Public liability insurance ice cream vans

In case your ice cream 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 ice cream business
• an injury or illness caused by your business activities and products
• accidental damage or injuries caused by your employees

For example:

• a customer sues you for selling ice cream which hasn’t been stored at the correct temperature, after her child falls ill
• your van causes damage to a school client’s playground, while booked at the school fair

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

In case an employee gets sick 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:

• your employee injures their lower back while loading stock into your van, and raises a claim
• a temp you’ve hired for the busy summer season burns their hand on your van’s hot water unit, and needs hospital treatment

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?

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

For example:

• an overnight flash flood damages the laptop you use for work
• you drop your phone onto a concrete floor, damaging it beyond repair

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Stock insurance

In case something happens to your stored ingredients, products and materials.

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 ice cream van

For example:

• a flood damages all the ice cream stock you keep in your freezer at home
• you’re parked at a funfair and a power malfunction damages the contents of your van ahead of a busy trading day

Read more about stock insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you face legal costs in connection with your ice cream van business.

What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

• legal costs attributed to your ice cream 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 professional reputation

For example:

• you incur legal costs when a resident in the street you’re parked on raises a nuisance claim against you
• you need to pay for legal representation while appealing an HSE decision against your business

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’re in a minor road accident while cycling, and can’t work for two weeks
• your employee traps their finger in your ice cream van door, and needs three weeks off work

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 ice cream van 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 catering van insurance or market traders insurance?

Do I need cover for other types of work?

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

• Courier insurance
• Fast food insurance
• Restaurant insurance
• Home baking insurance
• Cafe insurance
• Pub insurance
• Wine bar insurance
• Takeaway 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.