£1M Public Liability Insurance
£1M Public Liability Insurance Quotes
Compare £1M public liability insurance from 20+ insurers.
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Do You Need £1 Million Public Liability Insurance?
You need £1 million public liability insurance if you run a low-risk, home-based or office-based business with minimal face-to-face public contact.
£1 million is the entry-level tier of UK public liability cover, suited to freelancers, consultants, virtual assistants, tutors and other businesses where the chance of injuring a third party or damaging their property is low. The HSE recommends all businesses with public-facing operations carry adequate liability cover.
If your work involves visiting clients' homes, working with the public regularly, or any physical trade, you will likely need £2 million or above. £1m is best suited to businesses where the main risk is a visitor tripping in your office or a client slipping at your premises.
Whether you're a sole trader, self-employed or running a limited company, the process for getting £1m cover is the same.
How To Compare £1 Million Public Liability Quotes
Enter your business details, choose £1m cover, and compare quotes from our panel of UK-regulated insurers in under five minutes.
There is no obligation to buy, and you can adjust the cover level or add extras before selecting a policy.
Enter your business details
Name, location, business type, annual turnover and employee count.
Choose £1m cover
Select the cover level and add any optional extras such as professional indemnity or employers' liability.
Compare quotes side by side
Review price, excess, exclusions and insurer rating for each quote.
Choose and apply
Cover can often start the same day once the policy is confirmed. Need cover for a shorter period? See our short-term public liability insurance options.
How Do £1m, £2m, £5m And £10m Cover Levels Compare?
£1m suits very low-risk home-based or office-based work, £2m covers small businesses with regular public contact, £5m is the standard for tradespeople, and £10m is for high-risk trades and large contracts.
UK public liability insurance is sold in four main tiers. Each one suits a different risk profile.
| Cover level | Who it suits | Typical businesses |
| £1 million | Very low-risk, home-based or office-based work with minimal public contact | Freelance writers, virtual assistants, graphic designers, bookkeepers, private tutors |
| £2 million | Small businesses with regular public contact and moderate risk | Hairdressers, personal trainers, small retailers, market stallholders, dog walkers |
| £5 million | Tradespeople and established small businesses on domestic or commercial sites | Builders, electricians, plumbers, gardeners, cafés, small event suppliers |
| £10 million | High-risk trades, large contracts, public venues and public-sector suppliers | Construction subcontractors, scaffolders, event managers, venue operators |
Source: SimplyQuote panel data, April 2026. Cover tiers reflect standard UK market availability.
How to choose the right level
If a client, landlord or co-working space requires a minimum cover level, meet or exceed it. For a full breakdown of each tier, see our public liability insurance hub page.
If nobody specifies a level, £1m is a sensible starting point for very low-risk businesses. Tradespeople should look at £5 million, and businesses bidding for large contracts may need £10 million.
How Much Does £1 Million Public Liability Insurance Cost?
£1 million public liability insurance typically costs from around £40 per year for the lowest-risk businesses, rising to £150 for those with more public interaction.
£1m is the cheapest tier of public liability cover. The table below shows indicative starting prices from SimplyQuote's insurer panel.
| Business type | Typical starting price per year |
| Freelance writers and bloggers | From £40 |
| Virtual assistants and admin support | From £45 |
| Graphic designers and web developers | From £50 |
| Private tutors and music teachers | From £55 |
| Bookkeepers and accountants | From £60 |
| Therapists and counsellors (office-based) | From £70 |
| Photographers (studio-based) | From £80 |
| Consultants with occasional client meetings | From £90 |
Source: SimplyQuote insurer panel, indicative starting prices, April 2026. Your actual quote will depend on individual risk factors.
What affects the price?
Your business type is the biggest factor. After that: annual turnover, number of employees (if any), claims history, your chosen excess level, and any add-ons on the policy.
Is £1m worth it or should you go straight to £2m?
The premium difference between £1m and £2m is usually 10–20%, which for most businesses works out at less than £10 per year. If there is any chance a client or landlord will ask for £2m, it is often worth starting there instead.
Compare £1M Public Liability Insurance
Compare quotes from our panel of UK-regulated insurers in under five minutes.
Which Businesses Need £1 Million Public Liability Insurance?
