Business Insurance For The Self Employed

Self-employed and small business insurance

From limited company contractors, sole traders, freelancers, and consultants, to any other kind of small business, insurance for the self-employed gives you the protection you need to keep trading if something goes wrong.

There are plenty of different types of small business insurance; from policies that protect your business from a claim or legal action taken against it, to policies which protect you against the financial risks that come with working as self-employed professional.

For example, you might buy Professional Indemnity Insurance to protect your business against mistakes made in the services provided to a client, or you might want Public Liability Insurance to cover your business should a member of the public claim to have suffered an injury or property damage whilst providing your services .

All business insurance policies are different and exactly what is covered will vary from policy to policy. If you know what you’re looking for, getting the right fit for your business should be easy.

We’re here to help you find the right policy for you and your business without any stress.

Popular insurance policies for the self-employed

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Protect your business against allegations of negligence

From £13.50 per month
Provides £100k to £5m cover
Most trades include Retroactive Cover

Public Liability Insurance

Protect your business against allegations of third party injury & property damage

From £4.58 per month
Provides £1m to £10m cover
Optional Employers Liability

Tax Enquiry Insurance

Maximise your chances of success with expert help in a tax enquiry

From £8.25 per month
Defence costs covered up to £50k
Includes Expert representation

Featured policy

Personal Accident Insurance

Protect your income in the event of an accident

From £4.68 per month
Covers up to £50k
Plus £50 per day hospital benefit

Limited Company Insurance

Join over 100,000 limited company contractors insuring their business with Qdos and get low-cost insurance cover with free IR35 advice and award-winning customer service. Get a quote today.

Sole Trader Insurance

Comprehensive insurance cover for sole traders with a no-fuss application process and transparent pricing. Find out how much you can save here.

Take a look

Who we cover

Whether you operate as a Limited Company, Partnership, or you are a Sole Trader - we have insurance cover for hundreds of trades. See how we can help.

Is my trade covered?

What insurances do you need when self-employed?

The majority of self-employed workers protect their businesses with Public Liability insurance as a minimum. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to insurance however. When considering the small business insurance you might need, you should answer the following questions:

Are you legally required to hold insurance? Most business insurances are not legally required, however, if you operate a limited company with employees, you may be legally required to hold Employers Liability Insurance.
Are you contractually obligated to hold insurance? If you sign a written contract with your client or agency before starting work, take some time to look for any parts of that contract that discuss liability. It may even specify you must hold a particular level of insurance. For example, offshore contractors might not be able to reach the work site without the correct insurance in place.
Which risks are you subject to with your type of work? Different risks arise depending on the services you provide. For example, self-employed tradespeople will want to consider a policy like Contractors’ All Risk, whilst a consultant would benefit more from a Professional Indemnity policy. That said, there are some risks which can apply to all professions and it’s up to you to decide if you want to insure these risks; such as legal disputes and tax enquiry defence. Get in touch with our team if you’re unsure on the policies which might be right for you.
How would you manage financially if the worst happens? For some risks, it is a matter of your own circumstances. If you were called to jury service or had an accident which resulted in you being unable to work for a period of time, would you need financial support? If the answer is yes, then you might wish to consider insurance to protect you.

Insurance for Contractors

Limited company contractors are often required to hold certain insurances as part of their contracts: Professional Indemnity and Public Liability being the most common.

Limited company contractors should also consider IR35 insurance (which we introduced to the market back in 2000!) if you are working for a small company in the private sector, or if you have been contracting for many years.

With Qdos, contractors benefit from an IR35 Contract Assessment provided free of charge with most of the above policies, so you can make sure you start your contract on the right foot.

There are a range of additional risks faced by UK contractors; jury service, legal disputes, long term illness/injury, and Contractors' All Risk for subcontractors to name a few.

Qdos are the Best Contractor Insurance Provider according to the ContractorUK awards 2020 and 2022!

Insurance for Sole Traders

Sole traders and freelancers can face a range of risks in their day-to-day, whether your business is your full-time income or a growing side hustle.

As a sole trader, there’s no legal separation between you and your business. So it’s important to ensure you’re suitably protected.

Popular policies include Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance, as well as Tax Enquiry Insurance and Personal Accident Cover.

With Qdos, all customers benefit from an account-managed service, providing a personal service every step of the way. We will take the time to make sure you understand your policy, and help you stay on top of what you need as your business grows.

Why Qdos?

Self-employment is our everything. In fact, we’ve been specialists in the industry since 1988.

We’re business insurance and employment status enthusiasts. We get a kick out of simplifying the complex world of compliance so you don’t have to.

Read about what makes us special

All of our policies include the following as standard:

A dedicated Account Manager

We'll never pass you around a call centre

Online account for 24/7 access

Manage your policies at a time that suits you

Free IR35 Contract Assessment

Because IR35 compliance starts with the written contract

Price Match Promise

If you find an equivalent policy elsewhere, we promise to match the price

Useful information

Policy Renewals

Information for renewing your insurance policies with Qdos Contractor.

Give me the details

Claims Information

Information for making a claim on your insurance policies with Qdos Contractor.

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Call our team on 0116 269 0999 or we can call you back at a time that suits you!

Business Insurance