Public liability for journalists

In case your business causes an injury or property damage.

What’s typically covered by public liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

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

For example:

• your laptop falls onto a member of the public from an overhead locker, causing a deep cut and bruising
• while interviewing a company CEO for a trade magazine, you spill boiling water on their hand from the dispenser

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

In case an employee gets ill or injured while working for you.

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:

• a contractor working for you traps their hand in a door while covering a story, fracturing a finger and causing long-term tendon damage
• your office manager slips down the steps outside your premises which you’ve been meaning to have cleaned, breaking her knee

Professional indemnity insurance journalists

In case there’s a claim for loss-causing errors or issues with your work.

What’s typically covered by professional indemnity insurance?

Claims against your business for professional negligence or a loss-causing breach of contract. This can include:

• advice which turns out to be incorrect
• mistakes in your work that cost others money to fix

For example:

• you write an article for your client which contains inaccurate information, and receive a claim from them for resulting financial losses
• you’re commissioned to supply editorial for a client’s website which causes their search engine rankings to drop, triggering a financial loss

Read more about professional indemnity insurance

Business and office equipment insurance

In case something happens to the equipment you rely on.

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

• accidental damage to the equipment you use to run the business
• theft, flood, and fire damage

For example:

• someone breaks into your office safe storage and steals three work phones, a laptop, and two sets of headphones
• you drop your laptop onto a concrete floor while reporting on a story – it’s badly damaged and needs to be replaced

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you face legal costs in connection with your journalism business.

What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

• legal costs attributed to your journalism business
• property damage, nuisance, or trespass – specifically, the associated legal claims and compensation payouts
• tax and compliance disputes and investigations you need help with
• access to expert advice – including a tax advice phone line, confidential 24/7 legal phone line, and crisis PR support to help you protect your reputation as a respected journalist

For example:

• you agree a deadline with your client but fall behind and miss a launch date – they take legal action and you need to pay associated costs
• a former employee raises an employers’ liability claim against you, and you need to recover costs

Read more about legal expenses insurance

Personal accident insurance

In case anyone you’ve covered is accidentally injured, at work or elsewhere.

What’s typically covered by personal accident insurance?

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

For example:

• you slip on some rocks and break your leg while reporting on a story, forcing you to delay your next commission
• one of your junior reporters is in a minor car accident at the weekend, and needs time off work for hospital visits

Read more about personal accident insurance

Which type of workers do I need insurance for?

Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ people.

If you have people working for you, including bona fide subcontractors (BFSC), labour-only subcontractors (LOSC), part-timers, or full-time staff, employers’ liability insurance is required by law.

Read on for our simplified guide to the difference between labour-only subcontractors and bona fide subcontractors.

Does journalist insurance cover my work correctly?

Make sure you’re picking the right cover to protect you properly. It’s important to know that if you have another trade or job, you’ll need additional cover. For example, do you need to consider copywriter insurance or photography insurance?

Do I need cover for other types of work?

If you provide these services alongside building work, make sure you’re covered:

• Web designer insurance
• Illustrator
• Videographer insurance
• Designers insurance
• Will writing insurance
• Translator insurance
• Publishing insurance

Other types of insurance

• Limited company insurance
• Self-employed insurance
• Freelance insurance
• Consultant insurance
• Contractors insurance
• Sole trader insurance

Which public liability cover limit should I choose?

Think about the maximum possible loss your business could face in the event of a claim, and make sure you take legal fees and damages into consideration. You can choose from three levels of coverage – £1 million, £2 million, or up to £5 million.