Start-up business insurance

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Start-up business insurance UK
Start-up business insurance UK
Start-up business insurance UK
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What is start-up business insurance?

Start-up business insurance isn’t one thing. It typically comprises several products that meet your new start-up insurance needs.

Your insurance mix will depend on your business activities. Every start-up owner faces some liability risks; from face-to-face work with people and their property, giving professional advice, providing services, having employees and being a company director. Professional indemnity, public liability, employers’ liability and directors & officers' liability are applicable insurance covers to protect you from liability risks. Premises, content, stock and electronic business equipment insurance is there to help protect your start-up business assets.

How much does start-up business insurance cost?

Insurance for start-up businesses starts at £7.67 per month, and the cost increases based on the required insurance limits, business size, and claims history.

Self employed professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity

from £7.67 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £8.89 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £9.54 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £20.41 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £22.78 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Commercial legal expenses insurance.
Business legal protect

Cover of £100,000 commercial legal expenses included with your policy subscription.

Protects you and your business against a range of issues not typically covered by professional indemnity or public liability.

IR35 & HMRC investigations

Legal matters concerning your business

Negative PR (£25,000 cover)

Criminal prosecution

Compliance & regulation issues

Unpaid invoices (over £200)

Also includes free telephone advice & help from qualified professionals.

Tax and commercial legal advice

Counselling for you and your staff

Access to a legal template library

Identity theft assistance

Included
Self employed public liability insurance.
Public liability

from +£4.76 per month

Protects your business against claims of causing an accidental injury or property damage to either your clients or a third party.

Up to £2,000,000 cover including products liability

No excess

Expert legal team

A+ specialist insurers

Covers claims against your client caused by your business

Business equipment insurance.
Electronic business equipment

from +£7.00 per month

Pays for repair or replacement if your portable electronic equipment (and accessories) get damaged or lost.

Equipment up to £10,000 cover (£3,500 per item)

Accessories are included (£500 per item)

Hired equipment is covered

Worldwide - your devices are covered anywhere you are

Personal accident insurance.
Business owner protect

from +£10.07 per month

Reimburses your taxable business expenses while you’re recovering from a serious illness or injury.

Up to £2,000 a month

Up to 6 months following the first 30 days of illness

Any tax deductible expenses included

Receive a lump sump payout if you suffer an accident leaving you with partial or total disablement:

£5,000 lump sum

Fast customer service

Quick payout

Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
What people say
2 March
Extremely impressed

Extremely impressed with the professional and supportive service I received.

Kellie Williams
on Google
16 February
Very efficient

After shopping around for business liability cover, I found suited, I had a few questions and Jana from suited was very efficient...

Chezza
on Trustpilot
14 February
Great!

The website is easy to use and the process is intuitive, clear and easy to follow.

Matt M
on Trustpilot
11 February

I was recommended Suited, because I’d been stalling. Simple to use website, offered clear, concise information and selection...

Mokolada
on Trustpilot
12 December

Really fantastic service by the suited insure team! Always found the insurance side to be a bit confusing but the team took me...

Michael Ryan
on Google
15 September

A simple and flexible service for what I required. Great communication from start to finish.

Matthew Allen
on Google
1 August

I was looking for business insurance this easy to use and very well explained web site made the process simple and painless. Had a quote...

Piers Field
on Trustpilot
In detail

Why do business start-ups need insurance?

Start-ups are, by definition, at a fragile stage of their existence. Without robust income and relying sources of business, there are no safety nets. This is why insurance for start-ups is so essential and should be an afterthought.

Liability claims

Being sued could be an end game for a start-up. A claim could come from a disgruntled customer, a member of the public or an employee. Even a nuisance claim (someone trying it on) can cost you thousands of pounds in legal fees.  

Damage or loss to business premises and equipment

Every start-up has some assets. These could be electronic business equipment, premises, stock, tools or office content. Loss or damage could set you back several months or right to the start without insurance protection.

