Occupational personal accident insurance

Professional indemnity insurance covers the cost of defending your business against allegations of professional negligence (such as giving your client incorrect or wrongful advice) and any compensation or damages subsequently awarded against you. This is essential insurance if you provide advice, designs or services to your client. Cover is available with limits ranging from £50,000 to £5m.

Public liability insurance covers the cost of defending your business (including damages awarded against you if unsuccessful) if someone is injured, or their property damaged, which arises from you going about your business or supplying products. The legal fees alone could cost your business thousands of pounds. If you regularly visit client premises as part of your consulting activities, you may need this cover. Limits range from £1m to £5m.

Employer’s liability insurance is a legal requirement if your business has employees. It covers your business against claims for injury or illness suffered by employees arising from their employment. If you employ staff, even on a part time basis, you almost certainly need this cover. Cover for £10m.

Directors and officers insurance covers the costs of defending you as a director or officer of your company against allegations of wrongful acts and any damages subsequently awarded against you. Cover is also provided in respect of the legal costs and expenses of defending actions for disqualification as a director, investigations and extradition proceedings. Limits range from £25,000 to £5m.

Office insurance covers your office buildings, office contents and computer equipment against accidental damage (including theft) whilst on your business premises. You can also choose to cover your business equipment (such as laptops and mobile phones) on a worldwide basis, and insure your business against loss of income and/or additional trading expenses following events such as damage to your property.

Legal expenses insurance pays your legal costs and expenses for contract disputes, tax enquiries (including IR35), attending jury service, debt recovery, personal injury, as well as any award you are required to pay following an employment dispute with an employee. Limit of £100,000.

Cyber and data risks insurance helps you when you're the victim of a targeted cyber attack, paying the costs of restoring data and equipment, informing clients, meeting ransom demands and loss of your net profit. It also pays your legal defence costs and damages you are legally liable to pay to other parties.

Occupational personal accident covers a wide range of situations when you are injured at work or while travelling to and from work, including:

• You are knocked off your bike while commuting to work, suffer a broken arm and are unable to work for 3 months. Occupational personal accident insurance pays you the weekly benefit stated in your policy (subject to a two week deferment period).
• You slip at work, suffer a serious injury to your leg and are unable to work for 6 months. Occupational personal accident insurance pays you the weekly benefit stated in your policy (subject to a two week deferment period).
• You are involved in a serious accident at work which results in you losing a limb. Occupational personal accident insurance pays the lump sum stated in your policy.

Give some thought to your current income, outgoings and savings, and whether you (and your dependents) would benefit from a weekly payment if you were unable to work suddenly.

We offer a range of limits from £100 per week to £400 per week for temporary total disablement, or lump sums of £25k to £100k for those that experience permanent total disablement. You can tailor your limit to suit your individual requirements, meaning you'll only pay for the cover you've chosen.

Markel has over 25 years of experience insuring contractors, consultants and self-employed professionals. We insure over 200,000 micro businesses and are highly rated by our customers at Feefo.com.

We are a division of Markel International, a Lloyd’s and London market insurer that wrote gross premium totals of £2.4bn in 2023

To talk about your insurance requirements and better understand our cover, call us on 0371 705 2212 or get a quick quote online.

Markel Direct is a trading name of Markel International Insurance Company Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Find out more on the Financial Services Register.

We are a division of Markel International, a Lloyd’s of London market insurer that wrote gross premium totals of £2.4bn in 2023.