Public Liability Insurance can cover certain legal liabilities arising from third-party personal injury or property damage connected with business activities.

Examples can include:

• A customer or visitor being injured at your premises
• Accidental damage to a client’s property
• An incident occurring while staff are working at another location
• Injury or property damage allegedly caused by your business activities

Depending on the policy and claim, cover can include:

• Legal defence costs
• Investigation costs
• Insured compensation or damages

Who can need Public Liability Insurance? #

Public Liability can be relevant to businesses that:

• Deal with members of the public
• Visit client premises
• Work on construction sites
• Operate from business premises
• Perform physical work
• Supply products
• Are required to hold cover under a contract, lease or licence

How does Public Liability respond to claims? #

Public Liability is commonly written on an occurrence basis.

This generally means the relevant insured occurrence must take place during the period of insurance, even if the resulting claim is made later.

The exact policy trigger still depends on the wording.

Public Liability is frequently combined with Products Liability, but Products Liability should not automatically be assumed to operate on exactly the same basis.

You can read more about occurrence-based insurance.

What about defence costs? #

Depending on the policy, cover can include certain legal defence, investigation and expert costs associated with an insured claim. These costs can arise even where liability is disputed.

What is not automatically covered? #

Public Liability Insurance should not be assumed to cover every business exposure. Separate insurance or exclusions can apply to matters such as:

• Professional advice or design
• Damage to your own property
• Registered motor vehicles
• Employee injuries and Workers Compensation
• Cyber incidents
• Construction works
• Asbestos or pollution exposures
• Contractual liabilities extending beyond ordinary legal liability

The applicable cover, exclusions and requirements depend on the policy wording and the business activities disclosed to the insurer.

Contact our team if you need help arranging Public Liability Insurance.