If you design, manufacture, distribute, supply or sell products then you may want to consider purchasing product liability insurance cover to protect your business from any claims from third parties that might arise.
Whether you are a large multinational through to a hobby business where you sell homemade items you are susceptible to claims for injury or damage to property from your products.
Many insurance providers offer product liability as standard with public liability and some combined products or as an optional extra. Below we have examined what some of the leading insurance providers can offer.
The table below gives a quick comparison of the top UK providers for product liability insurance.
Company | Minimum cover | Maximum cover |
---|---|---|
Aviva | £1 million | £5 million |
AIG | £1 million | £70 million |
RSA | Not stated | Not stated |
Direct Line Group | Not stated | £10 million |
Zurich | Not stated | Not stated |
ACE | Not stated | Not stated |
Allianz | Not stated | £10 million |
Ageas | Not stated | Not stated |
QBE | Not stated | £100 million |
NFU Mutual | Not stated | £2.5 million |
Chubb | Not stated | Not stated |
Covéa | Not stated | £5 million |
HDI | Not stated | £10 million |
Hiscox | Not stated | Not stated |
AmTrust Europe | Not stated | £5 million |
Markel direct | Not stated | £5 million |
Travelers | Not stated | £10 million |
Tokio Marine | Not stated | £100 million |
NIG | Not stated | £10 million |
ARO Insurance | £2 million | £5 million |
Glemham Insurance | Not stated | £10 million |
* The facts and figures included here come from each company’s website and were accurate at the time of writing 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.
Topics
1. Aviva
Some of the features and benefits of Aviva’s product liability insurance.
- Public liability insurance that includes product liability
- Covers products that you make or supply
- Includes accidental injury
- Also covers damage to their property
- Does not include repair costs if the product breaks down
- Excludes employee cover
- Choice of the level of cover
- Maximum cover of £5 million
- Includes legal expenses
- Includes hairdresser’s liability where applicable
Aviva is a well-known insurance provider that offers a variety of business insurance which covers a diverse range of risks for a broad range of industries. They do not offer standalone product liability, but they include it as standard for specific trades where appropriate as part of their public liability insurance.
Aviva’s product liability insurance provides cover against injury of a person or damage to property as a result of your product. It excludes injury to employees as that requires separate employer’s liability cover. Their product and public liability cover offer a choice of cover – £1 million, £2 million and £5 million, and it includes legal expenses.
2. AIG
Some of the features and benefits of AIG’s product liability insurance.
- A choice of liability products that include product liability
- General Liabilities insurance
- Excess Liability
- Liability Protect
- Can include crisis management cover
- Option to include medical and vocational rehabilitation
- Aids businesses to control their operational risks
- Can be combined with public, employer’s, excess liability and beyond liability cover
- Includes product recall
- Provided by regional underwriting specialist
AIG is an insurance provider that offers a variety of business insurance which includes speciality insurance such as liability insurance as standalone or combined products. They offer three liability products that can include product liability as part of the cover. They offer their insurance cover through a regional network of underwriting specialists.
AIG’s General Liabilities insurance includes public, products and excess liabilities insurance with inclusive crisis containment and product recall. Their Excess Liability insurance gives excess cover for employer’s, public, products and commercial motor insurance. Liability Protect offers insurance for employer’s, public, product and beyond liability cover which includes product recall, environmental cleanup costs, crisis containment and cyber liability.
3. RSA
Some of the features and benefits of RSA’s product liability insurance.
- Risk Managed General Liability
- Includes public and product liability
- Accidental injury
- Accidental loss or damage to property
- Financial loss
- Available to a wide range of industries
- Favours those who proactively manage risk
- Offers crisis management response and support
- International coverage
- Available only through brokers
RSA is an insurance provider that can offer global coverage and knowledge through its network of partners. They provide a variety of business insurance products to a broad range of industries, but they prefer businesses that are more risk adverse or have taken steps to reduce their risks.
