Tailored insurance for independent cafés, coffee shops and tea rooms.
Speak to a specialist retail insurance broker who understands your business.
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The following covers are typically available as part of a retail package or commercial combined policy for your type of business.
Most retailers can choose between a shopkeepers package policy (a pre-built bundle of covers) or a retailers commercial combined policy (where you select and tailor each section). A broker has a responsibility to recommend the right approach based on your specific demands and needs — and to ensure you are adequately covered, not just cheaply covered.
These are the risks and coverage gaps most commonly seen in this type of retail business. A broker familiar with your trade should address all of these at inception.
Buying a cheap policy is a false economy if the cover is inadequate. Many retail claims are settled at less than the full loss because the sums insured — for stock, contents or business interruption — were too low. A broker has a legal duty to advise on adequacy of cover. Buying direct from an insurer leaves that responsibility entirely with you.
Before purchasing retail insurance, always verify the credentials of the insurer or broker you are dealing with. Check specifically how long they have been arranging this type of cover. Ask whether your policy is underwritten by a UK-based insurer or an offshore carrier, as this can affect your rights and protections under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the event of insurer failure. The onus is on you as the policyholder to satisfy yourself that both the cover and the insurer are appropriate for your specific needs.
Questions we see regularly from businesses like yours.
Standard café policies cover eat-in and takeaway over the counter. If you deliver via Deliveroo or Uber Eats the platform carries liability for the delivery itself, but your products liability still applies for the food you prepare.
Your landlord is responsible for the building. You need tenants improvements cover for any fit-out you have paid for — kitchen equipment installed, counters, etc. — and contents cover for everything else.
It pays your ongoing costs and lost profit if your café cannot trade following an insured event — fire, flood, equipment breakdown (if added). It is often the most valuable section of a policy and frequently undersold.
Work with a broker who understands retail — and who has a duty to recommend cover that meets your needs, not just sell you a policy.
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