Public liability insurance

In case your shop and products cause an injury or property damage.

What’s typically covered by shop public liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• damage to someone’s property, because of your shop
• an injury or illness caused by your business activities or products
• accidental damage or injuries caused by your employees

For example:

• while leaving your premises, a customer falls down some steps and fractures their hip – they need hospital treatment and time off work
• you spill oil on the shop floor and a customer slips, hitting their head and suffering concussion

What you’ll need additional cover for

• road accidents – we can cover incidents related to food delivery like theft, damage, slips, and trips, but you’d need specific insurance for accidents involving a vehicle
• if you do employ anyone, you’re usually required by law to have employers’ liability insurance too.

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

In case anyone gets ill or injured while working for your retail business.

What’s typically covered by employers’ liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• an injury or illness that happens as a result of working for you (including temps and casual workers)

**Employers’ liability insurance is required by law if you have people working for you. Without it, you could be fined up to £2,500 a day for each employee.**

For example:

• while stacking shelves, your Christmas temp knocks a bottle onto the floor which smashes and cuts their foot – they need stitches and a few weeks off work and claim compensation from you for their injury
• your employee trips while carrying a large box to the storage room, fracturing their wrist and cutting their leg. They need medical care, and suffer a loss of earnings.

Building insurance

In case something happens to your shop premises.

What’s typically covered by building insurance?

• the cost of repairing damage to the structure of your building (or rebuilding it from scratch)
• damage to fixtures and fittings
• damage to underground pipes and cables you’re responsible for

For example:

• your shop door and frames are badly damaged during an attempted break-in, and need to be repaired or replaced
• a burst pipe causes water damage to your floorboards, internal doors, and walls, which all need to be replaced

What you’ll need additional cover for

• tenants’ improvements – changes to the property’s structure which you’ve organised and paid for yourself, like partition walls or wooden flooring

Read more about buildings insurance

Shop contents insurance

In case something happens to your shop’s fixtures and fittings or operational equipment.

What’s typically covered by business and office equipment insurance?

• accidental damage to your shop’s shelves and tills, or the equipment you use to run the business
• theft, flood, and fire damage

For example:

• your till and tablet are stolen during a break-in
• an employee is moving a display cabinet across the shop and it collapses, causing significant damage

Read more about contents insurance

Stock insurance

In case something happens to your shop’s stored items.

What’s typically covered by stock insurance?

• loss, damage, or theft of things like prepared food items, sellable products, and other materials you use to stock your shop

For example:

• a flood damages your stock, even if kept at the minimum height above floor level
• someone breaks into your shop and damages your new summer stock order

Read more about stock insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you’re hit with legal expenses connected to your shop.

What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

• legal costs attributed to your shop or retail business
• property damage, nuisance, or trespass – specifically, the associated legal claims and compensation payouts
• tax and compliance disputes and investigations you need help with
• includes a tax advice helpline, a 24/7 confidential legal helpline, and crisis PR support to help you protect your reputation as a popular shop or retailer

For example:

• you get into a dispute with a supplier over your stock order, and need to pay legal costs
• a contractor refits your shop, but there are multiple issues with their work – you need to delay reopening and pay legal costs while suing the company

Read more about legal expenses insurance

Personal accident insurance

In case anyone you’ve covered is accidentally injured, at work or off-duty.

What’s typically covered by personal accident insurance?

• accidental injury or death at work or elsewhere, for anyone covered on the policy
• lost income, medical costs, and hospitalisation benefit

For example:

• you drop a heavy item of stock on your foot, breaking three toes and causing bad bruising
• your business partner breaks their leg while playing football, and needs time away from active work

Read more about personal accident insurance