Public Liability Insurance for a Market stall online - where from?

[darrenforster99]

I'm looking at setting up a market stall at the local outdoor market selling general goods.

I looked on their site and it says I need public liability insurance up to £5,000,000 - I thought not a problem I run my own PC repair business at home and have £10,000,000 on that anyway so I could just add this as a secondary trade with Hiscox.

Called Hiscox up - sorry they don't insure market traders and got put through to their referral firm, who also don't insure market traders either!

Went online and tried to get a few quotes from companies like Axa, The Co-op, Simply Business, etc... all of which - nope sorry don't insure market traders.

I can't quite understand this??? I can easily get insurance from a firm like Hiscox that gives me £10m pound protection when I'm playing with electrical devices in people's homes, and yet none of these firms will offer insurance for a market stall - possibly the most common small business in the UK!!!

It's strange 'cos I didn't think it would be that much trouble to just add it to my existing business insurance, or at least get a new insurance quote from them for it if it can't be added.

Up to now there are only two places I've found that market traders can buy insurance from

1. The National Market Traders Federation which involves having to subscribe to them non-refundable subscription for 12 months. Which you'd think to help business starting up they'd offer some kind of 6 month trial membership just in case things don't quite go to plan.

or

2. The Combined Market Traders Insurance Association - These seem about right only £48 for the year for insurance. Pretty reasonable expense. The only issue with these is I went online to sign up and they have a form to download and POST with a CHEQUE - no online sign up or anything. Also there seems to be a major lack of any information on their site - such as the FSA guidance and everything (looks like a site somebody knocked up in 5 secs with a bit of HTML coding!). I called them up to check who they are and everything and some random guy answered the phone, no hello thank you for calling CMTIA, I actually thought when I called I'd got the wrong number or something. The guy at the other end did say they could take payment by card over the phone for a £1.50 charge - might do that as it's easier than messing around with post and cheques!

Has anyone used CMTIA? they do appear to be backed by Zurich, but their entire set up seems a bit amateurish, so before handing my card details over to some random firm I just want to check how legit they actually are.

They do look like the best ones (or the only ones!) to go for with regards to Market Traders (without joining the "special Market Traders Federation club"). I get the impression that being a market trader is like a special club that you have to be born into (like the circus) or is everyone welcome as a market trader? or would I be better starting first on a car boot sale where no public liability insurance is required and then moving up to an outdoor market?

[Kernow Lady]

When I wanted PLI for my Catering business I phoned an Insurance Broker in my area. He found me the best deal in 10 minutes. Talk to one. The Internet is rigid. Some years ago we needed PLI for a one off PTA Firework event and the same Broker arranged it for us.
There are times when the Internet can be useless.
Google
insurance Broker --- Your area.
UK

[Jo W]

Googling on 'insurance for market traders' came up instantly with http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/busine...t-traders/

If you've not tried it, perhaps you might...?

[Jasper Martens]

Hi Darren,

Market trader is a pretty standard cover for us and we cover thousands of traders each year successfully.

There are, of course, several reasons why we couldn't cover you correctly: stock limits, type of stock you're selling and it may be these that are the reason for the no-quote. Many other insurance brokers will cover you and you could also speak to your local insurance dealer where you live to see if they can do anything for you.

If you still need to chat about this you can reach me on Twitter: @sb_help