£1 million public liability insurance suits freelancers, consultants, home-based businesses and any company with minimal face-to-face public contact.
The businesses below are among the most common to hold £1m cover.
Freelancers and creative professionals
Writers, copywriters, graphic designers, web developers, illustrators and photographers who work from home or a studio. The main risk is a client visiting your workspace.
Consultants and advisors
Management consultants, IT consultants, HR advisors and business coaches who meet clients at offices or co-working spaces. Many also need professional indemnity insurance to cover advice-related claims.
Tutors and educators
Private tutors, music teachers, language teachers and exam coaches who teach from home or visit students. £1m covers injury to a student on your premises or at their home.
Therapists and wellbeing practitioners
Counsellors, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists and life coaches who see clients in a private office. £1m is standard for practitioners with no physical contact element to their work.
Administrative and support services
Virtual assistants, bookkeepers, transcriptionists and data entry businesses that operate almost entirely online. £1m is often taken out to satisfy a client requirement rather than a specific risk.
Small online businesses
E-commerce sellers, Etsy shop owners and online service providers who rarely meet customers in person. If you sell physical products, check whether you also need product liability cover as part of your business insurance package.
What Does £1 Million Public Liability Insurance Cover?
£1 million public liability insurance covers legal costs, defence fees and compensation payments up to £1 million if your business injures a member of the public or damages their property.
The policy is triggered when a third party brings a claim against you for an injury or loss they say your business caused. The insurer handles the legal side and pays any compensation awarded, up to the £1 million limit.
Injury to clients or visitors
Covers slips, trips, falls and other accidental injuries suffered by anyone visiting your premises or workspace as a result of your business activities.
Damage to third-party property
Covers accidental damage to property belonging to someone outside your business. For office-based work, this might mean damage to a client's laptop or equipment during a meeting at your premises.
Legal defence and compensation
Covers solicitor fees, expert witness costs and court expenses. Even a claim that goes nowhere can cost £10,000–£20,000 in legal fees to defend.
What Is Not Covered By £1 Million Public Liability Insurance?
£1 million public liability insurance does not cover injury to your own employees, errors in professional advice, defective products, deliberate acts, or contractual liabilities outside the policy.
Employee injuries require separate employers' liability insurance, which is a legal requirement under the Employers' Liability Act 1969 for any business with staff.
Claims that your advice caused a client financial loss need professional indemnity insurance. Product liability cover is available as an add-on for businesses that sell physical goods.
What Do £1 Million Public Liability Claims Look Like?
£1 million public liability claims are typically smaller in value than higher tiers, but legal defence costs alone can make them expensive to handle without insurance.
Each scenario below is illustrative rather than a specific claim SimplyQuote has settled.
Client trips over a cable in your home office
A client visits your home office for a meeting and trips over a trailing laptop cable, breaking their wrist. Medical costs, loss of earnings and compensation total £8,000–£15,000.
Coffee spill damages a client's laptop
During a meeting at your workspace, you knock a drink onto a client's laptop, destroying it and the unsaved work on it. Replacement equipment and data recovery costs total £2,000–£4,000.
Student injury during a tutoring session
A private tutor's bookshelf collapses during a lesson, hitting a student. Medical treatment and compensation for pain and suffering total £5,000–£12,000.
Display stand falls at a networking event
A consultant's pop-up banner falls and hits an attendee at a business event, causing a head wound. Medical costs and compensation total £8,000–£18,000.
When Should You Step Up From £1 Million To £2 Million?
You should step up to £2 million if you start visiting clients regularly, a client or landlord requires it, or your business moves from purely online to face-to-face work.
Most businesses on £1m never need to upgrade. The scenarios below are the common triggers.
You start visiting clients at their premises
Working at a client's home or office increases your exposure because you could damage their property or cause an injury in their space. £2 million cover is the standard for businesses that regularly visit clients.
A client, landlord or co-working space requires £2m
Some commercial landlords and enterprise clients specify £2m as a minimum before they will work with you or let you use their space. This is increasingly common in serviced offices and co-working hubs.
You hire your first employee or subcontractor
Adding staff increases your claim exposure and you will also need employers' liability insurance. At this point, stepping up to £2m and bundling both covers on a single policy usually makes financial sense.
