What is product liability insurance for Australian businesses?

Product liability insurance is business insurance that may help cover legal defence costs, settlements or compensation if a product manufactured, imported, distributed or sold by a business is alleged to have caused injury, illness or property damage. Cover depends on the policy wording, limits, excesses and exclusions.

How do I choose between professional indemnity and public liability for my business?

Choosing between professional indemnity and public liability insurance depends on your business activities and the risks you face. Professional indemnity insurance is relevant if your business provides advice, consultancy or specialised services and could face claims involving negligence, errors or breach of professional duty. Public liability insurance is relevant if your business interacts physically with customers, clients, suppliers or the public and could face claims involving injury or property damage. Some businesses may need both.

What should I do first after an incident that may lead to a public liability claim?

First, make the area safe and arrange assistance for anyone who needs it. Then record the facts, take photos or videos where appropriate, collect witness details and notify your insurer as soon as feasible.

What does public liability insurance help cover?

Public liability insurance is designed to help with certain third-party injury or property damage claims connected with business activities. Depending on the policy, it may help with legal defence costs and compensation costs for covered claims.

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Liability Insurance For Australian Trades, Professions & Business

Liability insurance can help businesses manage the financial risks of claims involving injury, property damage or professional errors. For tradespeople, professionals and small business owners, understanding the different types of cover is a practical starting point. Explore our articles, guides, calculator and insurance news ... or connect with a liability insurance broker from our Australia-wide referral partner network who can discuss your needs and compare available options.

Comparisons are provided after referral by participating brokers using policies available to them, not the whole market. We may receive a referral fee from the parties we refer you to. We do not provide financial advice or credit assistance directly.

Public Liability Insurance

Public liability insurance (or simply public liability) is a type of liability insurance for individuals and businesses to indemnify against the financial implications of legal liability for property damage and bodily injury to others. Public liability insurance may also include cover for associated legal and professional costs in defending a covered claim, subject to policy terms, limits and exclusions.

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Comprehensive Solutions

Simply complete our short online public liability insurance quote form for referral to a participating broker who can help you explore competitive Public Liability Insurance rates from insurers available to them. Other liability insurance needs may include business liability insurance, employer liability insurance, directors and officers liability, product liability insurance, contractors liability insurance, trades liability insurance, property liability insurance, broadform liability insurance, landlords liability insurance, etc. Ask the broker which types of cover they can assist with.

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Compare Rates & Options

Because all Public Liability policies are different, a participating broker can help you compare features and benefits - not just price - so you can find Public Liability protection that offers competitive value for your needs from insurers available through that broker.

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Multiple Insurers

When you submit an online quote request with us, we refer your details to a participating licensed insurance professional from our national broker referral panel, who typically has access to a selection of policies from multiple participating insurers.

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Public Liability Insurance Calculator

Explore your public liability insurance needs with our Public Liability Insurance Calculator. Estimate potential cover amounts for your business and explore how different liability risks, business circumstances and coverage assumptions may influence the results.

Public Liability Insurance Calculator

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Business Insurance Articles

The Importance of a Custom Risk Management Plan: A Guide for Australian Entrepreneurs

In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, the only constant is change, and with change comes the inherent realm of the unknown â€“ risk. Australian entrepreneurs, much like their international counterparts, operate in dynamic environments where unpredictability is a staple. However, the unique economic, legal, and environmental aspects of Australia demand a more localized understanding of these risks. Acknowledging this unpredictability is the first step towards mitigating potential threats to one's business venture. - read more

The Cost of Being Uninsured: Why Every Australian Small Business Needs Liability Coverage

Welcome to the complex world of running a small business in Australia where navigating through liability risks is as crucial as managing daily operations. This article is crafted to illuminate why every Australian small business needs liability coverage â€” a shield to protect against potential financial catastrophes. - read more

Public Liability Insurance Cost: Is It Worth It for Australian Businesses?

Public liability insurance is designed to help protect a business from the financial impact of third-party injury or property damage claims connected with its business activities. The cost varies by industry, risk profile and cover needs, so the value of a policy depends on how exposed your business is to the public, clients, contractors and property risks. - read more

How to Choose the Right Public Liability Insurance for Your Business

Choosing public liability insurance is not just about comparing premiums. Australian businesses should understand policy limits, exclusions, excesses, endorsements and conditions before deciding whether a policy is appropriate for their risks. - read more

Insurance News

Insurance Inquiry Delay Keeps Tradie Cover Concerns in Focus

28 Oct 2026: Paige Estritori

A federal parliamentary inquiry into small business insurance has reportedly pushed back its final report from 27 October 2026 to 26 February 2027, extending the wait for recommendations on insurance affordability, availability and regulation. For Australian tradies and small trade businesses, the delay matters because the inquiry is examining the types of cover many operators rely on daily, including public liability, professional indemnity, cyber risk and business interruption insurance. - read more

Broker Code Overhaul Puts Renewals and Disclosure in Focus

28 Oct 2026: Paige Estritori

A new Insurance Brokers Code of Practice has been launched by the National Insurance Brokers Association, putting clearer disclosure, renewal contact and client support standards on the agenda for Australian businesses that use brokers to arrange cover. The 2027 Code takes effect on 1 January 2027 and is designed to set out, in plainer language, what clients should be able to expect from subscribing insurance brokers. - read more

Income Protection Complaints Remain a Key Life Insurance Pressure Point

28 Oct 2026: Paige Estritori

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s latest annual review has put income protection insurance back in focus, with the product again attracting the highest number of life insurance complaints in 2025-26. The figures are a useful reminder that the real value of cover is tested not at purchase, but when illness or injury interrupts a person’s capacity to earn. - read more

Farm Flood Dispute Shows the Cost of Delayed Claims Handling

28 Oct 2026: Paige Estritori

A recent Australian Financial Complaints Authority determination involving a flooded farmhouse has put claims handling back under the microscope for rural policyholders, after the insurer was ordered to pay almost $432,000 across building repairs, additional temporary accommodation, professional costs and compensation for non-financial loss. The decision, dated 27 August 2026 and reported by Insurance News on 15 October 2026, is a useful reminder that the practical aftermath of a farm flood can extend well beyond the first clean-up. - read more

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