Food & Catering Insurance — Compare Cover for 10 UK Trades

Why Food & Catering Businesses Need Specialist Cover

Standard business insurance is rarely built around the way food businesses actually work. Whatever your trade, a handful of risks come up again and again.

• Almost every venue, market, council or event organiser will ask for proof of public liability before you can trade — typically £5 million as a minimum, with £10 million increasingly required at larger venues and events
• Food poisoning and allergic reaction claims fall under product liability, not standard public liability — the two are commonly bundled, but check both are included, since food is one of the highest-risk categories for this type of claim
• Refrigeration, ovens and other essential equipment break down, and a standard contents policy doesn't always cover the lost stock or income that follows — separate cover for stock spoilage and business interruption closes this gap
• The moment you take on any staff — including casual, seasonal, or one-off event help — employers' liability insurance becomes a legal requirement, not just for full-time employees
• Mobile traders face a gap that's easy to miss: standard motor insurance covers your vehicle, not the catering equipment, trailer or stock inside it
• Allergen labelling rules apply differently depending on your trade — from Natasha's Law for prepacked food to fish-specific labelling regulations for seafood — and getting this wrong can trigger both enforcement action and a liability claim

Frequently Asked Questions