Authors Insurance
Specialist cover for authors from £4.83* per month.
- Public liability for authors
- Add Professional indemnity cover
- Join over 150,000 customers**
From only £4.83* per month
Save 10% Onlineˆ
What is Authors insurance?
Our authors insurance is designed to support professionals across the writing and publishing industries — from freelance writers to authors managing multiple book projects. Whether you’re working from a home office, a shared workspace, or collaborating with editors and publishers, this policy ensures you and your work are protected throughout every stage of the writing and publishing process.
The core cover includes public liability for, with limits of up to £5 million. This helps safeguard you against claims of injury or property damage that may occur during your work. It’s excellent value for essential business protection, allowing you to operate with confidence while focusing on your clients’ needs.
Authors insurance can be flexible and tailored with optional add-ons such as professional indemnity, personal accident protection, legal expenses, and cover for your writing equipment. Whether you’re working from home, in a shared office, or attending literary events, your policy can adapt to meet the changing needs of your writing career.
Make sure you have the correct insurance for your profession and be sure to check if any exclusions are relevant to what you have planned in policy documentation.
Public Liability
Professional Indemnity
Employers' Liability
Equipment
Personal Accident
Public Liability and Products Liability
- From £1 million to £5 million of cover.
- Protection from claims by a third-party who sustains injuries or has their property damaged, whereby you or your business is responsible.
Professional Indemnity
- From £250,000 to £1 million of cover.
- This protects you from damages caused by your mistakes, errors, or negligence in your professional work, including those made by your employees.
Employers’ Liability
- Up to £10 million of cover.
- Protection from claims against employee incidents if someone suffers a work-related injury and brings a claim against you.
Equipment
- Up to to £25,000 worth of cover
- Cover is provided on a new for old basis for items under three years old, meaning that regardless of whether you have had the item for three months or three years, we will replace it with a brand-new equivalent if the damage is irreparable.
Personal Accident
- Protection from workplace accidents.
- A selection of incidents can be claimed for under this benefit including accidental death, permanent total disablement and temporary total disablement.
Overseas Extension
- Work abroad for up to 30 days a year.
Select European Union or Worldwide (excluding the USA & Canada).
Legal Expenses
- Access to a legal helpline and a counselling service in addition to legal defence costs.
- The cover can be upgraded further to include employment disputes, property disputes, health and safety disputes and more.
- Expertise out of your scope of work.
- Businesses with more than 5 employees
- Damage to electronic data
- Wear and tear of equipment
- Operating in the US and Canada
- Anyone aged 16 or younger working for you
For further information on exclusions in your cover please refer to policy documentation.
Why do authors need insurance
As an author, your role goes beyond putting words on a page. You’re responsible for creating compelling content, meeting deadlines, collaborating with editors or publishers, and ensuring every project maintains high creative and professional standards. But even with careful planning, things don’t always go as expected. That’s why specialist insurance for authors is so important.
Having the right cover ensures that if a client brings a claim against you, whether for a design that didn’t meet expectations, a missed deadline, or advice that led to a financial loss, you’re supported. Even the most experienced professionals can face disputes, and insurance is there to help protect your reputation, your finances, and your future.
Insurance for authors can help protect you in the following situations:
Public liability cover
Accidents can happen anywhere, even in a home office, at a writing retreat, or during a public event. For example, if a visitor, editor, or attendee trips over cables, books, or equipment, you could be held legally responsible.
Public liability insurance protects you from the legal and financial fallout of such incidents, covering compensation claims and legal expenses—so you’re not left footing the bill.
Professional indemnity insurance
Imagine you deliver a completed manuscript or book to a client or publisher, but later they claim it caused problems — perhaps issues with deadlines, content disputes, or alleged financial loss due to your work. Even if the claim is unfounded, defending your work can be time-consuming and costly.
Professional indemnity cover is made for these situations. It helps cover legal defence costs and any compensation owed, giving you the freedom to create without fear of reputational or financial damage.