Inability to work

One of the biggest worries for start-ups is losing its key personnel. The impact of falling ill or getting seriously injured could bring the business to a halt or liquidation without the ability to pay for a replacement. Several products can be an actual safety net.

Professional indemnity insurance for business start-ups

Professional indemnity is a legal cover that defends your start-up if it faces a legal claim due to work or advice delivered. Professional indemnity will provide you with legal advice and representation and pay compensation if due.

What does professional indemnity insurance for start-ups cover?

Professional indemnity protects start-up businesses from legal claims accusing them of wrongdoing due to your professional advice or work.

Cover includes:

  • Failing your duty of care
  • Making a mistake
  • Acting negligently
  • Giving the wrong advice or recommendation

For example:

  • Your client alleges that your work failed to deliver the expected results, and they want their money back
  • Your client claims compensation because they believe your work cost them money
  • You’re accused of sharing a client's confidential information with an unauthorised party
  • You said something wrong or acted in a discriminatory manner 

Choosing a professional indemnity limit that’s right

Selecting an appropriate professional indemnity limit for your business is not always obvious; consider the following:

  • Think about the complexity of your work and the advice you give—the more complex your work, the higher the limit you might need.
  • Think about what downside there might be if your advice goes wrong. How much might it cost to fix a problem?
  • Some insurance providers offer as little as £50,000 of cover, which might be tempting as the price will be low. However, with the rising cost of legal services, ask yourself if this amount will go far enough to cover solicitors' fees and possible compensation.

Does professional indemnity insurance cover my start-up business activities worldwide?

Your professional indemnity policy's ‘territory or geographical limits’ and ‘jurisdiction’ sections specify if your start-up business insurance will respond when working in different countries.

Territory or geographical limits:

The territory or geographical limit specifies where you can virtually or physically deliver your services. For example: “Worldwide.”

Jurisdictional limit:

The jurisdictional limit specifies which legal jurisdictions your policy will defend you if you are sued. For example: “Worldwide excluding US and Canada.”

Contract governance:

Any contracts or agreements you enter into with your clients should specify the ‘governing law’ for that contract, which is the jurisdiction in which parties can seek legal remedy for breach of contract.

Avoid entering contracts not governed by your local jurisdiction and/or excluded by your start-up business professional indemnity insurance.

If you work with US and Canadian clients, you can reduce your risk by not entering contracts governed by US and Canadian laws.

Public liability insurance for start-ups

New business start-ups commonly need public liability insurance when their work involves physical contact with clients, customers, the public or third-party property members.

Many start-ups meet clients at their homes, at their clients’ homes or in an office. Face-to-face meetings can expose you to liability claims if a client or a member of public trips or falls.

Other start-ups will be running premises accessible by the public, selling products or dealing with their customers and customers’ property as part of the business. In those scenarios, public liability is essential. 

Public liability insurance takes care of instances where an accident happened to a person or their property, and they seek compensation from you. 

What does public liability insurance cover?

Public liability provides legal defence and covers a possible payout if you're found liable for property damage or causing an injury.

Cover includes:

  • Accidental injury or death
  • Accidental property damage

For example:

  • A client or customer visits your premises and gets injured
  • You can be sued for an injury due to lack of action, such as providing a hazard warning
  • If you are in the property trade or profession or have dealings with your customer's property, you could be held liable for damage

Other insurance covers start-up businesses buy

Other covers you might need as a new business start-up depend on your circumstances. Do you need advice on compliance and regulations? Could you have large unpaid invoices? Do you rely on a laptop or expensive computer equipment? Do you employ people? Has your start-up raised finance? Do you rely heavily on key personnel? Do you run premises, own expensive equipment or hold stock?

Commercial legal expenses insurance

Most commercial legal expenses insurance will protect start-ups against various tax and legal issues you may encounter due to your profession, which are not covered by professional indemnity or public liability.

