Important
We are not financial advisers. We cannot give you advice on insurance policies, or which one to buy. We can only advise you to check prices and terms and to use your own judgment. If you do need advice, please speak to a qualified Independent Financial Adviser.
Companies can risk some things. However, if something goes wrong and there is damage or injury, claims can be huge. So liability insurance is really not one of the things you can skimp on.
Essentials to think about when you get liability insurance are the value of the insurance you need and the range of the cover you need.
The value of the insurance may be dictated by the people you work for, especially if you work for a large company or an authority, as they usually specify how much cover you need to have. You can't work for them if you don't have it. Remember, too, that although most of the time you don't need to claim at all, if something does go badly wrong, and by accident someone is injured, the claims can be huge.
As for the range of cover, the most important thing is public liability up to a satisfactory total, so that your insurer can pay out if you hurt someone and are found to be liable. If you are an employer, you will also need employee cover so that they get compensation if you or your company are found to be to blame for an injury to them. Additional options usually include cover for the value of your own tools, tools you hire and for plant and materials.