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

Frequently Asked Questions

Business Insurance Articles

Certificate of Currency for Liability Insurance: What It Shows and When It May Be Needed

A certificate of currency is commonly requested as proof that an Australian business holds current liability insurance. Here's what it usually shows, what it does not prove, and when contractors, trades and small businesses may be asked to provide one. - read more

The Top 5 Risks Small Businesses Face and How to Manage Them

Running a small business can be rewarding, but it also means dealing with risks that can affect cash flow, operations, customers and reputation. Understanding the main risk areas can help business owners plan ahead, reduce avoidable exposure and consider where insurance may fit within a broader risk management approach. - read more

Liability Insurance for Freelancers in Australia: What to Know

Freelancers can face liability risks when providing services, visiting client sites or working with client property. Liability insurance can help manage the financial impact of certain claims, but the right cover depends on the type of work you do, your contracts and your risk exposure. - read more

How Insurance Helps Protect Small Business Assets

Small businesses face risks that can affect their premises, equipment, stock, cash flow and reputation. Insurance helps transfer some of the financial impact of unexpected events to an insurer, so a single incident is less likely to derail day-to-day operations. - read more

Insurance News

What Rising Insurance Disputes Mean for Income Protection Customers

29 Oct 2026: Paige Estritori

New Zealand’s latest insurance dispute figures are a timely warning for anyone relying on personal cover to protect their household income. The Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme reported that, for the year ended 30 June 2026, health insurance became the largest category of disputes it investigated for the first time, with health disputes up 91 percent and 833 dispute investigations completed across all categories. - read more

Why Falling Insurance Rates May Not Flow Evenly to Truck Operators

29 Oct 2026: Paige Estritori

Fresh commercial insurance market data is giving Australian businesses a more favourable pricing backdrop, but truck owners should be cautious about assuming broad rate falls will automatically reduce heavy vehicle premiums. Marsh’s Q3 2026 Global Insurance Market Index, released on 21 October 2026, reported a 12 per cent fall in Pacific commercial insurance rates for the quarter, led by property and supported by strong insurer competition and available capacity. - read more

Why Data Centre Work Is a Different Risk for Tradies

29 Oct 2026: Paige Estritori

Australia’s fast-growing data centre construction market is opening opportunities for electrical, HVAC, fire protection, cabling, fit-out and commissioning trades, but recent insurance industry discussion suggests the risk settings are not always keeping pace with the work. At a recent Australasian Professional Indemnity Group conference, specialists warned that data centre projects can involve unusual contractual, professional and technology-related exposures, especially where contractors rely on annual insurance programs designed for more conventional building work. - read more

Why Mental Health Cover Is Back in the Income Protection Spotlight

29 Oct 2026: Paige Estritori

Australia’s life insurance industry has moved mental health cover back to the centre of the affordability debate, after the Council of Australian Life Insurers released its response on 30 September 2026 to the independent review of the Life Insurance Code of Practice. For workers who rely on income protection insurance, the issue is practical: mental health conditions can affect earning capacity just as seriously as physical illness, but changes designed to keep premiums manageable may also alter what is covered. - read more

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Knowledgebase

Depreciation:
The reduction in the value of an asset over time, used in insurance to calculate the actual cash value of property.

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