Catering Insurance: What Cover Do You Actually Need?
One bad allergic reaction, one van break-in, one slip on a wet marquee floor, and a single uninsured incident can undo months of profit. Catering insurance isn't one product though, it's a stack of different covers, and not every caterer needs all of them. In this article we go through what each type of cover actually protects you against, so you can work out what's essential and what's optional for your business.
Public liability: the one almost everyone needs
Public liability insurance covers claims from members of the public, a guest injured by a trip hazard from your equipment, a spilled hot drink, a stall that falls over on a windy day. Most venues and event organisers won't let you on site without proof of it, typically asking for at least £2 million to £5 million of cover, so this is usually the first policy any caterer takes out, well before anything else on this list.
Product liability: covering what you actually serve
Product liability covers claims arising from the food itself, an allergic reaction, food poisoning, a piece of packaging that caused harm. It's often bundled with public liability as a single combined policy, but check the wording rather than assuming it's included, since some cheaper public liability policies exclude food-related claims entirely.
Employers' liability: required the moment you hire
If you employ anyone, even casual staff for a single event, employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement in the UK, not an optional extra. It covers claims from staff injured while working for you, and the minimum legal cover is £5 million. This applies from your first hire, so it's worth sorting before you bring on event-day staff rather than after.
Equipment and van cover
Ovens, chafing dishes, glassware and a van full of stock represent real capital, and standard van insurance often doesn't cover the equipment inside it, only the vehicle. Separate equipment or "goods in transit" cover protects against theft or damage while everything is being moved between your kitchen and a venue, which is exactly when a lot of loss actually happens.
Event cancellation cover
This one is easy to overlook until the first time a large booking falls through for reasons outside your control, extreme weather, a venue closure, a client's own event being cancelled. Event cancellation cover isn't standard on most catering policies and usually has to be added separately, so it's worth asking about explicitly rather than assuming it's bundled in.
Frequently asked questions
Is catering insurance a legal requirement?
Employers' liability is a legal requirement once you have staff. Public liability isn't legally mandatory in most cases, but almost every venue and event organiser will require proof of it before letting you on site.
How much public liability cover do caterers typically need?
Most venues ask for a minimum of £2 million to £5 million. Larger corporate venues sometimes ask for more, so check the specific requirement before you book rather than assuming your existing policy is enough.
Does public liability cover food-related claims automatically?
Not always. Some cheaper policies exclude food poisoning and allergic reaction claims, so check the policy wording, or make sure product liability is explicitly included.
Do I need separate cover for my van and equipment?
Usually yes. Standard van insurance typically covers the vehicle itself, not what's loaded inside it, so equipment or goods-in-transit cover is worth adding separately.
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