BUSINESS GUIDE
Business insurance checklist before your call
Most small business cover can be sorted in one phone call if you have six things ready. Here is the list a UK specialist works through, and why each answer changes the outcome.
Last reviewed August 2026
1. What the business actually does
Describe the work in the way you would to a customer, not in the words of a trade code. A joiner who also fits kitchens, or a café that caters events at weekends, is a different risk from the single label on the invoice.
This is the answer that determines which insurers can write your business at all, so it is worth being specific about every activity, including the small side of the business.
2. Turnover and how it splits
Turnover is the main rating factor for liability cover. If your work splits across activities — say a third commercial, two thirds domestic — give the split. Under-declaring can affect a claim, and over-declaring costs you money.
3. Who works for you
Employees, part-timers, apprentices, agency staff and labour-only subcontractors all matter, because employers' liability is compulsory once you employ anyone. Bona fide subcontractors who hold their own cover are treated separately, so say which is which.
4. What your contracts require
Main contractors, councils, landlords and large clients frequently specify a minimum limit of indemnity, and sometimes require particular sections such as product liability or contract works. If you have that wording, read it out on the call.
5. What you need insured beyond liability
Have rough values ready for anything you would need to replace.
- Tools and equipment, including anything kept in a van overnight
- Stock, and the maximum value you hold at any one time
- Contents, fixtures and any tenant's improvements at your premises
- Business interruption, based on how long you would be unable to trade
- Devices and data, if a cyber incident would stop you working
6. Claims history and renewal date
Insurers ask about claims and incidents in the last five years, including ones you did not claim for. Declaring them is what keeps the cover valid.
Finally, your renewal date. Cover should start the day the old policy ends, with no gap and no doubling up.
Ready when you are
Answer three questions in about 60 seconds and a UK insurance specialist calls you back — usually the same working day. No obligation.
Request my callback →Common questions
- What information do I need for a business insurance call?
- A plain description of what the business does, your turnover, how many people work for you, any limits your contracts specify, your claims history for the last five years, and your current renewal date.
- How long does the call usually take?
- For a straightforward small business, around eight to ten minutes. Non-standard trades, multiple sites or unusual work take longer because the specialist has more to ask.
- What if I don't know my exact turnover?
- An honest estimate is fine to start the conversation. Insurers rate on a declared figure, so it is worth confirming the real number before cover is finalised.
- Do I need to have my current policy to hand?
- It helps a lot. Your existing schedule shows the sections, limits and excesses you already hold, which makes it much faster to line up like-for-like cover.
Keep reading
General information only, written for UK readers. It is not insurance advice and does not take account of your circumstances. Cover Sorted collects your enquiry and passes it to an FCA-authorised insurance specialist. Cover Sorted does not provide quotations, comparisons or recommendations.