RSA does not sell product liability on its own but as a combined package with public liability insurance under a policy called Risk Managed General Liability. This package offers cover against accidental injury, accidental loss and damage to property as well as financial loss. It also offers crisis management response and support as standard to assist their customers.
4. Direct Line for Business
Some of the features and benefits of Direct Line for Business’ product liability insurance.
- Cover for manufacturers and sellers
- Paired with public liability insurance
- Injury caused by your product
- Damage to property
- Covers legal fees
- Pays compensation costs
- Not a legal requirement
- Cover up to £10 million
- Valid for all claims during the policy period
- Guarantee to beat any quote
Direct Line for Business is an insurance provider that offers a wide range of business insurance and they specialise in providing insurance for smaller businesses. They offer product liability with their public liability insurance with cover up to £10 million designed for manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and retailers.
Direct Line for Business’ product liability insurance provides protection against claims for injury and property damage resulting from one of your products. It provides cover for claims that are made within the period of your policy regardless of when the product was sold. It covers legal fees and any compensation costs.
Direct Line for Business website
5. Zurich
Some of the features and benefits of Zurich’s product liability insurance.
- Combined product and public liability insurance
- Protection against personal injury and property liabilities
- Tailored policies
- Can include crisis containment with PR assistance
- Product recall insurance available
- Combine it with environmental impairment liability
- Can also be combined with excess liability
- Dedicated claims experts
- Covers a broad range of business types
- Available directly from Zurich
Zurich is an insurance provider that offers a range of business insurance that focuses on life and health insurance as well as offering a range of liability insurance. They offer insurance to a broad range of businesses and products. They offer product liability insurance that is combined with public liability and can also be combined with environmental impairment and excess liability insurance.
Zurich’s product liability, when combined with public liability insurance, offers protection from personal injury and property liability claims. Their policies can be tailored to offer additional protection such as product recalls and crisis containment which includes PR assistance.
6. ACE Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of ACE Insurance’s product liability insurance.
- Protection against product claims
- Injury resulting from your product
- Personal damage claims
- Tailored policies
- Option to combine it with other cover
- Public liability insurance
- Employer’s liability insurance
- Offers a useful quote tool
- Covers a wide variety of businesses
- Will search for suitable cover for you
ACE Insurance is an insurance provider that offers a range of business insurance products that help protect businesses from risks and losses with a range of liability insurance. Their insurance products are designed to meet the needs of smaller businesses and they support them in helping them to find the right quote through their online quoting tool.
ACE Insurance’s product liability insurance is a flexible product that can be tailorable to your business needs such as combining it with other liability covers including public liability and employer’s liability. They claim to offer peace of mind insurance with affordable quotes and first-class service.
7. Allianz
Some of the features and benefits of Allianz’s product liability insurance.
- Part of their Complete Business insurance package
- Designed for a wide variety of businesses
- Tailored policy
- Combined public and product liability
- Up to £2 million of cover as standard
- Option to increase the cover to £5 or £10 million
- Comprehensive cover for businesses
- Includes property, business interruption and employer’s liability
- Cover for commercial businesses with a turnover up to £10 million
- Available only through a broker
Allianz is an insurance provider that offers a range of business insurance through a network of brokers. They offer a range of tailorable insurance packages which includes their Complete range of products designed for businesses, offices, retailers, and more. Each of these products is tailored to each business type and includes public and product liability as standard where appropriate.
Allianz combines their product liability with public liability, and it offers £2 million of cover as standard but this can be increased if needed to £5 million or £10 million. Other cover can include property damage, business interruption, employer’s liability, personal accident, commercial legal expenses and loss of money.
8. Ageas
Some of the features and benefits of Ageas’ product liability insurance.
