Business insurance for Shops and retailers

Public liability insurance provides cover for shops of several kinds – including high-street stores and online retailers – against the risk that your activities might harm a third party. This could also apply to a customer or their property, for example if someone trips on your shop sign and sues for compensation.

Commercial property insurance for buildings covers the premises itself – if you own this, it provides valuable protection against the impact of damage from fire, flood, and storms. If strong winds cause damage to your shop’s display window, or a burst pipe floods your storeroom, this cover may help with costs.

Contents insurance can cover a retail business for items stored inside, including stock and equipment. It helps to pay for repairs and replacements if your storeroom is targeted by thieves, or a fire damages the server where key customer data is stored. 

Every employer could be liable if a staff member is injured at work, or if they become ill due to the tasks they perform. Tailoring shop insurance to include employers’ liability cover could help your business to compensate staff in such situations. It’s a legal requirement for many UK businesses. 

Cyber and data insurance helps protect a retail business’s digital infrastructure, including email accounts, databases, e-Commerce sites, and payment channels. If a cyber-attack compromises your systems, or there’s an accidental breach of customer data, this cover could pay for restoration work.

Running a small shop puts responsibility on your shoulders. Personal accident insurance could help if you, or any employee, are unable to work due to an injury. Adding this cover to your retail insurance policy provides a safety net if you’re injured for more than two weeks.

There could be times when your retail business seeks to pursue or defend legal issues. You might seek out an eviction order after trespassing problems or need to defend yourself at a tribunal. Adding legal protection cover to your insurance policy could help pay for legal fees and compensation awards. 

Portable equipment cover helps to protect items such as laptops and tools[link] – useful if you also carry out work away from your own premises. For instance, you might take a card reader to retail fairs.

Formally known as property away and in transit insurance, this product can cover incidents such as theft, loss or accidental damage outside of your shop.

If your shop relies on electrical or mechanical equipment, such as tills, you might choose to add cover for breakdown events. This can step in to pay for repairs or replacements if there's an electrical or mechanical fault.