Public liability insurance for HR consultants

In case you or your employee injure someone or damage their property.

What’s typically covered by public liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• damage to someone’s property
• injury or illness caused by your HR business
• accidental damage or injury caused by your employees, if you have any

If you do employ anyone, you’re usually required by law to have employers’ liability insurance too.

For example:

• you’re meeting a potential client in a coffee shop and accidentally spill hot water on their hand, causing a minor burn
• while getting materials out of your bag at a conference, another attendee trips over your bag, spraining their wrist

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

In case something happens to an employee while working for your consultancy.

What’s typically covered by employers’ liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• an injury or illness that comes 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:

• you’ve provided an incorrectly fitted chair for your office manager, who develops chronic back pain as a result
• an employee gets an injury from an electric shock while trying to set up some computer equipment you’ve supplied

Professional indemnity insurance for HR consultants

In case there’s a claim for breaches in your duty of care, or defamation.

What’s typically covered by professional indemnity insurance?

Claims against your HR consultancy 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’ve given advice to a client which results in their employee claiming unfair dismissal, meaning you’ll need to defend yourself in court
• you send an email containing sensitive and confidential information about an employee to the wrong recipient

Read more about professional indemnity insurance

Business and office equipment insurance

In case things like your phone or tablet are lost, stolen or damaged.

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

• theft, flood, fire or accidental damage to the equipment you use to run your business
• operational equipment like your laptop, office printer and phone

For example:

• while commuting to a client’s office you pack your bag in a hurry, leaving your tablet on the train
• your company laptops are stolen during an office break-in

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you and your business face legal costs.

What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

• legal costs attributed to your 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 trusted HR consultant

For example:

• HMRC wants to take you to court for paying tax incorrectly
• a client is refusing to pay your invoice

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 a wet floor in your client’s office and break your ankle, forcing you to work from home for two months
• your employee breaks their leg while at a wedding and needs two operations

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 [HR consultant 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 business consultant insurance or it consultant insurance?

Do I need cover for other types of work?

If you provide other services, make sure you’re covered:

• Consultant insurance
• Public liability insurance beauty
• Health and safety insurance
• Life style insurance
• Life coach insurance
• Freelance insurance
• Consultant 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.