What does artist insurance cover?
Our insurance for artists includes essential liability cover tailored to individuals creating handmade crafts to sell online and at craft fairs. We offer great pricing with the flexibility to add additional benefits such as employers’ liability. You can choose from different levels of cover, depending on the scale of your crafting business.
This policy is specifically designed for crafters creating and selling handmade items both online and at in-person events. The policy takes into account the unique risks and requirements for a range of creative specialisms you might focus on as a crafter.
Make sure you have the correct insurance for your event and be sure to check if any exclusions are relevant to what you have planned in policy documentation.
Public Liability
Product Liability
Equipment
Stock
Employers' Liability
Public Liability
- Up to £5 million available.
- Protection from claims by a third-party (EG member of the public) who sustains injuries or has their property damaged as a result of your actions.
Product Liability
- Up to £5 million available.
- Protection should you receive any claims arising from any products and goods supplied by you to other parties, who may then sustain an injury or damage to their own property.
EquipmentÂ
- Up to £250 covered as standard
- Increase up to £10,000 worth of cover
- If your craft tools are lost, damaged or stolen, your equipment can be covered up to the value you select.
Stock Cover
- Up to £250 covered as standard
- Increase up to £3000 worth of cover
- If your stock is lost, damaged or stolen, it can be covered up to the value you select.
Employers’ Liability
- Up to £10 million available.
- Protection from claims against employee incidents, if that employee suffers a work-related injury and brings a claim against you.
- If you employ any staff members, Employers’ Liability is a legal requirement.
- Upcycling projects. This policy is intended for crafters producing or building products from scratch.
- Export of your products to the US and/or Canada, unless agreed with ourselves.
- Theft of your Equipment and/or Stock from unattended vehicles.
- Heat work away from your premises, unless when using hot air guns, soldering irons or engraving tools and only if this has been agreed by ourselves.
- Storing your equipment and/or stock at more than two different premises, one of which that needs to be your correspondence address.
For information on exclusions in your cover please refer to policy documentation.
Why do you need artist insurance?
When customers buy your artwork they will have certain expectations of the quality, no doubt you will provide your best service. However sometimes things go wrong and it is highly recommended you have specialist artist insurance to protect you when they do.
Typically you will need an annual policy, but for those involved in short-term or one-off events such as a stallholder at a craft fair, you may not need annual cover, but should secure stallholder insurance for suitable protection.
Here are a few scenarios to help explain why artist insurance is important:
Protection from claims due to public injury.
If a customer comes to collect a piece of artwork you have made and trips and injures themselves on your premises, you could be liable to a substantial claim.
Public liability insurance for artists can provide protection from these incidents.
An item you’ve made breaks and injures a customer.
Imagine an item you’ve created breaks and causes injury to a customer. In such cases, the customer may bring a claim against you.
Product liability insurance tailored for crafts can cover incidents related to your products, safeguarding you from potential legal consequences.
Protection if your artist equipment or stock is damaged.
Depending on your medium, you may have invested in expensive tools and equipment, which could potentially become damaged or lost. For instance, your stock could become damaged in storage.
Having artist equipment cover can avoid costly repairs and replacements.
An event or venue asks for public liability to sell your artwork.
An event or venue that you sell your crafts at, may expect proof of public liability for as a minimum before you are able to secure a stall.
Our experts explain why...
“As an artist, whether you’re running a home-based side hustle, selling at local markets, or operating a small business online, having the right insurance is essential. Crafters Insurance protects you against potential claims of injury or damage that could arise from your handmade products. Without proper coverage, you could face significant financial losses. Our Crafters Insurance ensures you can focus on your creativity and business growth without worrying about unexpected liabilities. Protecting your passion and livelihood with the proper cover is the smart choice.”
Mandy Czyz, Protectivity Underwriter
How much does artist insurance cost?
Every artist will be unique so, the cost of artist insurance can vary depending on what you offer and the level of cover you need. For example, if you use specialist equipment to create your artwork you may need to increase the value of cover.
At Protectivity policies start at just £3.71* a month.
