Pub insurance in 2025. A complete guide.
March 12, 2023
Ian Westwood
March 12, 2023
Ian Westwood
Pubs are a labor of love and require many hands to keep an operation going.
Managing a pub comes with everyday hazards and plenty of risks, so pub owners need the right pub insurance coverage to protect themselves.
Pubs work with the public, so they require liability insurance and more.
Table of contents
Pub and restaurant insurance, also known as public house insurance, is a policy for licensed business owners to protect their assets.
This insurance typically includes coverage for employees, customers, and business contents, all under one comprehensive policy.
Public liability insurance is essential for a pub. This insurance can cover you against financial and legal claims from the many risks associated with your business premises.
From public liability, you can also choose to add cover for essential work equipment and your everyday stock items or employers' liability insurance for your team, for example.
We will cover all of the pub insurance coverage available to you in the following section.
We will first examine pub liability insurance. Public and product liability insurance is an essential cover for pubs.
Liability insurance for pubs is specifically tailored to protect you from claims due to injuries, illnesses, or property damages if your business is at fault.
Public liability insurance for pubs
This insurance type will protect you if your pub causes an injury, illness, or property damage. Public liability coverage is a form of public liability insurance for guests.
From faulty bar stools to accidents in your beer garden, public liability insurance for pubs can shield you from expensive claims.
In addition, public liability insurance for pubs typically covers claims against your business for:
Examples of when you might need public liability insurance:
Note: you will need additional cover for employees. You're usually required by law to have employers' liability insurance if you employ anyone.
Read more about public liability insurance here.
Employers liability insurance
This coverage will protect you if anyone gets sick or injured while working for your pub.
Employers' liability insurance can protect you from financial losses ranging from faulty kitchen equipment to catching the flu while working.
In addition, employers' liability insurance typically covers you against:
Note: Employers' liability is a legal requirement if you have employees. Without this coverage, you could be fined thousands per day for each employee.
Examples of when you might need employers’ liability insurance:
Content insurance
This insurance type will protect you if something happens to your pub's fixtures, fittings, or office equipment.
From issues with your work equipment to extreme weather incidents, contents insurance for pubs can shield you from costly expenses.
In addition, contents insurance for pubs typically covers you for:
Examples of when you might need contents insurance:
Building insurance
This insurance type will protect you if something happens to your pub premises.
From damaged pipes to walls needing repair work, building insurance can cover you for costly expenses.
In addition, building insurance for pubs typically covers you for damages such as:
Examples of when you might need building insurance:
Money cover
This insurance type will protect you if your pub premises is broken into or vandalized.
Thefts cause financial loss, and vandalism can result in severe property damage. In addition, money cover will protect you if your pub is vandalized by an employee or by another party.
Money cover for pubs typically covers you for:
Examples of when you might need money cover:
Business interruption insurance
This insurance type will protect you if you can't trade for any reason related to theft or damage to your pub's essentials. You will be compensated for the loss of sales because you're not able to work.
From renovation work to theft, pub business insurance can shield you from costly issues.
Specifically, business interruption insurance for pubs typically covers:
Examples of when you might need business interruption insurance:
Deterioration of stock insurance
This coverage will protect you if something happens to your stock of drinks or food products.
Whether your food ingredients are spoiled and unusable or your alcoholic drinks get contaminated, stock insurance can protect you from costly claims and legal matters.
Stock insurance for pubs typically covers:
Examples of when you might need deterioration of stock insurance:
Legal expenses insurance
This insurance type will cover you if you have to pay for legal expenses connected with your pub.
Whether you have to pay for legal costs or compensation payouts, legal expenses insurance can protect you from facing expensive fees.
Legal expenses insurance for pubs typically covers:
Examples of when you might need legal expenses insurance:
Personal accident insurance
This insurance will cover you if anyone you've covered is accidentally injured off-duty or at work.
Whether you have to pay for lost income or medical expenses, personal accident insurance can protect you from paying out of pocket.
Personal accident insurance for pubs typically covers:
Examples of when you might need personal accident insurance:
Let's take a look at the key takeaways from the above sections and help you choose the right insurance.
Public liability insurance and customized packages are great options for pub owners.
If you hire staff (contractors, casual, permanent, and temporary staff), it’s essential to take out employers' liability insurance.
You can face fines per day, per person, for any staff member you haven't covered correctly.
From public liability and employers insurance, you can choose from other specific protection, such as protecting your pub's equipment, stock, fixtures and fittings, and the building.
When choosing insurance for a pub, you should consider the maximum possible loss your business could face or the “worst case scenario” in the event of a claim.
Make sure you take legal fees and damages into consideration and choose the correct level of coverage for you.
Does public liability insurance cover employee actions?
This depends on whether you have employers' liability insurance.
Public liability insurance protects your business against legal action brought by members of the public for damage to their belongings and for injuries.
However, when it comes to your employees' actions causing any damages or injuries, the only way to ensure you're covered is with employers' liability insurance.
What policy covers a deep-fat fryer?
There are safety measures you must follow when using a deep fat fryer, as you know it's a high-risk piece of kitchen equipment.
If you're claiming for unexpected costs and are discovered not to have met these conditions, it could invalidate your policy and leave you without a payout.
To avoid this, check the requirements for the model of the fryer you use (in the manual). You must comply with the fryer's service record and cleaning schedule.
Ensure you stay within the volume of use guidelines, use the necessary safety equipment, replace oils frequently, and employ contractors registered to work on fryers.
To see more FAQs about public liability insurance, see here.
The cost of insurance for a pub is dependent on several factors, these include:
If you are looking for cheap pub insurance, it's best to shop around. Receiving free quotes is the easiest way to ensure you find the best deal.
By comparing quotes, you can find out the average cost of pub insurance. You can choose what goes into your customized pub insurance, so you only pay for what you need.
Managing a pub is fast-paced and hectic, so keeping the insurance part simple is best.
Whether you run a small pub or have a chain of bars, our team of experts can help you to take out a simple and understandable business policy.
With 35 years of experience, Pitsas Insurances can guide you to optimal decisions according to your specific needs and budget constraints.
We will help you to find the right pub insurance that fits your business needs.
Business insurance USA
For companies registered in the USA, you can receive quotations from Progressive Commercial.
Business insurance UK
For companies registered in the UK, you can receive quotations from Simply Business.
Business insurance Cyprus
For companies registered in Cyprus, you can receive a quotation from Pitsas Insurances by completing the quotation.
If you have more questions, contact our insurance experts and work with a licensed agent to determine your needs. We offer a fast turnaround.
To find out more about how our team of insurance experts can help you, see here.