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Upholstering isn’t an easy task. It takes time, skill and patience to transform pieces of furniture into something new. There’s no doubt you take pride in everything you do as an upholsterer, so it makes sense to ensure that your business is suitably protected, regardless of what happens.
This is where Markel can step in. We have over 25 years’ worth of experience in providing businesses of all sizes with the right level of cover. You can trust us when it comes to finding insurance policies that offer financial protection in times of difficulty.
Cover at a glance:
- Protect your business and professional reputation
- Public liability cover up to £5m
- Tools and equipment cover optional
- Cover for accidental damage and injury claims
What is upholsterer insurance?
Designed to provide financial protection for you and your business, upholsterer insurance is there for you when things go wrong. At Markel, we offer a range of policies for you to choose from to make sure that you’re suitably covered should the worst happen.
We can customise your insurance policy so that it meets your individual business requirements, giving you peace of mind that you are financially protected when times get tough.
Cover starting from
£8 a month*
*Example premium is based on an upholsterer requiring £1 million of public liability cover, with no claims history and meeting all underwriting criteria.
Do I need upholsterer insurance?
Even if you take the utmost care and attention with every upholstery task you take on, accidents can happen - especially when you least expect it. This is why it’s a good idea to have a suitable policy in place.
For example, imagine you are working on a re-upholstering project at a client’s home. As you move a piece of furniture, you accidently knock an expensive vase off a shelf and it shatters into pieces. In turn, the client makes a claim against you and your business for damage to their property whereby they expect you to pay the legal fees and compensation costs. What was an innocent accident could end up costing you big, so by having a suitable insurance policy in place, you needn’t worry about having to fork out the cost of damages. Instead, you can trust that you’re covered, allowing you to continue to operate as a business and saving you from financial fallout.
Your upholsterer insurance policy can also be tailored to include employers’ liability cover. This type of policy is a legal requirement for businesses with employees who work on their behalf, and you must have cover in place for a minimum value of £5 million. Employers’ liability insurance provides financial cover in the event one of your employees takes legal action against you if they become injured or unwell due to their job.
At Markel, we offer comprehensive insurance for upholstery businesses, giving you peace of mind that you’re financially protected, no matter what happens.
Why choose Markel for upholsterer insurance?
We appreciate just how important your business is to you. That’s why we offer suitable insurance policies to protect you if something goes wrong. Below are some of the reasons why you may wish to choose us.
✔ Over 25 years’ experience
With over 25 years’ worth of experience as an insurance provider, you can put your trust in us to find policies that provide the right level of protection for your business.
✔ No hidden costs
Starting from £8 a month*, our premiums come with no hidden costs or cancellation fees..
✔ Highly rated by our customers
We always put our customers first. That’s why we’re highly rated by our clients on Feefo.com.
✔ Expert help when you need it
Our experts are on hand to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our legal helpline is accessible for you, when you need it.
✔ Get a quote in less than 2 minutes
Complete our online form to get a quote right now. It’s that easy.
Example policy documents
If you have an existing policy with us, please sign in to view your policy documents.
Below you will find examples of the documents provided.
What insurance do upholsterers need?
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Public liability insurance
To protect your business from claims made against you by members of the public, our public liability insurance for upholsterers can be vital. This type of policy provides financial protection if someone was to sustain an injury or experience property damage as a result of your business. We offer public liability insurance ranging from £1 million to £5 million.
Example of a claim:
While working on upholstering a client’s armchair at their home, you accidentally scuff a nearby wall with one of your tools. The client makes a claim against you for property damage and expects you to pay for the repair of the damage caused.
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Employers’ liability insurance
Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you have people working on your behalf, and you must have this type of policy in place with a value of £5 million as a minimum. Employers’ liability insurance protects you if an employee becomes unwell or injures themselves while performing their job.
Example of a claim:
An employee is working on upholstering a client’s sofa. They move the sofa into a different position but drop a piece of heavy furniture onto their foot, significantly injuring themselves in the process. Your employee submits a personal injury claim for their injuries and their inability to work while they recover from the accident.
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Tools insurance
Our portable equipment insurance provides cover for the cost of replacing your upholstery tools. You will be covered in the event any of your tools go missing due to theft, and you’ll be covered for events such as floods and fires too. Our portable equipment policies range from £1,000 to £5,000 per person.
Example of a claim:
You’ve finished up an upholstery job at a client’s office space and loaded your equipment into your van. You leave your van to collect payment from your client, but when you return, you find that your van has been broken into. As a result, your upholstery tools have been stolen. You use your portable equipment insurance to claim back the cost of your missing tools so you can purchase replacements.
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Legal expenses insurance
Legal expenses insurance covers the cost of defending or pursuing legal actions against other parties such as suppliers, clients or employees.
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. There is a limit of £100,000.
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Occupational personal accident insurance
Occupational personal accident insurance offers financial protection if you are unable to work due to an injury you have experienced as a result of your job, or while travelling to or from work. You may receive weekly payments or a single lump sum, depending on the severity of your injuries.
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Goods in transit insurance
If you transport goods in your own vehicle or on your behalf via a third-party carrier, you may wish to protect your business with goods in transit insurance. It can cover goods against loss or damage while in transit from one place to another.
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Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity insurance is ideal for businesses that provide professional services for a fee. This can include designs or advice, and this type of policy takes care of any legal fees or compensation costs that you may be liable to pay for if a client takes legal action against you due to an error in the services you provide.
How it works
Choose the cover you require
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Buy online or contact one of our advisors
How much does upholsterer insurance cost?
When it comes to insurance, there’s no one-size-fits-all policy. Your business is unique and your insurance requirements will be too. The cost of your upholsterer insurance will be determined by a number of factors, including the size of your business, the types of upholstery jobs you carry out, the type of equipment you use, and whether or not you have anyone working on your behalf.
With upholsterer insurance starting at £8 a month, you won’t struggle to find a policy that suits your budget and provides the correct level of cover for your business.
*Example premium is based on an upholsterer requiring £1 million of public liability cover, with no claims history and meeting all underwriting criteria.
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Frequently asked questions
These frequently asked questions are designed to help you and include questions relating to policy cover, pricing and ‘technical’ terms.
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Do I need upholsterer insurance if I’m self-employed?
Even if you’re self-employed and work alone as an upholsterer, it’s still recommended that you have insurance cover in place. Accidents can happen when you least expect, so it’s best to be prepared in case things go wrong. We can tailor your policy to make sure it’s at the right level for you and your business.
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When should I get upholsterer insurance?
Ideally, you should have your insurance policy in place before you carry out any work for your clients. This will ensure that your business is suitably protected from the beginning.
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How is Markel regulated?
Markel is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Learn more by visiting the Financial Services Register.
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