- As part of their packaged insurance products
- Tailored insurance packages
- Available to a variety of trades and businesses
- Combined with public liability
- Designed for sole traders to bigger businesses
- Comprehensive cover in a single policy
- Can also include property, goods in transit and business interruption
- You can include employer’s liability and personal accident
- 24/7 help and support
- Available only through a broker
Ageas is an insurance provider that offers a range of flexible business insurance products that are packaged for specific business types or as specialist insurance. They offer product liability on most of their combined policies with public liability. It is available on their commercial combined, cleaning, distributors, homeworkers, office and surgery, manufacturers, shopkeepers and tradesman insurance products.
Ageas’ packaged insurance products are suited to a wide range of businesses from sole traders to bigger businesses. Through their combined packages businesses can get comprehensive cover on a single policy which can also include property, business interruption, employer’s liability, personal accident, goods in transit and legal expenses.
9. QBE
Some of the features and benefits of QBE’s product liability insurance.
- Part of their General Liability policy
- Option to include product liability
- Can also include product recall
- Tailored policies to include the elements that you need
- Flexible cover
- Cover available up to £100 million
- Risk management and prevention support
- Offer to a wide variety of industries
- Suited to larger business
- Available directly from them
QBE is an international insurance provider that offers a wide range of general and speciality business insurance products. They tend to cater for larger businesses as they offer higher levels of cover with their General Liabilities insurance offering exceptionally large cover of up to £100 million.
QBE doesn’t offer product liability as a standalone cover but as part of their General Liabilities cover or as an optional extra on some of their other speciality cover products. They try to help businesses to reduce their risk exposure as they offer the services of their Risk Solutions team to help minimise risks.
10. NFU Mutual
Some of the features and benefits of NFU Mutual’s product liability insurance.
- Combined package insurance products
- Included as standard or an optional extra
- Covers injury and damage caused by your product
- Includes legal costs
- Will pay any compensation costs
- Cover up to £2.5 million
- Tailored insurance
- Include the cover you require
- A single comprehensive policy
- Available direct or through a broker
NFU Mutual is an insurance provider that is run by its members. They offer a range of business insurance products that are tailored to specific industries or business types. They do not offer liability insurance as a standalone product, but they do offer it as part of their combined products with public and product liability being offered together.
NFU Mutual offers public and product liability as standard or as an optional extra on many of their policies such as Commercial Select, Caterer, Manufacturer and Wholesaler, Retailer, Office, Surgery, Tradesman and Motor Trade products. It covers damages such as injuries to the public and damage to property from your products.
11. Chubb
Some of the features and benefits of Chubb’s product liability insurance.
- Combined public and product liability insurance
- Tailored cover
- Underwrite products considered difficult to insure
- Recall expense
- Environmental impairment
- Corporate manslaughter defence costs
- Suited to larger businesses
- Offers high levels of indemnity
- International insurance provider
- Available through brokers only
Chubb is an international insurance provider that offers a wide range of business insurance which includes general protection products as well as speciality cover targeted towards specific industries or cover types. Chubb does not offer standalone product liability cover but offers it combined with public liability.
Chubb’s public and product liability cover offer high levels of indemnity through their bespoke insurance cover that can be tailored to meet your businesses needs. They offer specialist product liability cover for those products that are generally considered difficult to insure such as heart monitors, heavy machinery and safety critical equipment. Cover includes recall expense, environmental impairment and corporate manslaughter defence costs.
12. Covea
Some of the features and benefits of Covea’s product liability insurance.
- Offered as part of their combined cover packages
- Included as part of the core cover
- Tailored cover
- Packages designed for specific business types
- Up to £5 million of cover
- Covers injury and damage to property
- Includes legal and compensation costs
- Combined cover in a single policy
- Most suited to smaller businesses
- Available only through a broker
Covea is an insurance provider that offers a range of tailored business insurance products designed for smaller businesses in specific trades or business types. They provide their insurance in packages through a network of brokers.
Covea combines its product liability insurance with public liability as standard as a core part of their cover on several of their combined insurance packages. Their packages that can include product liability are Packaged Retail and Salons, Packaged Offices and Surgeries, Tradesman and Professionals. They offer cover up to £5 million for claims for injury or damage to property resulting for your product.
