Running a catering business can be hectic and risky business so making sure you protect your business and staff from possible claims from the public is essential.
Taking out public and product liability cover for your business will protect you and cover your legal and compensation costs. If you employ staff, you will also need employer’s liability insurance as it is a legal requirement.
You may want to cover your buildings, stock or catering vehicles too. Whatever you need to cover a flexible catering insurance policy could be right for you. Below we have examined what some of the leading catering insurance providers can offer you.
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The table below gives a quick comparison of the top UK providers for catering insurance.
| Company | Minimum cover | Maximum cover |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Line Group | £1 million | £10 million |
| Zurich | £2 million | £10 million |
| NFU Mutual | Not stated | Not stated |
| A19 Insurance | Not stated | Not stated |
| Ripe Insurance | £1 million | £10 million |
| Versatile Insurance | Not stated | Not stated |
* The facts and figures included here come from each company’s website and were accurate at the time of writing (June 2019) but may have since changed. Also, please keep in mind these may not be apples to apples comparisons as each provider offers different solutions. This guide should be used as a starting off point for more research on your part.
Below we profile each of the companies’ services and features in a bit more detail.
Note companies are ranked in no particular order and this no way indicates one solution is better than another.
1. Direct Line for Business
Some of the features and benefits of Direct Line for Business’ catering insurance.
- Dedicated Catering, Home Baking and Food Retail Insurance
- Covers home and shop-based businesses
- Includes cover at events, markets and fairs
- Choice of cover
- Public and product liability
- Employer’s liability
- Building, contents and stock
- Business interruption
- Legal expenses
- They guarantee to beat your quote
Direct Line for Business offers an extensive range of business insurance products which are tailored to meet the needs of specific trades and professions. They offer a range cover to a variety of businesses including Catering, Home Baking and Food Retail Insurance.
Direct Line for Business’ catering insurance is designed to meet the needs of a home or shop-based caters and the policy includes cover at events, markets and fairs and it comes with public and product liability insurance as standard. You can tailor the cover to meet your needs by selecting from employer’s liability, building, contents and stock cover, business interruption, legal expenses, theft of takings and cyber cover.
Direct Line for Business website
2. Zurich
Some of the features and benefits of Zurich’s catering insurance.
- Trades and Professions Insurance
- Suitable for caterers
- Tailor your own cover
- Public and product liability
- Option to increase liability cover level
- Add optional extras
- Business contents
- Stock cover
- Business equipment
- Personal accident cover
Zurich is an insurance provider that offers a wide range of business insurance products that are designed for specific trades or professions, or particular insurance needs. They offer several tailored products which include Trades and Professions Insurance which was designed to meet the needs of a broad range of professions including caterers.
Zurich’s Trades and Professions Insurance offers tailored insurance product which includes £2 million public liability insurance as standard and the option to increase this cover up to £10 million. They also offer a range of optional extras to help tailor the policy to your profession which includes business contents, stock, business equipment and personal accident cover.
3. NFU Mutual
Some of the features and benefits of NFU Mutual’s catering insurance.
- Specific Catering Insurance
- Suited to a wide range of catering establishments
- Standard cover with optional extras
- Contents and stock
- Public, product, employer’s and environmental liability
- Money and malicious attack
- Goods in transit
- Business interruption
- Can add buildings insurance
- Offers a range of other optional others
NFU Mutual is an insurance provider that is run for the benefit of its members. It offers a range of tailored insurance products that are designed for specific professions and trades such as Catering Insurance. This insurance is designed for restaurants, cafes, pubs, hotels and guesthouses.
NFU Mutual’s Catering Insurance offers a range of standard cover which includes public, product, employer’s and environmental liability insurance as well as contents and stock, money and malicious attack, business interruption and goods in transit. You can add optional extras such as buildings, commercial legal expenses, deterioration of stock and group personal accident.
4. A19 Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of A19 Insurance’s catering insurance.
- Offers a range of catering insurance products
- Catering Insurance
- Café Insurance
- Takeaway Insurance
- Catering Van and Trailer Insurance
- Caterer’s liability insurance
- Public and product liability insurance
- Employer’s liability insurance
- Option to include equipment cover
- Competitive insurance quotes
A19 Insurance is a specialist insurance provider that offers a broad range of insurance products that are designed to cater for the needs of specific businesses. Their specialist insurance includes very specific insurance such as catering insurance that is designed for catering businesses but also offers tailored insurance like Café Insurance, Takeaway Insurance, Catering Van and Trailer Insurance.
A19 Insurance’s catering insurance includes caterer’s liability insurance which can include public liability, product liability and employer’s liability as well as the option to add equipment cover. They claim to offer competitive insurance quotes and cover that is designed specifically with your trade in mind.
5. Ripe Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of Ripe Insurance’s catering insurance.
- Dedicated Caterers Insurance
- Flexible insurance
- Public liability insurance
- Employer’s liability insurance
- Offers a range of optional cover
- Tools, plant and machinery
- Goods in transit
- Contract works
- Option to increase liability cover
- Accidental death cover free with every policy
Ripe Insurance is an insurance provider that offers insurance products that cater for over 300 trades and professions with dedicated insurance products. Their insurance product range includes Caterers Insurance that is designed to give catering business owners protection and peace of mind.
Ripe Insurance’s Caterers Insurance includes public liability and employer’s liability insurance which offers a choice public liability cover of £1 million, £2 million and £5 million, and standard £10 million employer’s liability cover. They offer a range of optional extras such as tool cover up to £5,000, plant and machinery cover up to £50,000, goods in transit up to £500, and contract works up to £50,000.
6. Versatile Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of Versatile Insurance’s catering insurance.
- Catering Trades Insurance
- Covers a broad range of catering businesses
- Includes specialist products
- Public, product and employer’s liability insurance
- Business equipment
- Stock cover
- Personal accident
- Catering vans
- Catering trailers
- Fixtures and fittings
Versatile Insurance is a specialist insurance provider that offers a range of insurance products that are designed to meet the needs of specific trades. They offer a variety of insurance products under lifestyle and beauty, property insurance and catering insurance.
Versatile Insurance’s Catering Trades Insurance covers a wide range of catering businesses including mobile caterers, event caterers, restaurants, cafes and takeaways as well as specialist policies for baked potato vans and wet fish rounds. You can select your own cover from public, product and employer’s liability, business equipment, stock and personal accident cover. Their catering van and trailer insurance includes fixtures and fittings too.
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