Can I get public liability insurance for one month?
If, as part of your work, you come into contact with members of the public, you should consider public liability insurance as an essential part of your business – whether you’re a self-employed tradesperson or operating as a small, limited company.
But what happens if you need cover for less than a typical policy period of a year, or even just for a single month?
In this video, part of our Public Liability FAQ series, we answer the question ‘Can I get public liability insurance for one month?’.
What’s public liability insurance for?
Public liability insurance covers you in the event something your business does causes harm to someone or damages their property. This could be a member of the public or a client.
For example, you may have been installing electrics in a client’s house and caused damage to their property, or you could have accidently damaged a car parked next to your building site. Public liability insurance is designed to cover the costs of any damages and legal fees.
Public liability claims often amount to thousands of pounds, which is why it’s such an important part of your business set up.
Can I get public liability insurance for one month?
It is not normally appropriate to get public liability insurance for one month. However, sometimes you may be able to get short-term cover.
It is appropriate where you normally have no contact with the public, but you need to attend a specific one-off event such as a trade show or marketing event. This could conceivably be for two or three days, but it is unlikely to be granted for a month.
Similarly, if your business hosts several events a year, an annual policy will normally be more appropriate, not a series of one-day insurance policies or one covering a month.
But my workers are only part time
Cover for employees comes within your employers’ liability insurance, not under your public liability insurance.
If you have a worker who is only going to work for a day or two, check the terms of your employers’ liability policy. They may already be covered under that.