Insurance for retailers

Can’t see your business? Start a quote to see if you're covered by our online offering, or speak to your broker.

Get a quote

Retail businesses face various risks - from fire, theft and flood to a break-in, to a customer falling over and injuring themselves. These unexpected problems may impact your business and income. Having small business insurance can protect your business. Depending on the cover you choose, it can typically cover your contents and stock for damage due to some natural disasters and theft, glass breakage, theft of money, loss of income and customers involved in accidents at your premises.

Our Small Business Insurance automatically includes business liability cover as your base. It provides cover for public liability including third-party personal injury and property damage. You can then tailor your policy to cover a wide range of events from damaged or stolen stock, broken windows, theft, business interruption and loss of income.

Most markets require stallholders to hold public liability insurance. As a stallholder, you have a duty of care to members of the public who come into contact with you, and to whom you sell your products. If someone is injured in an accident, their property is damaged while you’re serving them, or the products you sell cause them injury or damage, they can potentially take legal action against you. Public Liability insurance helps cover your business for third party injury or loss whether you are a retailer selling in-store or at a market.

QBE’s Small Business Insurance includes business liability cover as your base. It provides cover for public liability including third-party personal injury and property damage while operating your market stall. Depending on your business you may also like to think about cover for money, portable items, tax audit or theft.

Whether you're a grocery store, clothing store, pharmacist, or homeware retailer, you should consider insurance to protect your retail business. However, the type of insurance you’ll need will depend on the size of your business and its day-to-day operations.

QBE’s Small Business Insurance covers retailers with up to 7 employees and a turnover of $1 million. All policies come with business liability, with a range of cover options available that can be tailored to suit your business.

Having public liability insurance – also known as business liability insurance – is the first item on the list for retailers. It’s your responsibility to protect the people that visit your store. If someone trips and injures themselves in your store, gets sick from the food you’re selling or is hit by falling stock, public liability insurance can cover you. Unexpected accidents and incidents can lead to massive direct and indirect costs, especially if they involve injury to another person or their property. Like many small businesses, facing a public liability claim could potentially threaten your financial stability. That's why public liability insurance is worth considering for the financial protection your business needs.

Selecting Theft will cover you if someone breaks into your business premises and steals things like your furniture, office equipment or machinery or stock. Theft also includes employee dishonesty or fraud.

The Money section covers you if cash or other financial assets are stolen. This is different to theft which covers actual contents and stock. Despite the shift to contactless payment, theft of money is still a threat.

For more information about the cover options, and what is covered, please read the Small Business Insurance Policy Wording.