies in the UK are issued on a claims occurring basis i.e. the policy responds to incidents that occur whilst the policy is or was in force. Some public liability policies are issued on a claims made, this is a significant difference, the policy responds to claims that are made whilst the policy is in force. 

The Treatment Risk

Some occupations and trades involve the application of treatment and therapies to individuals, this is not always covered automatically by policies. If you need the cover, then you need to make sure it is included. More information is available on the treatment risk page.

Efficacy or Failure to Perform

Man policies will automatically exclude liability arising from the products failure to perform it’s intended purpose, in you need the cover, check your quotations for it’s inclusion. More information on efficacy.

Damage to Property in the Custody or Control of the Insured

Generally public liability policies exclude claims arising from damage to property being worked upon and in the custody or control of the policyholder. Whilst this is a common exclusion, the cover is available for a number of trades where this is a source of a potential claim. If you are interested in the cover, check if it is available, for many trades it costs no extra, you just need the right policy.

How do I buy public liability insurance?

We make this really easy for you. You can apply on-line for a public liability insurance quote and compare quotes from our insurers best deals or you can call us direct to speak to one of our brokers who will be happy to discuss your requirements with you and help you to obtain the right cover at the right price.