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Public Liability Insurance. Easy.

What is Public Liability Insurance?

Public liability insurance is designed for professionals who interact with customers or members of the public. It helps protect against claims of personal injury or property damage that a third party suffers (or claims to have suffered) as a result of your business operations.

In real terms, this means that if someone slips and falls on your business premises, or their property is damaged while you’re providing a service, they may take legal action against you or your business to recover their loss. Public liability insurance is designed to help protect your business depending on the policy you take out, covers incidents that occur in your workplace, as well as incidents at other locations.

Public liability insurance only covers claims made by external parties, not those made by your own employees. If you work with clients or customers, or in public spaces, it’s important to protect your business against claims of damage or injury. That’s why we often include public liability insurance in our industry-specific Business Insurance packages. These packages are tailored to meet the unique requirements of your industry. As well as public liability insurance, they may also include product liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance cover.


Who needs Public Liability Insurance?

Public liability insurance is recommended for any business that interacts in public places or has members of the public visit their premises. In every line of work, there’s always the potential for something to go wrong – and accidents do happen.

Claims of personal injury or property damage can be incredibly expensive. Even if you’re not at fault, you may still incur considerable legal costs while defending a claim.

Public liability insurance can help safeguard your business by providing cover against such claims, including legal defence costs. So you can confidently go about your work, knowing your business has a level of protection if something goes wrong.


Why do I need Public Liability Insurance?

With Australia having been coined the second most litigious society in the world after the US, the importance of Public Liability insurance is undeniable. Nowadays, it’s very easy for people to access information about their legal rights, making businesses more susceptible to having claims of third party damage or injury brought against them. If you have clients or other members of the public visiting you on your business premises, there is always a risk they may slip and fall whilst there, or have their property damaged as a result of your service. Whilst these sorts of incidents may seem rare, if they do happen, by the time you add up the cost of legal fees to defend yourself or your business, and any potential damages you must pay, the cost can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars. This is why public liability Insurance is so crucial. It may not be mandatory for certain professions, but as a small business owner, you may not have that kind of cash lying around, so a potential negligence or injury claim could be enough to make you go out of business.

Industries

We offer tailored products for a wide variety of Industries and professions.

Health Professionals
Entertainment Industry
Real Estate Industry
Professional Services
Design Professionals
Consultants
Health Professionals
Entertainment Industry
Real Estate Industry
Professional Services
Design Professionals
Consultants
Hospitality Leisure
Not for Profits & Charities Other Business Types

Why Aon?

Public Liability Insurance. Easy

Easy to Understand

  • Easy to digest information about insurances your business needs
  • Experienced, friendly brokers on 02 6190 0958

Easy to Buy

  • Quick quotes online
  • Purchase in just a few clicks
  • Pay monthly options available

Easy to Manage

  • Manage your renewals easily
  • Adjust your policy anytime
  • Request certificates of insurance quickly and easily
  • Assistance in complex claims

Why choose Aon for Public Liability Insurance?

Aon is committed to making life easier for small and medium business owners with insurance that’s easy to understand, buy and manage. If you’re a small business owner, your job is anything but small, so when it comes to protecting your business with the right cover, it helps to have an expert on your side.

You can compare covers and take out a policy online in just a few clicks. But if you need help, our team of friendly experienced brokers are a phone call away, so you can have confidence you’re making a better decision for you and your business.
What does Public Liability Insurance typically cover?
Legal Liability
Damages you’re legally responsible to pay, as decided by a court, as well as the other party’s costs, for damage to someone’s property and personal injury to a third party.
Legal costs
Your legal costs are covered, even if a court decides you’re not responsible for the allegation.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions commonly asked by clients.
Is Public Liability Insurance mandatory?
Public Liability Insurance may be a necessary requirement before licences for certain trades are issued. It is one of the most basic insurance products needed by businesses. In our opinion, if your work interacts with members of the public in any way, or if you have a physical business site where members of the public can attend, then public liability insurance is highly recommended. 
What is the difference between Professional Indemnity insurance and Public Liability insurance?
Professional indemnity insurance helps provide cover for claims made against your business by third parties claiming that your specialist services or advice caused them financial loss. Public liability insurance helps you to pay the costs associated with a third party injuring themselves or damaging their property while on your premises, or due to using products that you offer.
Who may not need Public Liability Insurance?
If you work from home, and only perform your work online (without any physical interaction with members of the public), then you may not need public liability insurance.
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Do I need Public Liability Insurance if I am self-employed?
Public liability insurance is highly recommended if you’re self-employed, and have a physical business premises where clients or other members of the public can visit you. Even if you don’t have clients visiting you on your premises, you may also require it if you have any form of contact with members of the public.

Do I need Public Liability Insurance if I’m an employee?
If you’re an employee of an organisation and your employer has public liability insurance in place, you may not need to take out your own policy, however it’s always a good idea to ask your employer to check their insurance policy to ensure it is current, and covers actions of employees.

