July 30, 2026
With increasing numbers of properties across the UK standing empty
- 78 Bridge St, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9AG
Running a business involves risk. Premises can be damaged, equipment can break down, customers may make claims, employees can be injured and cyber incidents can bring normal operations to a halt.
The difficulty is that no two businesses face exactly the same risks.
At Munro-Greenhalgh, we help UK businesses identify the insurance covers that are relevant to their activities, premises, employees, contracts and future plans. We then approach suitable and reputable insurers to arrange protection based on the actual needs of the business – not simply the cheapest standard package.
We support sole traders, partnerships, limited companies and larger organisations throughout the UK, with an emphasis on helping SMEs across Bury, Bolton, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and the wider North West.
Call 01706 824023 to discuss your business insurance requirements.
The following guide explains some of the principal insurance policies that can be arranged for UK businesses.
Not every business will require every cover, and some protections may be combined within a single commercial package policy. For example: –
Property insurance protects the physical assets used by your business. Depending upon the policy, this can include: –
Cover is usually arranged on an “All Risks” basis including fire, flood, storm, theft, escape of water, accidental damage and other insured events.
For premises which are unoccupied or undergoing major renovation Insurers may restrict the cover that applies.
Portable equipment such as laptops, mobile phones, tools, surveying equipment and machinery may require cover while temporarily away from your premises.
Businesses should regularly review their declared values. Buildings should normally be insured for the full rebuilding cost—not their market value—and stock, machinery and contents should reflect realistic replacement costs.
Property insurance responds to pay for damaged buildings, stock or machinery. Business interruption insurance protects against a reduction in turnover, loss of gross profit and necessary additional expenses following insured property damage.
Cover can include: –
One of the most important decisions is the indemnity period. This is the maximum period during which the policy can respond. Twelve months is often insufficient where rebuilding, replacing specialist machinery, obtaining planning permission or recovering lost customers could take considerably longer.
Employers’ liability insurance protects a business against claims from employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their work. Most UK employers are legally required to hold employers’ liability insurance.
The definition of an employee can extend beyond permanent members of staff. Depending upon the circumstances, it may include: –
Businesses should therefore tell their insurers/broker about everyone who works for them, even where that person is not treated as an employee for tax purposes.
Public liability insurance covers claims made by members of the public, customers or other third parties following accidental injury or damage to property arising from your business activities.
Examples can include: –
Public liability insurance is not generally compulsory, but it is frequently required by customers, landlords, local authorities, principal contractors and tender agreements.
Products liability insurance protects businesses against claims alleging that a product they manufactured, supplied, installed, repaired or imported caused injury or property damage.
This cover is relevant to: –
Businesses importing products from outside the UK may assume greater responsibility where recovery against an overseas manufacturer is difficult.
Professional indemnity insurance protects businesses against claims arising from negligent advice, designs, specifications or professional services. It is relevant to : –
Professional indemnity policies are commonly written on a claims-made basis. This means the policy generally needs to be in force when the claim is made, rather than simply when the work was completed. Businesses should therefore take particular care before cancelling cover or reducing the retroactive date, even if they have stopped undertaking the work concerned.
Management liability insurance helps protect directors, officers, senior managers and, depending upon the policy, the company itself against claims alleging wrongful acts in the management of the business.
Claims can involve allegations of: –
Management liability is not solely for large companies. Directors of privately owned SMEs can face personal investigations, legal costs and allegations arising from decisions made in the ordinary running of the business.
Employment practices liability can protect the business and its management against claims involving: –
Cover is often included within a wider management liability policy.
Commercial legal expenses insurance can provide legal advice and help with specified disputes that are not otherwise insured under a liability policy.
Depending upon the wording, cover can include: –
Most policies include access to a legal advice helpline. Cover is subject to policy conditions and will usually require reasonable prospects of success.
Cyber insurance helps businesses respond to hacking, ransomware, data breaches, fraudulent electronic payments and other technology-related incidents.
A policy can provide access to specialist help including: –
Cyber insurance is relevant to far more than technology companies. Any business that uses email, online banking, cloud systems, customer information or digitally controlled machinery has a cyber exposure.