13. HDI
Some of the features and benefits of HDI’s product liability insurance.
- Included as part of their liability product
- Option to choose which liability cover you need
- Tailored cover
- Can extend your product liability cover
- Optional product recall cover
- Increased cover amounts
- Covers legal and compensation costs
- Cater for specialist risk areas
- International insurance provider
- Available through a broker only
HDI is an international insurance provider that offers a variety of business insurance that caters for larger businesses with product-specific packages and speciality insurance for niche business areas. They do not offer product liability on its own but as part of their combined liabilities package.
HDI’s liability insurance is largely based on public and product liability but can also include employer’s, primary and excess of loss layers. Their public and product liability insurance can be tailored to your needs as it can be extended to include environmental risks, financial loss, product recall, professional indemnity and extended products liability.
14. Hiscox
Some of the features and benefits of Hiscox’s product liability insurance.
- Essential liability cover
- Designed for manufacturers, suppliers and retailers
- Available on its own or combined with public liability
- Protects against claims of injury or damage to property
- Includes legal costs
- Will pay compensation costs
- Up to £10 million cover
- Combined public and product liability cover from £55 per year
- Suitable to a wide range of businesses
- Available directly from them
Hiscox is an insurance provider that offers a range of business insurance products that can be purchased as a standalone cover or combined to create a more comprehensive cover in a single policy. They offer product liability insurance as a standalone product, part of a combined package and as standard with all public liability insurance cover.
Hiscox’s product liability is combined with public liability offering cover up to £10 million with cover starting as low as £55 per year. The cover offers protection from claims of injury or damage to property from your products for manufacturers, suppliers or retailers of the product. It covers legal expenses and compensation costs.
15. AmTrust Europe
Some of the features and benefits of AmTrust Europe’s product liability insurance.
- General liability
- Protection against third-party claims
- Includes product, public and employer’s liability
- Cover can be extended to include primary and excess capacity
- Offer varying levels of cover up to £5 million
- Tailored cover
- Targets the service sector, contracting, light manufacturing, haulage and leisure businesses
- Suited to small to medium-sized businesses
- International insurance provider
- Available through brokers
AmTrust Europe is part of an international insurance provider who offers a range of business insurance products that are tailored to meet the needs of their target businesses. They target businesses such as contracting, light manufacturing, service sector, haulage and leisure.
AmTrust Europe does not offer standalone product liability insurance but a general liabilities package which includes public, product and employer’s liability insurance. Their general liabilities insurance is a flexible product that can be tailored, such as being extended to include primary and excess capacity. It offers cover up to £5 million and £10 million for employer’s liability.
16. Markel Direct
Some of the features and benefits of Markel direct’s product liability insurance.
- Combined public and product liability insurance
- Tailored policies
- Covers injury and damage to property
- Includes legal fees
- Pays compensation costs
- Immediate cover
- Cover ranging from £1 million to £5 million
- No hidden fees and interest-free direct debit
- Cover from as little as £5 per month
- Available directly from them
Markel direct is an insurance provider that offers a wide variety of business insurance products that are tailored to meet the needs of a range of businesses. You can purchase cover direct and online using their quoting tool.
Markel direct only offers combined product liability with public liability offering cover ranging from £1 million to £5 million. Their liability cover protects businesses from claims for injury or damage to property resulting from your product. It includes the cost of legal fees and any subsequent compensation costs. Their cover can cost as little as £5 per month and they offer immediate cover with no hidden costs.
17. Travelers
Some of the features and benefits of Traveler’s product liability insurance.
- Combined public and product liability
- Flexible cover
- Choice of cover from £5 million to £10 million
- Injury and damage to property
- Includes legal fees
- Pays compensation costs
- Can include corporate manslaughter
- Offers complementary cover
- Suits medium to large businesses
- Available through a broker
Travelers is an insurance provider that offers a range of specialist business insurance products that are designed to meet the needs of specific businesses. They offer standalone insurance products and combined packages which can be tailored to your requirements through additional cover.
