Restaurant and Cafe Insurance Compared
We compared 5 insurance providers for UK restaurants and cafes on price, food-specific cover, and suitability for independent cafes, restaurants, and takeaways.
Simply Business is the best starting point for most cafes and restaurants. They compare quotes from multiple insurers and have insured over 3,000 UK cafes. For comprehensive hospitality-specific packages, Everywhen offers the broadest cover including business interruption and stock deterioration. For established restaurants needing high limits, Zurich via a commercial broker is the strongest option.
| Provider | Best for | PL cover | From | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Business Top pick | Most cafes | £1m - 5m | ~£5.64/mo | 4.5 / 5 |
| Everywhen | Full packages | £1m - 10m | ~£20/mo | 4.4 / 5 |
| AXA | With employees | £1m - 10m | ~£15/mo | 4.3 / 5 |
| Zurich | Larger restaurants | £1m - 10m+ | Varies | 4.3 / 5 |
| Hiscox | Small cafes | £1m - 10m | ~£12/mo | 4.2 / 5 |
Prices are indicative and based on a small independent cafe in England with 2 employees. Your quote will vary significantly by premises size, turnover, number of employees, and whether you serve alcohol. All prices exclude Insurance Premium Tax.
What insurance do restaurants and cafes need?
Restaurants and cafes need several types of insurance working together. Public liability covers claims from customers who are injured on your premises or become ill from your food. If you employ anyone (and almost all food businesses do), employers liability is a legal requirement. Product liability covers food poisoning and allergic reaction claims. Buildings and contents insurance protects your premises, kitchen equipment, and furniture.
Food-specific covers are also important: stock deterioration insurance covers wasted food if your fridge or freezer breaks down, and business interruption insurance covers lost income if you are forced to close temporarily due to fire, flood, or another insured event. The Food Standards Agency does not require insurance, but most commercial leases and local authority licences effectively mandate it.
Provider-by-provider breakdown
Simply Business compares quotes from multiple insurers for restaurants and cafes, including AXA, Hiscox, Churchill, and Zurich. Over 3,000 UK cafes are insured through their platform. You build a policy with PL, EL, contents, stock, and business interruption. Prices start from around 5.64 pounds per month for basic PL cover.
Their UK claims team is rated 9/10 on Feefo. The main limitation for food businesses is that some specialist covers (stock deterioration, liquor liability) depend on which panel insurer you are matched with. For a quick comparison of core covers at competitive prices, Simply Business is the best starting point.
- 3,000+ UK cafes insured
- Compare multiple insurers
- From 5.64 pounds per month
- Quick 7-minute quote
- UK claims team rated 9/10
- Specialist food covers vary by insurer
- Not a hospitality specialist
- Stock deterioration may need separate quote
Everywhen (formerly Towergate) offers comprehensive hospitality insurance packages with PL up to 10 million, EL, contents, stock, business interruption, stock deterioration, money cover, and glass cover all available. They can cover unlimited employees and have experience with food-specific claims.
Their pricing reflects the breadth of cover and is aimed at established restaurants rather than startup cafes. The quote process may require a phone call for tailored hospitality packages. Best for restaurants with premises, employees, and significant contents that need comprehensive protection under one policy.
- Comprehensive hospitality packages
- PL up to 10 million
- Business interruption included
- Stock deterioration available
- Unlimited employees
- Higher starting price
- May require phone quote
- Less suited to small startups
AXA includes employers liability as standard, which saves money for restaurants that employ kitchen and front-of-house staff. Public liability up to 10 million, with contents, stock, and business interruption available as add-ons. They are one of the UK's largest insurers with strong financial backing.
AXA's policy is not restaurant-specific but their add-on structure lets you build a comprehensive package. They are particularly cost-effective for food businesses with employees where the bundled EL saves a separate premium. Their claims process, while reliable, can be slower than smaller specialists.
- EL included as standard
- PL up to 10 million
- Major UK insurer
- Business interruption available
- Good for businesses with employees
- Not restaurant-specific
- Claims can be slower
- Online quotes may be higher than brokers
Zurich offers flexible commercial combined policies that can be tailored to restaurants and hospitality businesses via a commercial broker. Their strength is accommodating non-standard risks and higher policy limits that online platforms cannot handle. PL and EL are included as standard.
Zurich is best for growing restaurants with higher turnover, multiple premises, or complex cover needs. You will typically need to go through a commercial insurance broker rather than buying direct online. For a single independent cafe, Simply Business or AXA will be quicker and cheaper.
- Highly flexible policy wording
- Accommodates non-standard risks
- High policy limits available
- Strong for multi-site businesses
- Major international insurer
- Usually requires a broker
- Not available for quick online quotes
- More expensive for small cafes
Hiscox offers direct small business insurance suitable for cafes and smaller food businesses. PL up to 10 million with clear policy wording and a well-regarded claims process. Professional indemnity is available if you also offer consultancy or catering advice alongside food service.
Hiscox is less well-suited to larger restaurants with complex kitchen operations and high staff counts. For a small independent cafe or coffee shop with a few employees, Hiscox offers a good balance of price and quality. For anything larger, Everywhen or Zurich via a broker will be more comprehensive.
- PL up to 10 million
- Clear policy wording
- Strong claims process
- Good for small cafes
- Direct insurer
- Less suited to larger restaurants
- EL is an optional extra
- Limited food-specific covers
What to look for
Product liability for food. Food poisoning claims can be significant. Make sure your policy includes product liability that specifically covers food preparation and service, not just generic product liability.
Stock deterioration. A fridge or freezer breakdown can destroy thousands of pounds of perishable stock overnight. Stock deterioration cover pays the cost of replacing spoiled food. Check the trigger (is it any equipment failure, or only specific causes?) and the claim limit.
Business interruption. If a fire, flood, or health inspection forces you to close, business interruption cover pays your lost income and ongoing costs (rent, wages) while you cannot trade. This is critical for restaurants where fixed costs continue regardless of revenue.
Liquor liability. If you serve alcohol and an intoxicated customer causes harm after leaving your premises, you could face a claim. Some policies include this as standard; others require it as a named add-on.
Common questions
How we compared these providers
We researched each provider by reviewing their policy documents, getting test quotes, checking customer reviews on Trustpilot and Feefo, and speaking to business owners who have used these providers. Our ratings reflect a combination of price competitiveness, cover comprehensiveness, claims reputation, and ease of use. We update this page quarterly. FixList may earn a commission if you click through to a provider and purchase a policy. This does not affect our ratings or recommendations.