Is Public Liability Insurance tax-deductible?
According to the Australian Taxation Office, you may be able to claim the cost of any premiums you pay for insurance against the loss of your income. You should always speak to your accountant to check your eligibility to claim expenses.

Does Public Liability Insurance cover employees?
If an employee suffers an injury while working for your business, public liability insurance will not provide any coverage for this. If your business employs staff, you will need to take out Workers’ Compensation to cover staff members.

I’ve taken out Business Insurance, do I need Public Lability Insurance as well?
Public liability insurance can be taken out as a standalone policy, or as part of a business insurance policy. If you’ve selected public liability when taking out your business insurance policy, then you don’t need to take out another public liability policy separately.

What is the difference between Public Liability and Product Liability?
Public liability insurance covers your legal liability caused directly by your business activities or on your business premises during the course of your work. Product liability insurance covers loss or damage caused by products your business sells. For example, if you operate a catering business, and food you serve makes someone sick, you could be held liable to pay damages and the cost of their treatment. If you are a professional providing a service, product liability may not be applicable to you. Instead, if a client alleged your service or advice caused them financial loss or injury, you would need professional indemnity insurance to help cover this.

What does Public Liability insurance not cover?
As with all types of insurance, there are certain exclusions which apply under public liability insurance. You should thoroughly read your Policy Wording and speak to your broker to understand them. Examples of standard exclusions include claims relating to:

  • Punitive damages which a court decides to be paid on top of compensation
  • Damage to property you own or that is in your care
  • A cyber attack experienced by your business
  • Allegations of defamation brought against you.


I’m a tradie, can I arrange Public Liability Insurance through Aon?
If you’re a builder, tradie or subcontractor, Aon can arrange public liability insurance as part of our joint venture with Housing Institute of Australia – click here to visit the HIAIS website.

As a professional, what other types of insurance might I need?
If you are a small business owner operating a professional practice, there are a few types of insurance you may need. Consider your objectives and financial situation when deciding which policies you take out. Other types of insurances available to small business owners include:

  • Professional indemnity which helps protect you against claims made by clients alleging they suffered injury or financial loss due to a service you provided.
  • Business insurance which covers your business premises and contents against events such as fire, theft or other listed events. Public liability insurance can also be purchased as part of a business insurance policy.
  • Cyber insurance is also available for certain professions, which is designed to protect businesses from a range of internet based risks.

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Products
We arrange a range of covers for small businesses from a variety of industries.
Business Insurance
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This insurance helps cover the cost to repair or replace your business property (such as your computer and equipment) following a fire, storm, or vandalism, and can include cover for interruption to your business as a result of a covered event.
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Professional Indemnity
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This provides cover in the event a third party alleges that you have been negligent in performing your services or giving advice, and as a result, they have suffered injury or financial loss. For example, a client may allege that your advice had a negative impact on their health and take legal action against you. Professional Indemnity insurance may cover the cost of legal representation, as well as compensation you’re required to pay as result of the claim.2

For some professions, Professional Indemnity is a mandatory requirement. But whether mandatory or not, it is an important cover to consider and can be crucial in protecting your business activities.
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Cyber Insurance
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This helps cover expenses and legal costs associated with a data breach or cyber attack. Costs can include computer expert services, data recovery, ransom and legal costs. As an design professionals’ business, the valuable information you hold about the projects you work on may make you a very appealing target for cyber criminals, so Cyber Insurance should be a cover to seriously consider when deciding which policies to include.
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Product Liability
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Helps protects your business against financial liability for third party injury or damage caused by products sold or supplied through your business.1
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Management Liability
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Management Liability is designed to protect you as a business owner and manager against allegations of mismanagement and actions brought by regulatory authorities.
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Workers’ Compensation
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Workers’ Compensation Insurance covers an Employer’s liability to a worker for injuries arising out of their employment. Workers’ Compensation Insurance is mandatory but the requirements and legislation varies between the different States and Territories so you should check before making a decision.
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Personal Accident
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Personal Accident insurance can protect you in the event of accidental injury, providing a lump sum payment or covering your loss of income to help give you the financial support you need.2

Depending on your individual needs and circumstances, Personal Accident insurance can be tailored to cover you for injuries sustained at work, on your journey to work, and/or anywhere, covering you 24/7.

Everyone’s professional and personal circumstances are different, and that’s why it’s important to get the right insurance mix to support your individual needs. If you would like to find out more about insurance coverage, please contact the Aon team on 02 6190 0958.
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Car and Home Insurance
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1300 134 256
Aon arrange a variety of personal insurance products for our clients including Home, Contents, Motor, Landlords, Boat and Caravan insurance.1

If you like to keep all your insurances in one place, please talk to one of our advisors about our options and pricing.
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