Travelers’s public and product liability insurance offers a choice of cover from £5 million to £10 million. It offers protection against claims from third parties for injury and damage to property from your product. It covers the cost of legal fees and compensation payouts. Cover can include corporate manslaughter and you can extend the cover by combining it with other insurance products.
18. Tokio Marine
Some of the features and benefits of Tokio Marine’s product liability insurance.
- Combined liability cover
- Packaged with public liability
- Tailor-made insurance
- Covers unintended damage and injury to third parties
- Includes legal fees
- Will pay compensation costs
- Covers designers, manufacturers and suppliers
- Offers up to £100 million of cover
- International insurance provider
- Available through brokers
Tokio Marine is an international insurance underwriter that offers a wide range of business insurance products that are sold as standalone products and combined packages that are tailored to meet the needs of specific businesses.
Tokio Marine offers product liability insurance combined with public liability insurance that can be tailored to your needs with cover up to £100 million. Their liability insurance provides cover for unintended damage to property and injury to third parties from your product. The cover gives financial protection from legal fees and compensation payouts. Their cover is designed to meet the needs of designers, manufacturers and suppliers.
19. NIG
Some of the features and benefits of NIG’s product liability insurance.
- Commercial combined insurance
- Bespoke wording
- Comprehensive business cover
- Select the cover you need
- Option to include product liability
- Covers claims for injury and property damage
- Up to £10 million of cover
- 24-hour advice lines
- Suitable for businesses with a turnover up to £100 million
- Available directly from them
NIG is an insurance provider that offers business insurance products that are designed as combined and packaged insurance products for specific sectors and needs. They offer combined public and product liability insurance in many of their packaged products which include Commercial Combined, Business from Home, Office and Surgery, Hotel and Leisure Combined, Manufacturers Combined, Retailers Combined and Wholesalers Combined.
NIG’s public and product liability insurance offers cover up to £10 million for legal fees and compensation costs. It covers businesses against claims for damage from your products that have resulted in injury or damage to property.
20. ARO Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of ARO Insurance’s product liability insurance.
- Forms part of their combined products
- Covers liability, property and damage
- Offers a range of additional cover
- Choice of the level of cover
- Up to £5 million of cover
- Covers injury and property damage
- Includes legal fees
- Will pay compensation costs
- Suitable for catering, retail, hotels, public houses, hair and beauty
- Available directly from them
ARO Insurance is an insurance provider that has designed its business insurance products to meet the needs of small businesses and property owners. They only offer combined insurance products which are tailored to meet the needs of tradesman, offices, catering, retail, hotels, public houses, hair and beauty businesses with liability, property and damage protection.
ARO Insurance’s combined insurance for retailers and offices offers product liability insurance that includes £2 million of cover as standard with the option to increase the cover level to £5 million. This cover offers protection against claims from third parties for damage to properties and injury to individuals.
21. Glemham Insurance
Some of the features and benefits of Glemham Insurance’s product liability insurance.
- Combined liability insurance
- Can be combined with property insurance
- A+ rated liability cover
- Up to £10 million of cover
- Protection against third-party claims
- Includes legal fees
- Covers compensation costs
- Can add professional indemnity insurance
- Designed for businesses such as manufacturers, distributors, engineers and lifestyle products
- Available directly from them
Glemham Insurance is an insurance provider that offers a range of business insurance products which includes liability insurance. They offer liability insurance as a standalone product or combined product with property insurance.
Glemham Insurance’s liability insurance offer A+ rated liability cover to a wide variety of businesses which include manufacturers, distributors, engineers and lifestyle products. They offer insurance cover up to £10 million for claims from third parties for injury and property damage. The policy will cover your legal expenses and compensation costs. Their cover is flexible and allows you to add extra cover to create a more comprehensive policy.
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