• Public liability with £1 million, £2 million, £5 million or £10 million of cover
• Employers’ liability option
• Wide range of trades covered
• Full mid-term adjustments including adding employees
• Referral options for bigger risks and unusual occupations. For these risks your policy will be underwritten and if approved you can still buy online
• Online renewal
• Instant documents issued on payment
• Free SMS confirmation

Public liability insurance is an important consideration for businesses of every size. The cost of a compensation claim for damaging the property of a member of the public, or worse still, causing them injury, could be so financially damaging that it leads to the immediate closure of your business. Yet despite what can be very serious consequences, public liability insurance is a policy some businesses choose to go without.

At Clegg Gifford, we put our 50 years of industry experience to good use to tailor public liability policies that provide cover against the specific risks you face. We have established working relationships with the UK’s leading insurers, so we know where to turn to place particular risks and can access deals you would not be offered if you approached the same insurer yourself.

Just click the ‘Get An Instant Quote’ button on this page and provide us with your contact details and some information about your business. Then we’ll do the rest by sourcing quotes from our panel of insurers that could reduce the cost of your current premium by up to 50%. Alternatively, please get in touch to discuss your requirements with our team.

Public liability insurance is a policy that protects you if a member of the public, such as a customer or client, suffers an injury or has their property damaged due to the negligence of your business. If you are regularly in contact with members of the public, customers visit your premises on a day-to-day basis or you perform work at properties owned by third parties, this is a policy you should seriously consider putting in place.

A typical public liability insurance policy will cover the cost of fixing any damage that has been done and paying the medical fees of a third party that has suffered an injury. Crucially, it will also protect you from the potentially crippling cost of legal representation for your business and the damages you could owe in relation to a compensation claim.

Examples of situations when public liability insurance could protect your business include:

• You own a showroom and one of your customers trips over electrical wiring running across the floor. The policy will cover the cost of their medical treatment.
• A self-employed IT consultant visits a client but spills water over the main server and causes serious damage.

Although a claim can spell disaster for a business, public liability insurance is not usually a legal requirement like employers’ liability cover. However, while you may not be legally obliged to put public liability insurance in place, ethically speaking, you do have a duty of care to your customers and must be able to provide compensation if someone suffers a loss as a result of your business.

It’s also the case that businesses in many industries and public sector organisations will not work with you unless you have public liability insurance. Having cover in place can help you win new contracts, give your business a more professional image and provide peace of mind for you and your clients.

Primarily, there are four different costs public liability insurance will cover. That includes:

• Legal expenses – The legal costs associated with defending a claim can potentially run into the hundreds of thousands of pounds. Having cover in place will help you meet the cost of legal proceedings without risking the health of your business.
• Compensation claims – Public liability policies pay out for compensation claims arising from injuries to a third party or damage to their property.
• Cost of repairs – You will also be covered for the cost of repairing damage that has been caused by anyone who works for your business.
• Medical fees – If the NHS chooses to claim against you for the cost of hospital treatment then public liability insurance will foot the bill. It can also cover the cost of ongoing treatment and rehabilitation.

The type of cover public liability insurance provides is extremely varied. However, as a rough guide, the majority of claims fall under the following areas:

• Accidents – Items falling, being dropped and breaking while in use can lead to accidents or damage that impact a member of the public. A policy will ensure you’re protected from these unfortunate events.
• Disrepair – Broken doors, damaged carpets and even something as seemingly insignificant as a protruding screw head could lead to an injury or damage to the property of a third party.
• Slips and trips – Slips and trips are one of the leading causes of personal injury claims in the UK. The slightest oversight on your behalf could lead to a costly claim. Public liability insurance will provide the cover you need.

That’s not an easy question to answer as it really depends on the sector you operate in, the size of your business and the specific risks you face. Public liability cover tends to start at £1 million of cover and rises in increments to £2 million, £5 million and £10 million.

It may also be the case that you are contractually obliged to put a minimum amount of cover in place by a client, particularly if you are working on public sector projects. Equally, you may find that governing bodies in your industry can provide advice about the amount of cover you might need.

With more and more people working from home in the UK, plenty of business owners are already realising the benefits a home business can bring. But while some comprehensive home insurance policies may cover some business-related risks, if you regularly see clients or customers at home, it could leave you dangerously exposed.

As soon as a client enters your home, you could be liable for any incident that could lead to an injury or damage to their property. For example, if they were to trip over loose carpet and injure themselves or slip on a wet floor, you could face a claim that brings about the early demise of an otherwise successful business.

The truth is that while your home may be private, as soon as you open it up for work purposes, your liability for an accident becomes public. Putting public liability insurance in place can make sure you’re protected against such a claim.

At Clegg Gifford, we have many years of experience providing best-fit public liability insurance policies that meet the specific requirements of businesses of every size. Whatever sector you operate in, we can help you consider the most appropriate level of cover and tailor a flexible and cost-effective insurance policy that meets your needs.

Request a quote or get in touch to discuss your requirements with our team. We at Clegg Gifford also provide motor trade insurance, taxi insurance, marine cargo insurance as well as many others.