What is public liability cover?
Public liability insurance helps to protect your vineyard business from compensation payments and legal costs arising from personal injury and property damage claims made by your customers, passers-by, or people you visit. This cover also includes the cost of medical treatment and transportation costs incurred by the NHS should they claim this amount from your business following an incident. Public liability insurance will cover everything from minor incidents in the work place to large claims that could force you out of business.
Do I need public liability insurance?
Although this cover is not a legal requirement, public liability insurance is normally taken out by businesses that have dealings with the general public.
Any vineyard business that interacts with members of the public should ensure they are covered if the worse happens. Similarly, if you attend trade shows, you need to check that your liability insurance extends to cover such events.
How much cover do I need?
Generally speaking, an indemnity limit of £2million would be considered essential for a vineyard business, which may seem like a lot given that this cover is not legally required. These higher limits are recommended as a large claim could cripple your business if you do not have this protection in place.
When thinking about the level of cover you need, it is important to consider the scale of the work carried out at your vineyard and the possible extent of a compensation claim should something go wrong. Be sure to take into account the fact that claim costs can rise significantly when you consider aspects such as loss of income and potential medical costs.
How is public liability insurance different from other liability covers?
Public liability insurance covers claims for third party injuries and property damage only, so, for example, if you are a limited company, then injuries to you or a member of staff will be covered under your employers’ liability insurance, which provides protection for your employees and is a legal requirement if you employ more than one person.
What is an example of a public liability claim?
Typically, such claims often involve slips, trips and falls of visitors on your premises such as falling over an open or raised drain cover in a car park or a trailing wire in a wine tasting area.