You start any physical or hands-on work
If your business starts involving physical work at a client's property, even light tasks like cleaning or handyman jobs, £2m is the minimum and most tradespeople hold £5m or above.
The premium uplift from £1m to £2m is usually 10–20%, which works out at a few pounds per year for most low-risk businesses. The ABI recommends reviewing cover levels whenever your business circumstances change.
What Add-Ons Work Best With £1M Public Liability?
£1 million public liability policies can be combined with professional indemnity, employers' liability, product liability and cyber liability insurance.
Combining add-ons on a single policy usually costs less than buying each one separately.
Professional indemnity insurance
Covers claims of financial loss caused by errors or negligent advice. This is the most common add-on for consultants, designers and advisors at the £1m level.
Employers' liability insurance
A legal requirement for any business with employees. Covers injury and illness claims from staff up to a minimum of £5 million.
Cyber liability insurance
Covers the costs of a data breach, ransomware attack or other IT incident. Increasingly important for freelancers and consultants holding client data.
How To Reduce The Cost Of £1 Million Public Liability Insurance
You can reduce the cost by comparing quotes, bundling policies, raising your excess and maintaining a clean claims record.
Premium variation between insurers for the same risk is often 30–50%, so comparing quotes is the single most effective way to save money.
Compare quotes from multiple insurers
Premiums for £1m public liability vary widely between insurers, and comparing quotes routinely saves businesses £20–£60 a year.
Bundle with professional indemnity
If you need both public liability and professional indemnity, buying them together on a single policy is almost always cheaper than two separate policies.
Evidence good risk management
Written risk assessments, clear visitor procedures and professional qualifications all help lower your premium. The gov.uk business insurance guide sets out what the government expects from business owners.
Compare £1M Public Liability Insurance
Compare quotes from our panel of UK-regulated insurers in under five minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
£1 million public liability insurance covers your business against claims from third parties for injury or property damage, up to a maximum payout of £1 million per claim. It includes legal defence costs and compensation.
No, public liability insurance is not a legal requirement under UK law. It is, however, commonly required by clients, landlords, co-working spaces and event venues as a condition of working with them.
Typically from £40 per year for very low-risk freelancers and home-based businesses, rising to £90–£150 for businesses with more public interaction. Your actual quote depends on business type, turnover and claims history.
£1 million is enough for most home-based, office-based and online businesses with minimal public contact. If you regularly visit clients, work on their property, or have physical contact with the public, £2m or £5m is more appropriate.
The cover limit. The premium uplift from £1m to £2m is usually 10–20%, and £2m is often the better value choice if there is any chance a client or landlord will ask for it.
Not all freelancers need it, but many take it out to satisfy client requirements or to protect themselves against the cost of defending a claim. If a client has ever asked for proof of insurance, £1m is the minimum.
If clients, suppliers or delivery drivers visit your home for business purposes, yes. If your business is entirely online with no visitors, the risk is very low, but some clients still require a certificate before they will work with you.
Yes, £1m is the most common starting point for sole traders in low-risk, office-based or home-based businesses. Sole-trader policies are priced on the same risk factors as limited-company policies.
Many policies can start the same day the quote is accepted, subject to payment. If you need cover for a specific date, ask the insurer to confirm the start time in writing.
Yes, most insurers allow mid-term upgrades with a pro-rata premium increase for the remaining months. This is common when a new client requires a higher cover level.
Standard UK policies usually cover work carried out in the UK only. If you work overseas, ask about territorial limits and consider a policy that extends cover to the EU or worldwide.
Many co-working spaces require members to hold at least £1m public liability insurance. Check your membership agreement or ask the operator before signing up.
Yes, accidental damage to a client's property during your work or at your premises is one of the core things the policy covers.
Public liability covers physical injury and property damage to third parties, while professional indemnity covers financial loss caused by errors in your advice or services. Many consultants and advisors need both.
Your insurer will issue a certificate of insurance showing the policyholder name, cover level and policy dates. Most clients and landlords ask for a copy before you start work.
Usually just business basics: trading name, address, business type, estimated turnover and any past claims. No documents are needed at the quote stage.
