Business Insurance Comparison
Cover for sole traders, shops, trades and growing firms
- Compare quotes from specialist UK providers
- One short form for your whole business
- Liability, property, cyber and tools cover
Most UK firms put their cover together from a few separate parts. Liability handles claims from the public or staff, property cover protects premises and stock, and extras such as cyber or tools cover fill the gaps. The only part the law makes compulsory for most employers is employers’ liability, with a minimum of £5 million (GOV.UK).
This page sorts the options by the situation you’re in, so you can see what to quote for before you start.
Which business insurance do you need? Start with your situation
The right mix depends on who you deal with, what you own and whether anyone works for you. Find the row that sounds most like you, then follow the link for the detail.
| Your situation | Covers to look at first | Required by law? |
|---|---|---|
| You work alone and visit customers or clients | Public liability, plus professional indemnity if clients rely on your expertise | Only for some activities |
| You employ anyone, even part time | Employers’ liability and public liability | Yes, at least £5 million (GOV.UK) |
| Customers come to your shop, café or takeaway | Shop or takeaway cover: liability, contents, stock, loss of income | Employers’ liability if you have staff |
| You own or let out a commercial building | Commercial property (buildings) cover | No, though a lender may set conditions |
| You hold customer data or take payments online | Cyber insurance | No |
| You carry tools or kit between jobs | Tool insurance, and goods in transit for other people’s goods | No |
| You sit on the board of a limited company | Directors’ and officers’ cover | No |
Working on your own or as a sole trader
If you work alone, liability cover for the people you meet is normally the first policy to look at. You’re in good company: 4.27 million of the UK’s 5.7 million private sector businesses had no employees at the start of 2025 (Department for Business and Trade).
Without staff, you don’t need employers’ liability. What matters more is the damage or injury you could cause on a customer’s premises, and any mistakes in professional work. Trades will find job-specific pages under tradesman cover.
Self-employed people can usually claim insurance premiums as an allowable expense, according to GOV.UK guidance on expenses.
Taking on your first employee
The day you take someone on, employers’ liability becomes a legal duty. GOV.UK says the policy must cover at least £5 million and come from an authorised insurer. You can be fined £2,500 for every day you’re not properly insured (GOV.UK).
- Display the certificate where staff can see it. GOV.UK says a website or work intranet counts.
- Show it to inspectors when asked, or you could be fined £1,000.
- Check the insurer on the Financial Conduct Authority register before you buy.
You don’t need it if you only employ close family members, or staff based outside England, Scotland and Wales. Our employers liability insurance page goes through the edge cases.
Running premises that customers visit
Shops, cafés, takeaways and salons usually need a package that pairs public liability with cover for contents, stock and loss of income. Each part answers a different question: who pays if a customer slips, what replaces the till and fridges, and what keeps money coming in while you’re closed.
Business interruption cover is meant to replace lost profit and pay extra running costs after damage from an insured event, such as a fire or flood. It’s often an optional extra, and the wording decides what counts. The FCA took a test case on business interruption wordings to the Supreme Court, which gave its judgment on 15 January 2021 (FCA).
In England and Wales, whoever controls non-domestic premises is the “responsible person” for fire safety and must carry out a fire risk assessment (GOV.UK). Insurers may ask for it. See our salon and market trader pages for those trades.
Owning or letting a commercial building
If you own the building, buildings cover pays to repair or rebuild it after damage. If you have a commercial mortgage, check the lender’s insurance conditions. If you rent, the lease says whether you or the landlord insures the structure.
Our commercial property page covers rebuild values, mixed-use buildings and empty units. Landlords letting homes rather than business units should look at landlord insurance instead.
Working online and holding customer data
Cyber cover is worth a look if a hack or data breach would stop you trading. In the government’s latest survey, 43% of UK businesses reported a cyber breach or attack in the previous 12 months. Only 45% held any form of cyber insurance (Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025). Our cyber insurance page explains what policies pay for.
Trades and tools on the move
If your tools earn your living, a theft from the van can cost you days of work as well as the kit. Tool insurance covers the equipment, while van insurance covers the vehicle itself. If you carry other people’s goods, goods in transit cover is the one to check.
One package or separate policies?
Insurers often sell liability, property and income cover together under one premium, but you can also buy each part on its own. Here’s how the two routes compare.
| One package | Separate policies | |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal dates | One date to remember | Several dates to track |
| Gaps between covers | Fewer, as one insurer writes every section | More likely if wordings don’t line up |
| Paying for what you use | May include sections you don’t need | You pick only the parts you want |
| Switching | Changing one part means moving the lot | Each policy can move on its own |
What you need before you get a quote
Having these to hand makes the form quicker and the quotes more accurate.
- Your trade and a short description of what you do day to day
- Your trading address and how long you’ve been in business
- A turnover estimate for the next 12 months
- How many people work for you, including part-time and casual staff
- Any claims in the last five years, and what you changed afterwards
- Rebuild cost of any building you own, and the value of contents, stock and tools
- The liability limit your clients, venue or council ask for, if any
- Details of locks, alarms and fire safety at your premises
How comparing business cover works on Tiger.co.uk
You fill in one short form, and providers from the panel contact you with quotes. Tiger.co.uk is a trading style of Big Cat Ventures Ltd, which introduces you to Seopa Ltd. Seopa runs the quote system and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 313860).
Ian Wilson, Managing Director at Tiger.co.uk, says: “Start with what the law and your contracts ask for. Then add cover for the things you couldn’t afford to replace tomorrow.”
Prices vary because each insurer prices risk its own way. Your trade, your staff numbers and your claims history usually carry the most weight, along with the values you ask them to cover. No need to prowl round every insurer one by one: one form does the legwork.
Is business insurance a legal requirement in the UK?
Only one part usually is. Once you become an employer, GOV.UK says you must have employers’ liability cover of at least £5 million from an authorised insurer. The exception is if you only employ close family (GOV.UK). Other covers are optional in law, though clients, landlords, lenders and licences often ask for them.
How much does it cost to insure a small business?
There’s no single price, because each insurer weighs your trade, your staff numbers, your claims record and the values you insure. A one-person service firm with no premises usually needs far less cover than a shop with stock and staff. Comparing quotes is the quickest way to see what the market charges for your set-up.
Can I get business insurance as a sole trader?
Yes. Most policies can be bought by sole traders, partnerships and limited companies. At the start of 2025, 4.27 million of the UK’s 5.7 million private sector businesses had no employees (Department for Business and Trade, 2025). Cover for one-person firms is a big part of the market.
Is business insurance tax deductible?
If you’re self-employed, GOV.UK lists insurance policies among the financial costs you can claim as allowable expenses (GOV.UK). Limited companies follow corporation tax rules, so check with your accountant or HMRC.
Do I need business cover if I work from home?
Tell your home insurer first, because a home policy may not stretch to business equipment or to clients calling round. If people visit you for work, ask about public liability as well, and check whether your laptop and stock need their own cover.
Can I compare business insurance quotes online?
Yes. On Tiger.co.uk you fill in one short form about your business, and specialist UK providers come back to you with quotes to compare on cover and price.
Ready to see your options? Start a business insurance quote with Tiger.co.uk and compare the cover and prices that come back. Policies vary, so read each one’s wording before you buy.
Fact-checked by Ian Wilson, Managing Director at Tiger.co.uk. 20+ years in price comparison; MEng, Queen’s University Belfast.