Crime insurance protects against specified losses caused by dishonest acts such as theft of money, stock or property by employees.
Wider commercial crime policies may also address: –
The precise cover varies considerably, so businesses should not assume that every type of fraud is automatically insured.
Trade credit insurance protects a business when customers fail to pay for goods or services because of insolvency or prolonged default.
It can help businesses: –
Cover is usually based upon an agreed credit-management process, so insurers must be informed promptly when payment problems arise.
Standard products liability insurance usually responds to third-party injury or damage. It does not necessarily cover the cost of withdrawing a defective product where no injury or damage has yet occurred.
Product recall insurance can include: –
This can be particularly important for manufacturers, food businesses, wholesalers and companies supplying safety-critical components.
Environmental liability insurance can cover liabilities arising from pollution or environmental damage.
Depending upon the wording, protection can include: –
Standard public liability policies may provide only limited protection and often focus on sudden and accidental pollution.
Goods in transit insurance covers stock, materials or customers’ goods while being transported.
Cover can be arranged for: –
Businesses should check whether the cover is based on replacement value or whether it is restricted by a carrier’s conditions of carriage.
Businesses carrying customers’ goods for hire or reward may require hauliers’ liability insurance rather than ordinary goods in transit cover.
The insurance is normally arranged around the operator’s contractual liability under relevant conditions of carriage, such as RHA or CMR conditions.
Warehouse keepers and freight forwarders may require additional protection for goods temporarily stored or handled in their custody.
In this digital world many transactions are now made by card or online banking. However, we are seeing many businesses reverting back to cash. Money insurance protects business money while: –
Some policies also include a personal accident benefit following an assault connected with theft or attempted theft.
Employers have a strict legal duty of care to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their staff during work-related travel. Providing adequate business travel insurance is the most practical way for an employer to meet this legal obligation and cover overseas medical costs or emergencies.
Annual business travel insurance can protect directors and employees travelling for work. Cover can include: –
Businesses should disclose the countries visited, frequency of travel, duration and any manual or hazardous work undertaken overseas.
Personal accident policies provide agreed financial benefits when an insured person cannot work because of an accident or illness.
Benefits can be structured as: –
Cover can help protect employees while also reducing the financial effect of absence upon the business.
Private medical insurance can provide employees with quicker access to eligible private diagnosis and treatment.
Business schemes may include: –
It can form part of an employee benefits package and may help a business manage sickness absence, although all cover remains subject to the insurer’s terms and medical underwriting.
Contract works insurance protects building works and materials during a construction project.
It may cover: –
Responsibility for arranging the insurance should be checked against the building contract.
Contractors can arrange cover for: –
Hired-in plant cover may also need to address continuing hire charges and the contractual terms imposed by the plant owner.
Engineering insurance can protect machinery, electrical equipment, pressure plant and lifting equipment against sudden and unforeseen damage or breakdown.
Engineering inspection services can also help businesses meet statutory inspection requirements applying to certain equipment.
Typical items include: –
Inspection and insurance are separate protections, and businesses may require one or both depending upon the equipment involved.
Although computers can often be included under a property policy, specialist computer insurance may provide broader protection for: –
Cyber insurance should still be considered because computer insurance does not usually provide the same incident-response, privacy or cybercrime protection.
Commercial motor insurance can cover individual cars, vans, HGVs and specialist vehicles used by a business.
Motor fleet insurance combines several vehicles under one policy and may include: –
The policy must accurately reflect who drives the vehicles, how they are used, where they travel and what they carry.
Motor trade insurance is intended for businesses involved in selling, repairing, servicing, testing or handling vehicles.
A combined motor trade policy can include: –
The correct basis of cover depends upon whether the business operates from premises, works away, trades from home or combines vehicle sales with repairs.
A policy that is appropriate for a consultant may be completely unsuitable for a manufacturer, contractor, wholesaler or motor trader.
For smaller bsuinesses a Package policy is often the most competitive solution.
That is why we begin by understanding the business before recommending the insurance.
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