How do you get public liability insurance online in Australia?

You get public liability insurance online by requesting a quote, answering questions about your business, checking the policy and applying. Cover starts once the insurer accepts your application. Before you get public liability insurance online, it helps to know the limit your contract, lease or permit asks for.

Public liability insurance is designed to cover claims if someone is injured or their property is damaged in connection with your business. A customer slipping in your shop is one example.

Public liability is commonly arranged as public and products liability insurance. Products liability is designed to cover claims for injury or damage caused by a product you made, sold or supplied. It applies once the product has left your hands.

Cover depends on the policy and insurer you choose. Check the policy wording and its terms and conditions for what is and isn't included.

How do you get public liability insurance online, step by step?

Getting public liability insurance online follows six steps, from checking what you are asked for to sending your certificate of currency. The insurer assesses each application before cover starts.

Some applications are referred to the insurer for a closer look before a quote is offered. This is common where the activities, turnover or claims history fall outside what the online form can assess.

What details are needed to get public liability insurance online?

An online public liability quote commonly asks for your business details, activities, size, chosen limit and claims history. Each answer helps the insurer assess the risk and set the cost.

If you are still setting up, the guide on how to get an ABN in Australia explains the registration steps. A claims history report from a previous insurer can help you answer the claims questions accurately.

Public liability insurance is not designed to cover injury to your own workers. Workers compensation insurance is designed to cover work-related injury to employees. It is required where workers fall within the relevant state or territory scheme, as Safe Work Australia explains.

What should you check before you buy public liability insurance?

Before you buy public liability insurance, compare the quote and policy schedule with your activities, the limit you were asked for and the excess. The business.gov.au guide to managing business insurance lists exclusions and any excess among the things to understand before you buy.

Your activities on the policy schedule

The policy schedule is the document that lists your business details, activities, limits and policy period. Read the activities description against the work you actually do, including side services you charge for. If a claim arises from an activity your schedule leaves out, the insurer may consider declining it if they were not aware of the activity and would not have accepted it as covered under the insurance policy.

The specified limit

The specified limit is the most the insurer may pay, subject to the policy terms. It may apply per claim, in the aggregate (the most the insurer pays in total for the policy period) or both.

Licences, contracts, leases, councils and market organisers commonly set the minimum requirement. The guide to what level of public liability insurance you may need explains who sets it.

The excess

The excess is the amount you contribute towards a claim before the insurer pays the rest. A higher excess may lower the cost, but you would pay more if a claim arises. The quote and schedule show the excess that applies.

Whether products liability is included

If you make, sell or supply goods, business.gov.au notes you may need product liability insurance, "even in the form of a repair or service". Whether a public liability policy includes products liability varies between policy wordings, so always check with your broker or the team at upcover.

Any interested party the contract asks for

An interested party is a landlord, principal or lender whose interest is noted on your policy. Some leases and contracts ask for this, and it appears on the certificate where the insurer accepts it.

The answers you gave

The insurer relies on the answers in your application. Business.gov.au says to understand what you need to tell the insurer when you take out a policy, and what you need to keep updated. Your duty of disclosure is explained in the upcover glossary.

What doesn't public liability insurance cover?

Public liability insurance commonly excludes injury to your own workers, damage to your own property and claims that your advice caused a client financial loss. Exclusions commonly include, but are not limited to:

• injury to your own workers, which generally sits with workers compensation
• loss or damage to your own tools, equipment or premises
• the cost of fixing or redoing your own faulty work
• claims that your advice caused a client financial loss, which generally sit with professional indemnity insurance (designed for claims that your work caused financial loss)
• claims and circumstances you knew about before the policy started

Important: This list is not exhaustive. Exclusions vary between insurers. Always refer to the policy wording and its terms and conditions for the exclusions that apply to you.

How do you get and check a certificate of currency?

A certificate of currency is a document from the insurer confirming that your policy is in place, its period and its limits. Once your policy is confirmed and paid, standard certificates are generally available through your upcover account.

Requests for a new interested party or specific wording may need the insurer to review them first. Before you send it to a client, landlord or council, check each field against what they asked for.

A certificate of currency shows the policy at the date it was issued. It does not list every exclusion, and the policy wording applies if the two differ. The guide to what a certificate of currency is explains each field in more detail.

When is buying public liability insurance online not the right path?

Buying public liability insurance online may not be the right path where your work is complex, unusual or set by a detailed contract. In these situations, an upcover representative or a broker can talk through the options.

• Higher-risk activities. Work at heights, demolition, hazardous materials or large events may fall outside an online form.
• Several occupations. A business offering services from different trades or industries may not fit a single online activity.
• Detailed contract terms. A contract may ask for a principal to be named, specific clause wording or a limit above the online options.
• Past claims. A claims history may lead the insurer to ask further questions or set different terms.
• Imported or own-brand products. Products you import or label as your own can change how the insurer views products liability.

You can check a broker's Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence, or the licensee it represents, on the ASIC Professional Registers Search.

How upcover can help

upcover arranges public and products liability insurance for Australian businesses. upcover works with 80+ insurance partners and can arrange quotes from a range of insurers.

• 70,000+ businesses covered
• 4.9/5 customer rating
• Certificate of currency available once your policy is confirmed

You can request a public liability insurance quote online.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get public liability insurance online?

The time depends on the insurer's assessment of your application. Cover starts once the insurer accepts it and the policy is confirmed. Applications with unusual activities or past claims may be referred for review first.

Can I get public liability insurance for one day?

Public liability policies are commonly arranged for a 12-month period of insurance. Whether cover for a single day or event is available depends on the insurer and the activity. An upcover representative or a broker can talk through the options for an event.

Do I need an ABN to get public liability insurance online?

Online public liability quote forms commonly ask for an ABN to identify the business and the name on the policy. If you are not yet registered, an upcover representative or a broker can talk through how to proceed.

How much does public liability insurance cost?

The cost of public liability cover depends on your occupation, activities, turnover, location, claims history, chosen limit and excess, and the insurer. For more, see public liability insurance cost in Australia.

What public liability limit should I choose when buying online?

A public liability limit usually starts with the highest minimum set by your licence, contract, lease, council or market organiser. Policies are commonly offered with limits such as $5 million, $10 million or $20 million. An upcover representative or a broker can talk through what those limits mean for your business.

Can I change my public liability policy after buying it online?

You can ask your broker or insurer to change a public liability policy when your activities, turnover or contract requirements change. The change may affect the cost. Reviewing your policy when your business changes or before you renew helps keep it current.

When should I speak to a broker instead of buying online?

Speaking to an upcover representative or a broker can help where your activities are higher risk, span several trades, or a contract sets detailed terms. Past claims and imported products are other common reasons to talk it through first.

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_{The information in this article is general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Insurance requirements are set by licences, contracts, leases, councils and venues, and they can change, so check with the party asking for cover. Before deciding whether a product is right for you, read the policy wording and its terms and conditions. upcover Pty Ltd ABN 17 628 197 437 is a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR 1299211) of Experience Insurance Services Pty Ltd ABN 41 657 596 506, AFSL 539078. upcover arranges insurance products with selected insurers and underwriters and does not compare all general insurers or insurance products available in the market.}