Liability insurance for contractors

Specialist insurance from Markel Direct for clients of Global Accountancy and Taxation

  • Fast, easy online quote in 90 seconds

  • Interest free direct debit

  • No hidden fees or cancellation charges

Welcome to Markel Direct - Global Accountancy and Taxation's preferred insurance partner.

We've designed our specialist contractor insurance to protect you against the unforeseen – from making a mistake in a piece of work that results in your client losing money, to personal injury claims from third parties and employees. If a claim is made against you (even if it’s unsubstantiated) and you don’t have cover in place, you could be left to pay thousands of pounds in legal fees and compensation payments out of your own pocket.

At Markel, we specialise in insurance for contractors, consultants and freelancers - giving you the peace of mind that when something doesn't go to plan, you're covered.

Tailoring your contractor insurance online is quick and easy, and you'll receive an instant proof of cover. Our simple quote system allows you to choose to buy all or just some of the covers quoted, so you will only pay for the insurance you want. Get an online quote  in 90 seconds now!

Markel Direct - Global Accountancy and Taxation's insurance partner

Customer reviews

4.8/5

Rated 4.8 stars from 351 customer reviews at Google

Cover starting at just £5 a month

Tailor your policy with these covers

  • Professional indemnity 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.

    Example of claims include:

    • You produce a report for a client on restructuring their operations to lower costs. The changes directly attributable to the recommendations you have made result in higher costs for the client and they take legal action against you for the poor advice.
    • You produce a strategy report for a client in relation to growing their sales, but the tactics end up losing them business. They take legal action against you to recover the lost income.

    This is essential insurance for all management advisors and business consultants and insurance cover is available with limits ranging from £50,000 to £5m.

  • Public and product liability insurance

    Public and product 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.

    Examples of claims include:

    • While visiting a client’s office, you accidentally spill a cup of coffee over their smartphone and laptop. You are sent an invoice for the cost of replacing them.

    • A client slips on a wet floor and injures themselves while visiting your workplace. They make a personal injury claim against you seeking compensation.

    If you regularly visit client premises as part of your consulting activities, you may need this cover. Limits range from £1m to £5m.

  • Employers' liability insurance

    Employers' 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.

    An example of a claim would be:

    • An employee trips over a computer cable at your office and is unable to work for several weeks due to the injury. They make a personal injury claim against you seeking compensation.

    If your consultancy employs staff, you need this cover. Cover for £10m.

  • Office insurance

    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.

  • Directors and officers insurance

    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. If you are a director of a business or management consultancy, you may want to consider this cover. Limits range from £100,000 to £5m.

Need some help?

0800 640 6600

Mon - Fri 08:30 - 17:30

Local rate and mobile friendly

Frequently asked questions

Contact us

IPSE affiliate

Cover starting at just £5 a month

Frequently asked questions

  • I need professional indemnity insurance to secure a contract - do you provide proof of cover?

    Yes. If you purchase your policy with us, your documents are emailed to you instantly and include a dedicated 'Confirmation of Liability Insurance' document (detailing the cover you have with us) which you can present to agencies and clients as proof of cover.

  • Is my past work covered?

    We cover past work if you have held professional indemnity insurance uninterrupted prior to arranging your policy with us.

    If there was a period of time where you did not have professional indemnity insurance in force (for example, you have never arranged professional indemnity insurance before, you chose not to renew a previous policy or you cancelled a previous policy at the end of a contract) we are unable to cover past work.

    If you require further clarification, don't hesitate to call us on 0800 640 6600.

  • What limit of cover should I choose?

    Many clients and industry bodies with regulatory requirements will require you to have a minimum level of cover for you to undertake a contract, so it's worth checking this before you arrange cover. If you're unsure, give some thought to a worst-case scenario and the likely costs involved in putting your mistake right. We offer a range of limits on insurance, so you're sure to find the right cover for your business.

  • What's the difference between professional indemnity and public liability?

    Professional indemnity insurance covers against allegations of professional negligence - which means it would cover you if you were to make an error or mistake in a piece of work (such as a project or report) for a client.

    Public liability insurance covers against allegations of injury or illness caused to third parties by your negligence. This includes many of the slips, trips and falls that are associated with personal injury claims. In addition, public liability insurance covers against damage to third party property - for example, if you were to damage a client-owned laptop or smartphone.

    As they insure against different scenarios, it's important you consider arranging both types of cover to ensure you are properly protected.

  • Why should I choose Markel’s insurance?

    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 0800 640 6600 or get a quick quote online.

Cover starting at just £5 a month

Related articles