Security public liability insurance

Join nearly 1 million customers (including over 1,300 security guards like you) – we offer public liability cover from £4.74*

Get tailored quotes in 7 minutes

Start your quote
  • UK-based expert support, online and on the phone
  • Get covered and all your documents the same day
  • Get tailored security public liability insurance quotes in less than 7 minutes

Compare quotes from leading brands

Rated 4.8/5

Based on 39,800 reviews

Claims paid in 24 hours

For 80% of settled claims

What's on this page

Why is security guard insurance important?

Our policies focus on public liability insurance security industry professionals can treat as back-up. But we don’t stop there – claim costs for employee injuries and illness, laptop theft, and your legal fees can run into thousands of pounds, so the cover we provide is built to flex with your business, contracts, and risk profile.

  • Security public liability insurance from £1 million to £5 million
  • 24/7 claims helpline and UK-based contact centre
  • pay monthly or annually, whatever works for your company

Insurance for security guards – what’s covered?

We’ll start with security public liability insurance, built to cover against third party injuries and property damage. Lots of security guards choose to add cover for their phone and laptop, if using them for work. If anyone’s working for you, employer’s liability insurance is usually required by law, carrying big fines if you’re not fully covered.

  • Public liability insurance

    In case your security company causes an injury or property damage.

  • Employers’ liability insurance

    In case anyone gets ill or injured while working for your security company.

  • Business and office equipment insurance

    In case something happens to equipment like your laptop or phone.

  • Legal expenses insurance

    In case you have to pay legal costs connected with your security company.

  • Public liability insurance

    In case your security company causes an injury or property damage.

    What’s typically covered by public liability insurance for security guards?

    Claims against your business for:

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

    For example:

    • you spill a drink in the reception area you’re working in and a visitor slips on it, falling and fracturing their hip
    • while patrolling a building’s perimeter you knock over a shelving unit full of stock, causing significant damage

    What you’ll need additional cover for

    • your own failure to prevent a break-in, or to protect the property you’re contracted to

    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 security company.

    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:

    • one of your employees falls down some stairs in your business premises, and makes a claim against you for chronic back pain complications
    • your employee is attacked while on duty and suffers a broken nose and concussion – they won’t be able to work for at least three weeks

  • Business and office equipment insurance

    In case something happens to equipment like your laptop or phone.

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

    • theft of the equipment you use to operate, rather than portable trade tools
    • loss of your equipment
    • flood, fire, or accidental damage

    For example:

    • while visiting a client, the laptop you use to manage your business is stolen from their reception area
    • a leak in your business premises damages your office furniture and electrical items, including a new security system – you need to replace everything as quickly as possible

    Read more about business and office equipment insurance

  • Legal expenses insurance

    In case you have to pay legal costs connected with your security company.

    What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

    • legal costs attributed to your security company
    • 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 support to help you protect your reputation as a trusted security professional

    For example:

    • you’re subject to a tax investigation, and need legal expenses cover to help pay for expert legal representation
    • a client is refusing to pay your invoice, disputing their contract terms – you end up going to court and incurring costs over several months

    Read more about legal expenses insurance

This content has been created for general information purposes. Make sure you have the right level of business insurance by checking your policy documentation for details. Read our full Terms and Conditions

How much does security guard insurance cost?

Find out how much you’ll pay for security guard insurance by comparing prices from a range of trusted insurers. No security firm is alike, so you’ll choose what goes into your policy and only pay for what you need.

Prices start from £4.74 per month

Get your quotes in 7 minutes – prices are guaranteed for 30 days.

Get your tailored quotes in 7 minutes

Start your quote

The price is for up to £2 million of public liability insurance – 10% of customers paid £56.82 or less annually between 1st Jan – 31st May 2024. Equivalent to £4.74 a month (and excludes the extra costs for paying monthly). 76% of customers have a £1 million limit and 24% £2 million. If you complete a quote, more types of cover will be available. These all have additional costs.

Example security guard insurance quotes, real prices

chiswell insurance

£25.52 /month

£255.21 /year

A self-employed bouncer who works for local pubs

  • 1-2 years’ experience
  • Sole trader
  • No employees
  • Based in Nottingham

Public liability

£1,000,000

Employers’ liability

Not included

Contents & business equipment

Not included

£ 178.32 /month

£1,783.25 /year

A small security company who use guard dogs to patrol

  • 5+ years’ experience
  • Limited company
  • 4 employees
  • Based in AB16 7LL

Public liability

£5,000,000

Employers’ liability

£10,000,000

Contents & business equipment

£10,000

How we work out example quotes: These examples are real quotes from our online system (created 30/09/2024). They’re based on a range of factors, like employees and location. Your own quote will be based on what you tell us about your business. Prices may go up or down from day to day, so the prices you’re quoted may differ to the ones you see here.

How it works

Pick what goes into your policy

Only pay for what you need

Get prices from a range of insurers

Choose the best fit for you

Buy online in minutes

Get your documents the same day

Start your quote

Direct to
insurer

Highstreet
broker

Compare policies from a range of trusted insurers

Yes
No
Yes

Buy online or over the phone in minutes

Yes
Yes
No

How do I choose security insurance?

