Public and product liability insurance for bars

In case your wine bar causes an injury, illness, or property damage.

What’s typically covered by public and product liability insurance for bars?

Claims against your business for:

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

For example:

• a customer slips on a wet floor in your main bar, breaking their ankle
• one of your employees accidentally spills red wine on a customer’s coat and handbag, causing permanent staining
• you’ve put nuts on the bar menu and a customer sues you for causing an allergic reaction

What you’ll need additional cover for

• 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 wine bar.

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 Christmas temps is injured while using faulty equipment behind the bar and claims compensation
• your bar manager trips over some wiring in the back office and breaks her arm

Building insurance

In case something happens to your wine bar 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:

• an outdoor heater catches fire and damages your building, which will need to be partially rebuilt
• you need to replace your bar’s floorboards, due to flood damage over Christmas

Read more about buildings insurance

Contents insurance

In case things like laptops or office filing cabinets are lost, stolen, or damaged.

What’s typically covered by wine bar contents insurance?

• accidental damage to your wine bar’s fixtures and fittings, or the equipment you use to run your business
• theft, flood, and fire damage

For example:

• your laptop and some sound system equipment are stolen from your back office overnight
• a summer temp accidentally damages your glass wine fridge doors and casing, and you need to store your wine off-site while repairs are made

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Stock insurance

In case something happens to your wine, or any other drinks and produce

What’s typically covered by stock insurance?

• loss, damage, or theft of things like your wine, fresh ingredients, or branded bar materials

For example:

• your cellar wines are damaged during a fire, and you need to replace everything
• while in transit, a large crate of wine gets ruined in the back of the delivery van

Read more about stock insurance

Business interruption insurance

In case you can’t trade, because of theft or damage to your wine bar’s essentials.

What’s typically covered by business interruption insurance?

• your business income, if you can’t trade because your stock, contents, or buildings are damaged or stolen

For example:

• a storm damages the main function room in your wine bar, and you’re forced to shut over the busy Christmas period
• there’s a fire in the building next to your bar which causes extensive damage – you need to stop trading for three months while repairs are made

Read more about business interruption insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you have to pay legal costs connected with your wine bar.

What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

• legal costs attributed to your wine bar 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 support to help you protect your reputation as a much-loved wine bar

For example:

• HMRC have spotted some inaccuracies in your tax return and you have to pay an accountant to look into it
• you need to claim for court fees when vandals break into your premises, causing extensive damage

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

For example:

• one of your staff slips on a wet floor behind the bar, injuring their back and keeping them off work for a month
• your business partner is playing football and injures her knee – she’ll need surgery and at least three months off her feet

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 wine bar 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 restaurant insurance or takeaway insurance?

Do I need cover for other types of work?

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

• Fast food insurance
• Pub insurance
• Catering van insurance
• Sandwich shop insurance
• Coffee shop insurance
• Catering insurance
• Private chef insurance
• Food business 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.