At Suited, we combined £100,000 of commercial legal expenses insurance with helplines and other tools to better assist start-ups in dealing with these issues. We call this Business Legal Protect, and it’s part of your subscription.

Business Legal Protect provides qualified advice and assistance with:

  • Legal and tax matters concerning your business
  • Criminal prosecution
  • Compliance & regulation issues
  • Unpaid invoices (over £200)

For example:

  • HMRC flags you for tax investigation
  • You need legal help chasing a major unpaid invoice
  • You need guidance on compliance issues for your business
  • You are in a contract dispute with a client or supplier

Electronic business equipment insurance

Most start-ups need some electronics to help them set up. Electronic business equipment insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing business equipment, such as computers, cameras, or other tools of your trade. Whether this equipment is yours or hired, you can insure the cost of repair or replacement should an accident happen.

Employers’ liability insurance for start-ups

Employers’ liability is a legal cover that offers legal protection if you’re accused by one of your employees of causing them harm at work. The insurance will also pay any compensation if due.

The vital thing to note about employers’ liability insurance is that it is, in certain circumstances, required by law, and you need to understand whether you fall within the defined categories. You could be facing a fine if you’re not compliant.

Do I need employers’ liability insurance as a start-up?

If you consistently work alone, you’re in the clear and don’t have to worry about this cover. However, anyone employing staff, using volunteers and subcontractors should check the government guidelines.

Tools and business equipment insurance

If your start-up relies on expensive equipment, the immediate cost of replacement or repair could be hard to bear. Tools and business equipment insurance can be a helpful way of reducing unforeseen costs.

Key person and income protection insurance

Start-up owners are usually the critical people in the business therefore, assets worthy of protection. Several products exist to lessen the financial burden of an illness, severe injury or death. Speak to a life insurance specialist about your options.

Business outgoings insurance

Some businesses have significant business outgoings.  If one of the business owners falls ill and can’t work, keeping up with business expenses might become challenging.

Suited offers Business Owner Protect precisely for this type of scenario.

Cyber cover

If your start-up is going to use online applications, websites and other digital products to carry out your business or manage your customer data, you may wish to consider protection in the event of hacking or cyber attack.

Shopping for start-up insurance

Whether or not you decide to use Suited for your new business venture, it’s worth keeping the following in mind:

Cheap start-up insurance

It's important to keep in mind that when selecting a start-up insurance, price isn't the only factor to consider. It's also crucial to confirm that the provider is accessible and available when you need them. At Suited, we pride ourselves on offering various communication options and quick responses.

Select a fitting business activity description

When shopping for professional covers such as start-up professional indemnity and public liability, ensure you accurately select what you do for a living. Otherwise, you may end up with a product not designed for your profession.

Many providers charge fees to amend or cancel

Low initial prices often hide additional charges to pay monthly,  amend or cancel your policy. At Suited, we charge no other fees, and you can cancel anytime with no more to pay.

Some policy wordings are restrictive or have a high excess

Some providers will offer attractive prices, but it is at the expense of cover given. Suited professional indemnity and public liability have £0 excess.

In this section
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FAQs

Common questions

Can I get start-up insurance without registering my business?

You can buy insurance for your business activities before registering with HMRC or setting up a limited company.

How much does startup insurance cost?

The cost of your startup insurance will depend on your trade or professional and forecasted earnings for the first year. The number of employees and asset value are also factors.

When should I get insurance for my start-up?

You should have certain types of relevant insurance before you start trading or taking on your first employee.

Is insurance for a start-up business compulsory?

Insurance requirements for start-ups depend on whether you have employees and your industry regulations.

Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
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Start-up insurance
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We give you one price, no APR or hidden extras.

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Go retroactive

Include retroactive cover to insure previous work.

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Holiday mode

Pay less when not working by hibernating your PI cover.

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If you call to cancel within the first 2 weeks we’ll give you a full refund.

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* 14 day promise is not available online, please speak to a member of staff. Not available if you have reported a claim.

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