Making sure you have the right type and level of business insurance can be the difference between getting a claim paid and having to cover the cost of an expensive accident yourself. Read our tips for guidance on what to consider when buying a policy.

  • Which type of workers do I need insurance for?

  • Does security guard insurance cover my work correctly?

  • Do I need cover for other types of work?

  • Which public liability cover limit should I choose?

Talk to an expert

Our team of UK-based insurance experts are here to help, Mon 09.00am – 05.30pm, Tues 09.00am – 05.30pm, Weds 09.00am – 05.30pm, Thurs 09.30am – 05.30pm, Fri 09.00am – 05.30pm, Sat 09.00am – 02.00pm

Call our team

0333 043 8527

Online

Contact us on our website whenever suits you

Phone

Call our insurance experts during office hours (calls are charged at a local rate)

FAQs

Find answers to common insurance questions

How do security insurance claims work?

Unlike price comparison websites, we take the hassle out of claims for you. We know how important it is to get your business back on track quickly – and with a minimum of fuss. That’s why you get access to your dedicated claims any time, day or night. Call them on 0333 207 0560 or claim online. They’ll do their best to be fair and supportive.

£51 million in claims paid out in 2023

83% of claims were settled in 2023.

The figure above is rounded across our range of products. “Settled” covers paid, declined or withdrawn. Our claims process may vary for different products and operates on a ‘claim by claim’ basis. Our specialist partner Sedgwick will pay the claims on behalf of the insurer. Reviewed on 24/04/2024.

Example claim

Having security company insurance through Simply Business has saved industry professionals thousands of pounds when the unexpected happened.

Graham saved more than £7,200

Graham (not his real name) was working with his German Shepherd dog on a night shift – his dog ran at a passer by and their dog, biting their arm. The public liability insurance included in Graham’s security guard policy covered the accidental injury claim costs, and the legal expenses cover he’d added helped pay for court fees.

Insurance payout

£7,285

Covering the cost of injuries caused by an animal

Insurance payout

Covering the cost of injuries caused by an animal

Covering the cost of injuries caused by an animal

Chosen by nearly 1 million small businesses and landlords

We started out as a team of five back in 2005. We’ve grown since then, with nearly 1 million customers across 1,500 trades now trusting us to provide their business insurance.

Compare and buy in minutes

Documents arrive today

Rated 4.8/5

Based on 39,802 Feefo reviews

Here to help

Help from UK-based experts

24/7 claims

Make a claim any time

Security guard insurance FAQ

Whether you’re new to buying business insurance or you’ve been trading for a while, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about insurance for security guards. You can also check out our business insurance FAQs.

Public liability insurance is a popular cover for the security industry, as it can protect you from a claim if someone is injured or their property gets damaged because of your work. Lots of companies also choose to add business equipment cover for the essential kit they rely on.

In terms of legal requirements, you’ll usually need employers’ liability insurance if you employ anyone – for example a temp you hire during the busy Christmas season or another security guard to share the load with. It’s almost always a legal non-negotiable, so don’t leave it out, or you could face fines of up to £2,500 a day for each employee.

This depends on your business, and which insurer is providing your cover. Prices start from £6.56 a month for our security company customers – we work this out by taking the highest price from the bottom 10 per cent of all our customers paying in monthly instalments (based on data from 1 July – 31 December 2020). Most customers pay more than this but some pay less.

Running your own business can come with risks, and security businesses are no exception. Getting security guard insurance can help protect you and your business whether you damage the property you’re protecting, face stolen or damaged equipment, or your employees get hurt on the job.

Each insurer looks at CCJs and IVAs differently – some apply stricter rules than others, but having a CCJ or IVA doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be able to buy insurance.

If you decide to work for yourself in security, you can do this by setting up a limited company or registering as a sole trader. Whichever option you choose, you’ll need to consider security guard insurance to help protect your business.

Because of the risks associated with working as a security guard, it’s a good idea to get security guard insurance. This can help you whenever unexpected costs appear, such as property damage or theft. 

This will depend on whether you have employers’ liability insurance in place. Public liability insurance is designed to protect your business against the consequences of legal action brought by members of the public for injuries or damage to their belongings. But when it comes to your employees causing injury or damage, this protection only activates if you also have employers’ liability insurance.

If you employ people, you’re required by law to have employers’ liability insurance.

There’s one exception here. Family businesses that aren’t incorporated as a limited company are not legally required to have employers’ liability insurance. The government defines a “family business” as one where all your employees are closely related to you (as a spouse, civil partner, sibling, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, step-parent, stepchild or half-sibling). So if you run an unincorporated family business and you choose not to get employers’ liability insurance, it’s important to know that your public liability insurance wouldn’t cover you against damage or injury caused by your team.

An excess is an amount you pay towards any claim you make on your insurance. For example, if your excess is £250 and you make a claim worth £1000, your payout will be a maximum of £750.

Insurance coverLowest excessHighest excess
Public liability£100£2500
Employers’ liabilityNo excessNo excess
Tools£60£500
Stock£100£500
Business and office equipment£50£750
*The figures above are for guidance only and any excess applying to your quote may differ. You’ll get a breakdown of the excesses for each quote when you compare with us.

We create this content for general information purposes and it should not be taken as advice. Always check policy documentation for details and seek professional advice. Read our full Terms and Conditions

Helpful articles for security guards