Business insurance for Record and music shops


Vinyl is back in a big way. And whether you’re selling old records or fresh pressings from the vinyl revival, business insurance can help your record shop to defend against the unexpected.

With more customers turning to physical media, having the right insurance can help to protect your record shop in unforeseen circumstances. Whether it’s public liability insurance, which can help to cover the impact of accidents, or contents insurance, which can help to recoup the costs of damaged stock. 
 

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Why choose Hiscox for record and music shop insurance?


1

Tailored cover from £8.40 a month*

We tailor cover to your business, so you’re only paying for what you need. Find small business insurance from £8.40 per month*

*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

Award-winning service

As proud winners of the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service award and achievers of Chartered Insurer status, we provide a service you can rely on

3

Flexible insurer 

We allow you to make unlimited policy changes and pay your music shop insurance on a monthly basis 

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Collection of vinyl records

Why do record and music shops need insurance?


Tripping over an electrical cable

You have a pair of turntables and a mixer set up in the record shop. It’s a place where budding DJs can listen to vinyl records or try their hand at mixing. However, all these wires trail across a walkway, and one day a customer trips on a cable and hurts themselves. Public liability insurance is there for times when you might need help with legal fees and compensation payouts if the customer decides to make a claim against your business.  
 

Flood in the stock room

After a month of heavy rain, your waterlogged gutters sprout a leak and water works its way into the stock room. Vinyl records, turntables and office stationery are all casualties of the water leak and it’s not long before hundreds of pounds worth of damage is done. Business contents insurance could help to replace or repair valuable stock after an accident.   
 

Hackers target your online store

Your online music shop is a lucrative arm of your business, connecting collectors from across the UK to your rarest vinyl finds. One morning, you receive a mysterious phone call about a purchase you don’t recognise. You quickly realise that you’re the victim of malicious hacking and your online orders and funds are being diverted. Cyber insurance can help to support you financially in the event of a digital attack or an online breach.   
 

What insurance is available for record and music shops?


Some record shops also add personal accident, legal protection, commercial buildings insurance, and portable equipment insurance to protect against a range of risks. 

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Insurance for record and music shops: FAQs


Can you open a shop without insurance?

Yes, you can open a shop without insurance, but it comes with risks. For example, if you plan to employ staff, you’ll usually need employers’ liability insurance to stay on the right side of the law. Even without staff, running a shop comes with a risk of financial setbacks that insurance can help you to mitigate. Products liability insurance, for example, can help to defend against the risk that something you sell causes harm. Problems can arise as soon as you start trading, so putting insurance in place is often one of the first things you’ll decide to do when opening a new record shop. 
 

Are my records covered by contents insurance?

Yes, the records owned by your business as stock can be covered as part of business contents insurance from Hiscox. 
If you run an online record shop from home, your stock may not be covered under your standard home insurance policy. Additional cover can therefore help to keep your business secure. Likewise, portable equipment insurance may be useful if your work will involve travelling to industry events and collectors’ fairs. 
 

Can I insure valuable, rare records? 

Your contents insurance will generally settle claims for second-hand records up to their trade value at the time of their loss. However, prices of vinyl can fluctuate significantly. 
If you have a few really valuable rare records and are concerned about market fluctuation you can ask to insure those on an agreed value basis. Though your insurer may seek an independent valuation before doing so. 
 

How much is business insurance for record and music shops?

The cost of business insurance for record and music shops varies depending on several factors but can start from as little as £8.40 per month*. 

At Hiscox, our focus is flexibility, and you can decide which insurance is appropriate for you. The cost is calculated based on the cover you choose and the level of insurance you need. For example, if a large portion of your stock involves rare or expensive records, you might decide a higher level of contents cover may be more appropriate – in this case, you might pay slightly more. 
 

*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


Worker updates spreadsheet

Claims stories: Damaged retail stock 

Accidents happen, but insurance can help to put things right when they do. Read our damaged retail stock case study to see how one client was able to claim. 

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 Do I need a public liability certificate? 

A public liability certificate is there to prove you have up-to-date liability insurance. Read our public liability certificate blog to find out more and how it can affect your business.