Prices from
£3.71* a month
Explainer quote
Policy cost
£3.71* a month
Policy type
Artist Insurance
Duration
Annual
Turnover
£50,000
Public Liability
£1,000,000
Product Liability
£1,000,000
Equipment
£250
Stock
£250
This example is based on a real quote from our website on 1/10/2024. If your circumstances and cover needs differ, your quote may be more or less expensive than the above example. The quote you receive will reflect the information you share about your event. The quoted price may vary from those displayed here.
Have a question?
For further information on your policy, renewals, making a claim and contacting us, you’ll find an extensive list of FAQs on our Help & Support page.
Why choose Protectivity for your artist insurance policy?
Let the reviews of over 3,500 customers explain why you should choose us.¹
Trusted by over 150,000 customers.
Experienced insurance providers for over 30 years.
Over 3,500 highly rated reviews.
Proof of our excellent customer service.
Experienced Claims Handling
A smooth and efficient claims process.
UK Based Customer Support
Our UK sales team are here to help.
Frequently
Asked Questions
What if a customer is injured by a product I sold?
Our product liability insurance covers claims of injury or property damage caused by products you sell. This insurance is essential for crafters, as it protects you from potentially costly legal claims arising from your goods.
Can I use my insurance policy for different craft fairs?
Yes – we can offer insurance that covers you for multiple events within that period. This is often more cost-effective than purchasing separate cover for each event.
What paperwork comes with my craft fair insurance?
Once your policy is active, you’ll receive several important documents via email: your insurance certificate, detailed policy terms, a key facts statement, and any supplementary paperwork. These can all be forwarded to event organisers as needed.
Is it possible to arrange insurance just before a craft fair?
Yes – at Protectivity, we understand last-minute bookings and can arrange cover quickly, often within 24 hours. To ensure swift processing, have all your event and business details ready when applying.
When do I need employers’ liability cover for my craft stall?
By law, you must have employers’ liability insurance if anyone other than immediate family helps at your stall. This includes both paid staff and volunteers, protecting you if they’re injured whilst working with you.
Which types of insurance should I consider for craft fairs?
Public liability insurance is vital cover and is the foundation of any craft fair insurance policy. This protects you if someone is injured or their property is damaged at your stall. Many crafters also opt for product liability insurance to protect against claims arising from items they’ve sold. You might want to consider additional protection for your equipment and stock too.
Is insurance required for selling at craft fairs?
Insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but it is advised. Most event organisers will ask to see proof of public liability insurance before you’re permitted to trade at their craft fair. This essential cover safeguards you should a visitor sustain an injury or have their belongings damaged whilst at your stall.
Am I covered to sell my crafts online?
Yes, our crafters insurance is designed for selling crafts online.
Are my products covered in transit to my customers?
Yes, cover for your Business Equipment and Stock is covered whilst in transit. If you are using other companies to carry these goods, then they should have their own insurance to cover your goods when they are carrying them, as they would be responsible for them should they be damaged or stolen.
Does your insurance cover me to distribute products overseas?
Yes, if you are exporting your products around the world, you will need cover for this distribution. Worldwide cover is available, with additional terms for the USA and Canada.
Is my stock covered?
Yes, should your stock incur damages, it will be covered up to the value of £250, with the option to increase up to £3000.
Does your policy allow me and my staff to provide work using Heat away from our Premises?
No, not for the majority of crafts, your insurance restricts you to use heat equipment, only at your permanent premises. The exception is for hot air guns, soldering irons and/or engraving tools only.
Can I include liability cover for subcontractors I use to aid my business?
This depends on your agreement with your subcontractors. Labour-only subcontractors (working under your direction) can be included on your policy of insurance, for work they provide under contract with yourself and your business only and should be included in the total numbers you provide in this application of insurance.
Bona-fide subcontractors (working under their own direction) will have to have their own insurance cover and cannot be included on your insurance policy but you will be obligated to retain proof of their insurance.
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This page content has been created for general information and should not be taken as advice.
*Prices quoted refer to a quote raised from our website 01/10/2024. Prices will differ depending on requirements. Make sure you have the correct level of cover for what you need. For the most accurate pricing, please get a quote and for full details on what is covered refer to our policy documentation with your quote.
** Based on Protectivity sales data from 2007 to Sep 2024
ˆ10% discount for policies bought online and applies only to the first-year of your policy premium. Protectivity reserves the right to amend or withdraw this offer at any time. Available to UK residents only.
¹Based on live Feefo data