Equipment cover
The tools you rely on, from laptops and tablets to reference books, printers, and writing materials, are essential to your work. If they are stolen from your office or damaged while traveling to a workshop, meeting, or event, your projects could come to a sudden stop.
Equipment cover helps replace these vital items on a new-for-old basis, so you can get back to work with minimal disruption.
Personal accident cover
Being an author may not feel risky, but spending long hours writing, editing, or researching can lead to strain on your eyes, back, or neck. Accidents can still happen too, whether in your office, at a workshop, or while carrying books and other materials.
Personal accident cover provides financial support during recovery, helping you manage living costs or lost income while you take the time to heal and return to work.
Our experts explain why...
“Authors do far more than put words on a page. They create complete works that shape how readers, editors, or publishers perceive a project, whether it’s a short story, novel, or series. From meeting tight deadlines to coordinating with editors and collaborators, their work blends creativity, planning, and real responsibility.
That’s why authors insurance is designed to reflect the genuine risks of working in the writing industry. Whether you’re a freelance writer working on a single project or managing multiple books, your policy provides support when it matters most, from claims of negligence to disputes over deliverables.
Our goal is to give authors the confidence to focus on their profession, knowing they’re protected by flexible insurance that grows with their business.”
Chris Trotman, Protectivity Underwriting Manager
How much does authors insurance cost?
At Protectivity, authors insurance policies start at just £4.83 per month.*
Insurance for authors is a cost-effective way to protect your business, equipment, and reputation.
Several factors influence the price of your policy. If you use high-value equipment, work with major brands, or provide strategic audio consultancy, you may need a more comprehensive level of cover. Optional extras like equipment protection, personal accident cover, or employers’ liability can be added to tailor your policy to your specific needs.
Ultimately, investing in author liability insurance helps protect both your livelihood and your professional reputation, so you can take on creative projects with confidence, wherever your work takes you.
Prices from
£4.83* a month
Explainer quote
Policy cost
£4.83* a month
Policy type
Authors insurance
Policy duration
Annual
Public Liability
£1,000,000
This example is based on a real quote from our website on 17/10/2025. 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 authors insurance?
Let the reviews of over 3,000 customers explain why you should choose us.¹
Trusted by over 13,000 policyholders.
Experienced insurance providers for over 30 years.
5* reviews from 3,000+ customers.
Proof of our excellent customer service.
Experienced Claims Handling
A smooth and efficient claims process.
UK Based Customer Support
On average we answer your phone calls in under 2 minutes
Frequently
Asked Questions
Do I need professional indemnity insurance as a freelance author?
Yes, professional indemnity insurance is advisable for freelance authors. It protects against claims of negligence, errors, or omissions in your professional work, including providing incorrect or misleading advice or information. This coverage helps safeguard your business and reputation by covering the cost of defending your work and paying any compensation owed.
Am I protected if someone claims my work contains libellous content?
Yes, professional indemnity insurance for authors can cover legal costs and compensation if someone claims your work contains libellous content. This protection is part of the coverage for errors or omissions in your professional work.
Does the policy cover me for ghostwriting projects?
Yes, authors insurance is designed to support professionals across the writing and publishing industries. Whether you’re working on ghostwriting projects or other writing assignments, the policy provides protection tailored to your needs.
What happens if I breach a publishing contract unintentionally?
If you unintentionally breach a publishing contract, professional indemnity insurance for authors may cover legal costs and compensation arising from claims of negligence or errors in your professional work depending on the situation. However, it is up to you to follow rules and regulations and ensure you are following contracts.
Does authors insurance cover loss of manuscripts or research materials?
Although the offers equipment cover, this would only cover equipment specifically designed or purchased for business activities.
Are collaborative writing projects covered under my individual policy?
Yes, authors insurance can cover collaborative writing projects. However, it’s advisable to review your policy documentation or consult with your insurer to ensure that all aspects of the collaboration are adequately covered and ensure other collaborators are also insured.
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 17/10/2025. 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
¹Based on live Feefo data