Are Shop Insurance and Business Insurance The Same Thing?

There are many different types of businesses in the UK, and protecting them with the most appropriate business insurance is a priority for any business owner. However, depending on your business type, your policy will have a unique set of insurance coverage options that can differ significantly from a neighbouring business on the same street.

As a shop owner, you will need to consider four main elements of insurance protection on your policy to protect the core of your business. These are:

• Stock insurance
• Buildings and Contents insurance
• Public liability insurance
• Business interruption insurance

You can get retail shop insurance quotes online with Brisco Business Insurance. Because we specialise in finding the best deal for your business insurance, by working with us to build your retail shop insurance policy, you can feel confident that you won’t be paying over the odds for your business insurance coverage.

Is shop insurance and business insurance the same thing?

The business sector is so diverse that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for business insurance protection. Suppose you run a hotel or other business in the hospitality sector, such as a restaurant, pub or bed and breakfast. In that case, you will need a business insurance policy based on your specific risks.

If you run a retail shop selling products or services directly to customers, your shop insurance quote will look very different from any of the types of business mentioned above. So while shop insurance and business insurance overlap in some areas, they are not identical.

A retail shop environment will have very different risks than a business without direct contact with the general public. For example, your shop customers are exposed to risks such as slipping over on a wet floor or having a heavy object falling onto them from a high shelf or display area. There is also a risk of damage to the customer’s personal property from the contents of a smashed jar, for example, stained clothes or footwear from a jar of pasta sauce that accidentally gets knocked off a shelf and breaks on the floor.

This is why a shop liability insurance quote is needed for a retail shop environment but may not be required for an online shop owner that sells virtual products and has no direct contact with their customers.

What does shop insurance cover?

What is included in a retail shop insurance policy will be coverage that may not apply across the board to all business types in the UK. Shop insurance focuses on retail businesses run from physical brick-and-mortar properties. The type of insurance commonly included in a shop insurance policy can have:

• Buildings and contents insurance: This will cover your costs should your shop building get damaged or completely destroyed, for example, during a fire outbreak. This cover will also help to cover expenses from flooding or damage caused by water leaks and damage to your property caused by vandalism and burglaries. Buildings and contents insurance tends to protect the physical structure of your building and contents rather than anything you would classify as stock or inventory sold.
• Business interruption insurance: This insurance coverage is invaluable should you close your shop down for some time. This could be for refurbishment work following a fire or flood or a serious incident such as a burglary where the scene will need to be investigated before you can restock and reopen. This insurance will help to cover shop rent payments or lost income while your shop is closed.
• Employer’s liability insurance: This is a legally required insurance if you employ staff to work in your shop or for your business behind the scenes, such as in an admin role in your office. This insurance covers you against any staff claims for compensation should they fall ill or get injured while working for you or as a result of the work they do for you.
• Product liability insurance: If your shop sells physical products made by yourself or other manufacturers, there could be a risk that your products may cause illness or injury to your customers. You might have to pay compensation to customers even if the product in question wasn’t manufactured by yourself.
• Public liability insurance: This coverage is particularly valuable for shops that rely on customers shopping in-store or entering your business premises to use your services. This coverage will protect your finances and cover your legal fees should a customer claim compensation for an injury or damage to their property while on your premises.
• Stock insurance: Retail shop owners will have a lot of money tied up in their physical stock, so losing it in a fire, flood, theft, or vandalism can be financially devastating. Most retail shop owners wouldn’t be able to replace lost or damaged stock out of their pocket, so this is why stock insurance can be invaluable in helping you get your business back on its feet.

How to keep your retail shop insurance quotes low

By far, the most effective way of keeping your retail shop insurance quotes low is to get an individually tailored policy quote from Brisco Business Insurance. You should never be tempted to get a ready-made shop insurance package because you may end up overpaying for your policy and even paying for inclusions your business doesn’t need.

No shop owner wants to under or overpay for the insurance they need, which is a risk you face when buying an off-the-shelf policy. It is far better to have your policy built using the individual coverage that is most relevant for your shop business.

For example, much of your money will be tied up in the stock you hold. You can arrange a level of coverage you need to replace your inventory should you lose it to fire, flood, theft or vandalism, but remember that the more cover you add, the higher your premiums are likely to be. Work out the cost price of your stock rather than its retail price, so you don’t end up overpaying for your stock insurance coverage.

You can compare shop insurance quotes with Brisco Business Insurance to find the most cost-effective deals.

Conclusion

Your retail shop insurance policy should look very different to a business insurance policy for a completely different type of business. There are distinct differences between the insurance needs of a retail shop that deals face-to-face with customers and companies with no direct contact with their customers.

Comparing retail shop insurance quotes with Brisco Business Insurance can save you time, energy and frustration. Because we specialise in finding the most suitable insurance protection for individual businesses, you will only ever pay for the coverage you need.

Remember that the cheapest insurance option may not be the best for your business. It will help if you read the small print to ensure there are no built-in clauses that don’t fit your needs. While it may be tempting to go with the cheapest insurance deal, it may be more expensive in the long run if the coverage is not suitable for your needs. We can ensure that you have the level of individual coverage you need.

Maria Hickey

For more than 20 years, Maria has worked in the insurance sector and has extensive underwriting and customer service expertise. Maria is an experienced Senior Underwriter with a particular specialism for shop, office and surgery related insurance.

All articles by Maria Hickey