Public Liability Insurance

Like all insurance policies, a public liability insurance policy will come with exclusions, so it’s important to check what these are. Here’s a list of some of the things that typically aren’t covered:

• Responsibility for injured workers:Which is typically covered in your Workers Compensation.
• Asbestos:Including incidents involving asbestos materials
• Punitive damages:If a court determines your behaviour was exceedingly negligent, you may face extra penalties.
• Gradual pollution:Such as leaking pipelines or underground storage tanks causing contamination.
• Product recall:Which are expenses that arise when a product is recalled.
• Aircraft products:For this, you would need specific aviation insurance.
• Claims arising from a professional service you provide (These are typically covered by a professional indemnity policy).

Generally speaking, the answer is no. Public liability insurance protects you from claims by customers, suppliers and the general public. It typically doesn’t cover employees who injure themselves on the job. This can be covered by workers compensation insurance, which is generally mandatory for Australian businesses.

However, there are some cases where you might be able to claim a person’s injury on your policy because they’re not technically an employee. For example, work experience students or labour workers. It comes down to what’s included in your policy, so make sure you know what you are and are not covered for before you sign up.

Also, if a public liability claim is made against your employee, and they were acting in the course of their employment when they caused the injury or property damage in question, the policy will typically cover them.

One of the first things your insurer may look at is the size and type of your business. For example, a bungee jumping business could be deemed a riskier than a florist. This means the business owner may require a greater level of cover which in turn could mean a higher premium. Your insurer may also look into your claims history and the location of your business.

• Allied Health Care
• Agricultural Contractors
• Alarm Installers and CCTV Installers
• Builders
• Commercial Property Owners
• Cleaners
• Cafes, bars and restaurants
• Carpet Layers and Flooring installers
• Ceiling Installers
• Concreters
• Drain Cleaners
• Electrical Contractors, Electricians
• Fork Lift Truck Servicing, Fork Lift Truck Training, Forklift Maintenance, Contractors
• Gardeners
• Heating and Ventilation Contractors
• Industrial Plant Repairer
• Metal Fabricators
• Plasterers
• Shop Fitters
• Solar Panel Installation
• Stonemasons
• Tradies
• Air-conditioning Contractors
• Beautician Mobile/Chair in Salon
• Bricklayers
• Carpenters and Joiners
• Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners
• Computer Repairs and Maintenance
• Caterers
• Fencing Contractor, Fencing Installers
• Forestry Contractors
• Frensh Polishers and upholsterers
• Glazing Installers, Glazing Contractors, Glaziers
• Gas Fitters
• Grave Diggers
• Groundworkers
• Hairdressers
• Heating Contractor
• Hydraulic Engineers
• Manufacturers
• Plumbers
• Roofing Contractors
• Window Cleaners

Still wondering if Public Liability insurance could be beneficial for your business? Here’s a couple of questions to consider:

• Do I work with clients, customers, or suppliers in public spaces?
• Do I visit spaces owned or controlled by others?
• Do visitors come to my premises?
• Do I manufacture products/goods?

A lot of people get confused between Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance. So we’ve broken them down for you:

Professional Indemnity Insurance^ can help protect you against losses claimed by a third party due to alleged or actual negligence or errors in your professional services or advice. For example, a customer could sue you for damages if it’s alleged that your recommendation has caused a loss. This type of insurance is typically suited to financial advisors, management consultants, accountants, lawyers and health professionals.

Public Liability insurance^ is designed to help provide protection for you and your business in the event a customer, supplier or a member of the public are injured or sustain property damage as a result of your negligent business activities. For example, if a customer slips and falls on your premises.

Some businesses could benefit from both professional indemnity insurance and public liability insurance. For example, an allied health professional might receive a claim against them for an injury that happened during treatment or allegations of negligence from that same client if they tripped over a towel left on the floor while leaving the treatment room.