Catering Insurance
Specialist cover for Caterers and Food vendors from £4.48 per month.*
- Public Liability up to £5m
- Join over 150,000 customers**
- Flexible Payment Plans – 0% APR
From £4.48* a month
Save 10% Onlineˆ
What does caterers insurance cover?
Our specialist insurance for caterers will include the necessary liability coverage you need to protect you against claims you might receive and make sure you are operating safely and avoiding financial losses. Public liability for caterers is included and you can add extras such as employers’ liability, depending on the requirements and size of your business.
We recognise flexibility is important as a caterer, whether you operate from a fixed location, are a mobile caterer or are in charge of catering staff our policy can allow you to select the cover level most suitable for you.
Make sure you have the correct insurance for your activities and be sure to check if any exclusions are relevant to what you have planned in policy documentation.
Public Liability
Product Liability
Free SafeCheck
Employers' Liability
Commercial Legal Protection
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.
Equipment
- From £250 worth of cover.
- Add up to £12,000 worth of cover.
- If your craft tools are lost, damaged or stolen, your equipment can be covered up to the value you select.
Professional Indemnity
- Up to £10,000 per claim available.
- Protection from clients’ who claim their injury was the result of your negligent professional actions.
Free SafeCheck
- Exclusive to our Caterers Insurance you can take advantage of SafeCheck, a complimentary health and safety service offering additional protection for your catering business.
- Simply book an assessment to receive a comprehensive report identifying potential risks to your business.
Financial Loss
- Up to £5,000 per claim available.
- Protection from claims from other parties relating to financial losses not directly consequent upon bodily injury or damage.
Employers’ Liability
- Up to £10 million available.
- If any employee suffered physical injury or a fatality because of the employer’s negligence. If that staff member sought compensation, the insurer would handle the cost of the claim.
- If you employ any staff members, Employers’ Liability is a legal requirement.
Commercial Legal Protection
- Up to £100,000 per claim available.
- Provides you with access to professional legal advice and representation in relation to contract disputes, legal defence, property protection and recovery of undisputed debts, to name a few.
- Cover for bona fide subcontractors, who should have their own insurance.
- Catering overseas.
- Claims for financial losses relating to non or late delivery of products to third parties.
For information on exclusions in your cover please refer to policy documentation.
Why do you need catering cover?
As a caterer, your clients rely on you to provide exceptional food and service for their special events. They trust in your expertise and attention to detail; however, sometimes things can go wrong. Caterers Insurance protects professional caterers like you against claims that could arise from the various risks and incidents that might occur during your catering service.
You can be assured you are operating responsibly, fulfilling liability obligations to stakeholders, and secure that you are protected from costly financial losses. Look at some typical scenarios that might result in claims:
Protection from claims should a member of the public get injured.
Protection against claims arising from accidental injury to a customer or third party, or damage to their belongings. This could be a customer tripping over your catering equipment, or it could be damage caused to a personal affect, such as staining a household surface. Either way, in the event of incidents like these, you are vulnerable to a substantial compensation claim, as well as other associated costs.
Protection if someone becomes ill from food you produce.
A customer may become unwell or burn themselves from food you’ve prepared, which could result in a claim against you.
Having product liability protects against eventualities including contamination, spoilage and other food defects can help avoid costly compensation claims if they arise.
An employee or temporary worker suffers a workplace accident.
Employees may be at risk of accidents or injuries during their work and hold you responsible. If you have employees or hire temporary workers for your catering services, employers’ liability covers you against claims from these incidents, it is a legal obligation with fines of £2500 per day for failing to comply.
A venue requires proof of liability cover.
If you are contracted to provide catering services for an event it is often obligatory to provide proof of public liability insurance to a venue or event organiser as part of their risk assessment.
Our experts explain why...
“You could be a caterer working in a commercial kitchen, on a contracted basis, working freelance or perhaps you work for yourself at your home address, remotely at events or from a van or trailer fabricated for catering purposes. Whatever your method of providing this service, you need protection against allegations of injury and damage resulting from you preparing and providing your catering services to members of the public, your customers. Our product ensures you can operate without the concern of whether you could experience considerable financial loss as a result of your actions.”
Chris Trotman, Protectivity Underwriting Manager
How much does caterers insurance cost?
The cost of caterers’ insurance can vary depending on several factors. For example, if you employ staff then your policy will need additional cover in Employers’ Liability, at a higher cost.
Investing in specialist caterers’ insurance is not just about protecting you from financial losses. It’s a small price to pay to provide additional, professional credibility that you take your business operations seriously.
At Protectivity policies start at just £4.48* a month.
Prices from
£4.48* a month
Explainer quote
Policy cost
£4.48* a month
Policy type
Catering
Duration
Annual
Turnover
£50,000
Public Liability
£1,000,000
Professional Indemnity
£10,000 (per claim)
Financial Loss
£5000
Business Health Check
Free
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.
What types of businesses need catering insurance?
There are several different types of business that might need catering insurance. Here is a selection of organisations we cover, however if you don’t see your activity listed, speak to our team to find out what we can offer.
Mobile food trucks and trailers
Whether you’re serving up gourmet burgers on a street corner or at a local festival, if you run a food truck, having adequate catering insurance is essential.
Since food trucks are always on the move, you’ll want to make sure your insurance covers you no matter where you park.
In-House catering
If you provide in-house catering services, from corporate events to weddings, having the right insurance can help keep things running smoothly.
Personal chefs and home-based caterers
If you’re a personal chef or running a catering business from your own kitchen, having the right insurance is a must.
Make sure your home insurance provider knows about your business, or you could be left without proper cover.
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 catering 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
How does catering insurance work if I operate from a home kitchen?
If you operate a catering business from home, your home insurance likely won’t cover business activities, so you’ll need separate catering insurance to ensure you’re adequately covered.
Do I need different insurance for corporate catering versus wedding catering?
No, our standard insurance for catering businesses will cover you.
Am I covered if a guest has an allergic reaction to my food?
Allergic reactions would typically fall under your product liability coverage. However, you must take all reasonable precautions to prevent such incidents, including proper food labelling and cross-contamination prevention. Failure to do so could invalidate your coverage.
Does my catering insurance cover temporary staff I hire for large events?
Yes as long as these temporary staff members are labour only subcontractors or employees. If they are bona fide subcontractors, then there is no cover for these individuals, you will need to ensure they have their own insurance.
What happens if I have to cancel a catering job due to illness or emergency?
There is no insurance on our product for loss of cost and expenses or expected revenue for cancelling a catering job.
Does my catering insurance cover damage to rented venues?
Yes, our insurance for caters covers against damage as part of the public liability insurance included in the policy.
Am I covered if I cater events with alcohol?
Yes, as long as you are not just serving alcohol. This would need to be alongside a primary function of serving food.
Does my catering insurance cover food poisoning claims?
Yes, food poisoning claims are typically covered under product liability insurance. This protects you if a client becomes ill from food you’ve prepared or served. However, you must maintain proper food safety standards to ensure your coverage remains valid.
Do you offer insurance for mobile caterers?
Yes, we offer comprehensive liability insurance for mobile caterers. However equipment and vehicles are not covered in this policy.
Is my catering equipment covered?
No, there is no cover for equipment in this policy. This is cover for liability insurance only, with optional commercial legal protection.
Discover more from Protectivity
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