Business insurance
Buy insurance with Hiscox to join over 400,000* UK-based small businesses like yours.
Do you run a consultancy firm? An architect's studio? Maybe you have a hair salon, or work freelance. Either way, business insurance lets you stay focused on your work, without worrying about unexpected costs. Get a quote tailored to your business’ needs in minutes.
Online quote in 5 minutes
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Why choose Hiscox to protect your business?
1
Flexible cover from £8.40 a month*Our small business insurance quotes start low. Build tailored cover with us.
*Figures based on an average of all business insurance policies sold to at least 10% of our customer base between April 2023 and April 2024
2
Wider business support Get access to the Business Support Hub and Hiscox Risk Academy.
Let us show you how we can help protect your business
What is business insurance?
Business insurance is a type of cover that can protect UK firms against losses. It helps to safeguard small businesses against compensation claims and legal costs. Your policy can counter risks that come with business activity. It’s also known as commercial insurance.
With Hiscox, there are a few types to choose from. They can help small businesses like limited companies and sole traders.
The major insurance types include:
- Professional indemnity insurance
- Public liability insurance
- Employers’ liability insurance
- Cyber insurance
- Property insurance, such as business contents.
Tailored business insurance policies can prepare you for the unexpected. For example, data loss, compensation claims or specialist equipment damage.
The right cover can help to manage costs. Sometimes, there’s also hands-on support.
Do I need business insurance?
Business insurance is available for any company that provides a service. If this is you, there might be a risk of claims and lawsuits.
Some industry bodies also set out insurance requirements.
You might need business insurance in the UK if you are a:
- Limited company
- Self-employed professional
- Start-up
- Sole trader
- Freelancer
- Home business
- Micro business
- Small to medium-sized enterprise (SME).
You could be a firm with a 100-strong headcount, or a team of one. A part-timer, or a family business.
When judging your business insurance needs, think about:
Laws and contracts
UK companies that employ staff may need to have employers’ liability insurance. The rules are set out in law.
Other policies, such as public liability, offer extra reassurance. At times, a contract or council may ask for them.
Business risks
You may find your business needs insurance to deal with the unexpected. For example:
- Slips and trips
- Workplace illness
- Service complaints
- Negligence claims
- Office theft
- Flooding
- Hacking events
- Breaking copyright.
Even if you aren’t at fault, costs can add up. For example, you may need to cover legal fees.
A business insurance policy can offer support.
Hiscox is rated 4.8/5 on Feefo. This comes from real customer reviews in the past year. In all, we have 3550 reviews.
Tell us about your business. We’ll build your quote and explore insurance needs.
Build my coverWho we cover
Hiscox offers specialist insurance to a wide range of industry sectors. We cover over 400,000 businesses* in the UK.
Do you trade with tools? Maybe you provide specialist services. Our business insurance can support many UK firms.
Plumbers and carpenters can benefit from our products. As can software developers and marketing and media agencies.
We even create customised small business insurance for specialist areas. This applies to:
*based on the number of policies sold in 2023.
Business insurance for your profession
With Hiscox, business insurance quote can be tailored to your profession.
Insurance for contractors
Business insurance can help to defend a wide range of contractors against business risks.
Insurance for shops
Various types of shops can benefit from our business insurance.
Insurance for tradesmen
The right insurance could safeguard tradesmen in their day-to-day work.
Insurance for education and training firms
Working with people leaves education firms open to risks. Insurance can help.
Insurance for digital marketing businesses
Business insurance could protect your digital marketing agency.
Insurance for accountants
Working with finances can create risk for accountants. Business insurance can help.
Insurance for HR consultants
The right insurance cover could support your work with people and projects.
Insurance for IT consultants
You work with systems and software. Should things go wrong, insurance can help.
Insurance for management consultants
Business insurance could protect your consultancy. Whether you're in strategy or logistics.
Tell us what you do
Types of business insurance cover
Professional indemnity
Professional indemnity insurance is there to help if you have been negligent. Or if you’re simply accused of it. It can step in if a client believes you got something wrong that lost them money. We’ll be there to help with damages and legal fees so you can focus on running your business.
Learn more about professional indemnity insurance.
Public liability
This helps protect your business if someone claims you caused property damage. It can also help with claims from the public of illness or injury because of your work. Whatever you do for a living, accidents happen. If a customer or courier makes a claim, this insurance policy covers court fees and damages.
Learn more about public liability insurance.
Product liabilityYou can buy product liability insurance with your public liability cover. This supports your business if a product causes injury, illness or damage. Insurance can help if you design, produce, make, repair, alter or supply a product.
Learn more about product liability insurance.
