Business insurance
Business cover, written so you can check it.
A business pack built around what you actually do. Public liability, property, business interruption and glass, priced per trade rather than per postcode alone.
Public liability is the cover most small businesses are asked for by a landlord, a council or a head contractor. Twenty million is the figure most commercial leases and council permits specify.
What is covered
- Public and products liability of $20 million, with a $10 million or $5 million option
- Buildings, contents, stock and fit-out at your business premises
- Business interruption, covering gross profit and increased cost of working
- Glass, including internal and external glass, signage and shopfronts
- Theft, including damage caused by forcible entry
- Machinery and electronic equipment breakdown
- Tools of trade and portable equipment away from the premises
- Employee dishonesty and money on premises or in transit
What is not covered
- Professional advice given for a fee, which needs professional indemnity
- Injury to your own employees, which is covered by state workers compensation
- Cyber incidents and data breaches, which need a separate cyber policy
- Faulty workmanship itself, as distinct from resulting damage
- Contractual liability assumed beyond what the law would impose
This is a summary. The full list of exclusions, limits and conditions is in theProduct Disclosure Statement.
Excess, in plain figures.
The excess is what you contribute towards a claim. Choosing a higher one lowers your premium. Some claims attract more than one excess, and where they do we say so.
| Excess | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Standard excess | $750 | Applies to most sections |
| Liability excess | $1,000 | Per claim, per occurrence |
| Glass excess | $250 | Per pane |
| Business interruption | 72 hours | A time excess rather than a dollar excess |
All premiums shown are in Australian dollars and include GST and stamp duty, plus the NSW Emergency Services Levy or the Tasmanian Fire Service Contribution where they apply.
Priced on what you do, not just where you are.
A cafe and a consultancy on the same street carry entirely different risk. These are indicative monthly premiums for a business turning over under $500,000 with one location.
| Trade | Liability limit | Typical premium | What drives it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe and hospitality | $20m | $142 /mo | Glass, stock spoilage after a power outage, and slips on a wet floor. |
| Retail shopfront | $20m | $96 /mo | Shopfront glass, stock, and theft with forcible entry. |
| Trades and construction | $20m | $168 /mo | Tools of trade away from the premises and third party property damage on site. |
| Allied health | $20m | $118 /mo | Public liability plus professional indemnity, which most practice leases require together. |
| Consulting and services | $10m | $84 /mo | Professional indemnity does the heavy lifting; property cover is usually small. |
| Market stallholder | $20m | $41 /mo | Standalone public liability, which is what most councils and market operators ask to see. |
Indicative only. Your premium depends on turnover, claims history, location, the sums insured you choose and the options you add. Workers compensation is a separate, compulsory state scheme and is not included.
Options worth considering
Professional indemnity
For consultants, designers, allied health and anyone advising for a fee.
Cyber liability
Response costs, business interruption and third party liability after a breach.
Management liability
Directors and officers, employment practices and statutory liability.
Commercial motor
Utes, vans and light trucks used in the business, rated on use.
Questions about business cover
How much public liability do I actually need?
Twenty million dollars is the figure most commercial leases, council permits, market operators and head contractors specify, so it is the practical default. Ten million and five million options exist and are cheaper, but if you take them you should check every contract you have signed before you do.
Is public liability the same as professional indemnity?
No. Public liability responds when your business causes injury or property damage: a customer slips, a ladder goes through a window. Professional indemnity responds when advice or a professional service you provided for a fee causes someone a financial loss. Consultants, designers and allied health practitioners usually need both.
Does this cover my staff if they are injured?
No. Injury to your own employees is covered by the workers compensation scheme in your state, which is compulsory and separate: icare in New South Wales, WorkSafe in Victoria, WorkCover in Queensland. A business pack does not replace it and cannot.
What does business interruption actually pay?
It covers the gross profit you lose while you cannot trade after an insured event, plus the increased cost of working, such as renting temporary premises. It has a time excess rather than a dollar one, usually 72 hours, so a short outage will not trigger it. It is the section that most often decides whether a small business survives a fire.
Am I covered for a cyber incident or a data breach?
Not under the standard pack. Cyber is a separate policy covering response costs, notification obligations, business interruption from a system outage and third party liability. We write it as an option, and for any business holding customer payment or health data it is worth the conversation.
Other cover
- Home and ContentsBuildings and contents, storm, fire, flood and theft, with make safe called out within 24 hours.
- MotorComprehensive, third party property damage, and fire and theft, with a lifetime repair guarantee.
- LandlordBuilding, landlord contents, loss of rent, tenant damage, and legal expenses for tribunal matters.
- TravelOverseas medical, cancellation, luggage and delays, for single trips or an annual multi trip policy.
Get a business quote in two minutes.
Eight questions, no phone call, and the premium, excess and exclusions on one screen. This advice is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on it, consider whether it is appropriate for you.
Consider the PDS and TMD before deciding. Premiums include GST and stamp duty.