Commercial combined insurance
Cover options that combine liability, buildings, contents, stock and business interruption in one policy for your business.
What is commercial combined insurance?
Commercial combined insurance, also called combined business insurance or a business combined policy, puts the main covers a business needs into one package, with one renewal date. It usually combines employers' liability, public and products liability, cover for your buildings, contents and stock, and business interruption insurance, with options such as goods in transit, money and legal expenses. It suits businesses whose premises, stock and liabilities all need cover.
PIB Insurance Brokers arranges commercial combined cover for manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, workshops, contractors and other commercial businesses. A broker can be particularly helpful when your business is more complex, for example several sites, processes such as heat or machinery, goods you import or export, or cover that has built up over the years and may no longer fit.
What commercial combined insurance covers
Commercial combined policies usually combine a core of covers with optional sections, depending on your business. The summaries below are general examples of what may be covered in each section; your policy schedule and wording decide what is and isn't covered in any claim.
Core covers
Employers' liability
Claims from staff injured or made ill at work. Usually required by law if you employ staff, with a minimum limit of £5m. See our employers' liability insurance page.
Watch for: The definition of "employee" varies by policy.
Public and products liability
Claims from customers, visitors and the public, and injury or damage caused by products you make or supply. See our public liability insurance page.
Watch for: Products sold to the USA and Canada, and product recall, which is usually a separate cover.
Buildings, contents and stock
Your premises, machinery, equipment and stock against events such as fire, flood, storm and theft.
Watch for: Sums insured below the true rebuild or replacement cost, and theft without forced entry.
Business interruption
Lost income and extra costs while you can't trade normally after insured damage. See our business interruption insurance page.
Watch for: An indemnity period too short to recover.
Optional covers to consider
Goods in transit
Goods you carry or send against loss, theft and damage.
Watch for: Unattended vehicle conditions and higher-risk goods not declared.
Money
Cash and cheques on the premises and in transit.
Watch for: Lower limits outside business hours.
Equipment breakdown
Sudden failure of machinery, computers and plant.
Watch for: Wear and tear and lack of servicing.
Legal expenses
Legal costs for employment, contract and some tax disputes.
Watch for: Disputes that began before the policy started.
Contract works and tools
For contractors, damage to work in progress and theft of tools.
Watch for: Defective workmanship itself.
Cyber
Costs of responding to a data breach or cyber attack. See our cyber insurance page.
Watch for: Usually a separate policy.
Who commercial combined suits
- Manufacturers and processors: premises, machinery, stock and products liability in one policy. See our manufacturing insurance.
- Wholesalers and distributors: stock, goods in transit and products liability for goods you supply.
- Contractors: contractors combined policies usually add contract works, plant and tools to liability cover. See our builders insurance.
- Workshops and service businesses: premises, equipment and liability for businesses that work on customers' goods.
Combined liability
If you don't need property cover, for example because you work from clients' sites or your landlord insures the building, a combined liability policy puts employers', public and products liability together without the property sections.
What commercial combined insurance does not cover
Typical limits across commercial combined policies:
- Problems that existed before the policy started: claims or circumstances you knew about before cover began are usually excluded.
- Deliberate acts: claims arising from deliberate wrongdoing, fraud or dishonesty are usually excluded.
- Wear and tear: buildings, machinery and stock wearing out over time isn't insurable damage.
- Product recall and faulty workmanship: the cost of recalling or putting right faulty products or work isn't covered.
- Undeclared activities or sites: claims may be refused if a process, site or activity wasn't declared.
- Underinsurance: if your sums insured are too low, the insurer may reduce a claim in proportion (known as average).
- An excess on most claims: most covers carry an excess (the amount you pay before the insurer contributes), which varies by cover.
Conditions matter too: claims may also be reduced or declined if policy conditions aren't met. Common examples: hot work without the required permit, security not set as the policy requires, or machinery not serviced and inspected.
How much does commercial combined insurance cost?
There is no standard price. What you pay depends on your trade and processes, turnover and wage roll, the value of your premises, machinery and stock, the sections you choose, where you sell your products, and your claims history.
What affects the cost
- Trade and processes: heat, machinery and flammable materials usually cost more to insure.
- Fire protection and security: alarms, sprinklers and good housekeeping may lower the cost.
- Where you sell: exports, especially to the USA and Canada, may increase the cost.
- Accurate values: an up-to-date rebuild valuation can help reduce the risk of underinsurance or setting the sum insured higher than necessary.
- A clean claims record: insurers usually look at the last three to five years.
Why work with PIB Insurance Brokers
We explore your options
We can approach insurers that cover commercial businesses and set out the differences in cover, not just price.
We check the sections fit your business
New sites, processes, products or export markets may each change what you need to tell your insurer.
We look for common gaps
Sums insured below the true value, a business interruption period too short to recover, or sections you no longer need.
Here when things change
Our team is on hand throughout the policy year for advice, whether your circumstances change or you're not sure what to do next.
What our clients say
Reviews from PIB Insurance Brokers clients across the sectors we work with, collected by Reviews.io.
Is your cover still the right fit? Let's check.
Get a quoteFrequently asked questions
What does commercial combined insurance cover?
It usually combines employers' liability, public and products liability, buildings, contents and stock, and business interruption in one policy, with options such as goods in transit, money and legal expenses. The sections depend on your business and the insurer.
What is combined liability insurance?
It puts employers' liability, public liability and products liability into one policy, without cover for buildings or contents. It suits businesses that don't need property cover, such as contractors working on clients' sites.
Do I need commercial combined insurance?
It isn't a legal requirement, but the employers' liability section usually is if you employ staff. A combined policy suits businesses that need several covers, such as premises, stock and liability, and want them on one policy. Some businesses prefer separate policies, for example if one section is better placed with a different insurer.
What is contractors combined insurance?
It's a commercial combined policy for building and trade contractors. It usually includes employers' and public liability, with cover for contract works, plant and tools, and sometimes professional indemnity for design work.