Employers’ liability
This may be a requirement under UK law. It protects you if an employee is injured on your premises. Or if they become ill and say it’s because of work. You might need cover for full-time employees, part-time staff, volunteers and helpers. This policy helps with the costs of defending or settling a legal claim.
Learn more about employers’ liability insurance.
Cyber and data
If you’re hacked, it can cost money to put things right. That’s what our cyber cover is for. It can also help with data breaches and crime. Some firms can add optional cyber business interruption insurance. Depending on your turnover, this may help with costs if your business can't run because of a cyber event.
Learn more about cyber insurance.
Personal accident
In a micro-business, you might not have a rainy-day fund. In a start-up, you may rely on key people. That’s where personal accident insurance can help. If you or a named employee can’t work due to an accidental injury, we’ll provide up to £250 per week. If a serious accident affects your livelihood, this type of cover can pay a lump sum.
Learn more about personal accident insurance.
Hiscox can also provide covers such as:
- Legal protection insurance
- Management liability insurance
- Business contents insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- Property away and in transit insurance
- Equipment breakdown insurance
- Professional, treatment and public liability insurance.
Taking out specialist insurance may be a good idea in some fields. Find out more about what we cover.
We can build your business insurance quote. Explore your cover requirements.
Build my coverHow business insurance works
1
Tell us about your unique business Start with your sector to see what you can add. We’ll ask for details like your business name and its annual turnover, plus an overview of your employees.
2
Tailor your insurance by choosing policies Include the products you want and avoid those you don’t. You’re in control.
3
Get your quote and documents
Generate a quote in minutes, online or by phone. Buy your cover and get documents by email.
Inclusions and exclusions vary by product type. See your policy documents for full details.
Ready to learn more? Speak to our customer services team for further policy details.
You can contact us:
- By phone
- By live chat.
Why Hiscox business insurance?
Why choose Hiscox? Because when things go wrong, we put them right.
We’re the small business insurance experts. We know how hard you work to build your business. And we help you protect your good name.
Innovation and service are central to what we do, as seen with our CyberClear Academy.
We provide an award-winning service too. We’re proud winners of the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award in 2023. This independent seal of excellence comes from real customers.
With Hiscox business insurance, you get a:
- Range of cover limits
- Specialist claims team on hand.
Thanks to all this, you can rest assured you’ve got the right cover in place. But don’t just take our word for it – check out our reviews and ratings on Feefo (external link).
View our business insurance reviews page to see how our customers feel about working with us.
We know that with the right insurance, your business can flourish. Even when there’s a challenge.
Get an online business insurance quote. Find out how Hiscox commercial cover can keep your empire healthy.
Have a question? There are a range of ways to contact us for business insurance guidance.
Business insurance FAQs
Is business insurance a legal requirement in the UK?
Some types of business insurance are required under UK law. As such, many companies might need employers’ liability cover.
While others may not be a legal requirement, they are a safeguard. For example, public liability insurance. Horse riding firms may need this by law (external link). For others, this cover can help protect against costly claims. It’s a safety net.
How much does business insurance cost?
The total cost of your business insurance policy depends on:
- The type of cover you need
- The value of that cover
- Risks specific to your company or industry.
With Hiscox, small business insurance quotes start from £8.40 per month*. Find out more about the cost of business insurance.
*Figures based on an average of all business insurance policies sold to at least 10% of our customer base between April 2023 and April 2024.
Can I get business insurance before registering my business?
Yes. You can get business insurance before you register your limited company. This means you can get full protection from day one.
When you set up a new business, buying insurance might be one of the first things you do. This helps make sure any property, IT systems and liabilities are taken care of.
How long is a quote valid for?
An online Hiscox business insurance quote can be saved for later. You’ll just need to create an account and log in to retrieve it. Quotes are valid for 45 days.
If you aren’t ready to buy cover just yet, opt for us to stay in touch. We’ll keep you updated with the latest products, price points and special offers.
Can I get business insurance without a trade licence?
Yes. It is possible to take out business insurance before you receive your trade licence. This offers the reassurance that you’re covered as soon as you launch your business.
However, note that your policy might be invalid if you start trading before this arrives. It could mean claims aren’t paid.
What are some real-life examples of Hiscox business insurance claims?
We’ve helped with cases like:
- The software professional accused of sub-standard development work
- The wildlife photographer whose kit was stolen by baboons.
Read through our business insurance claims stories to get a clearer picture.
How can I pay for business insurance?
Pay for Hiscox business insurance by:
- Debit card
- Monthly direct debit
- Annual direct debit.
You can cancel any time with no fees.
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