Consumer Insurance.

If you employ staff, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement in the UK. Beyond that, many brands also choose to cover their stock and contents, particularly if they hold inventory or rely on warehousing. For e-commerce businesses, cyber insurance is increasingly important to protect against data breaches and online threats.

The right combination depends on your product type, supply chain, and sales channels, so your cover should be tailored rather than off-the-shelf.

You’ll typically need to ensure your policy includes the territories you sell into, and in some cases, you may need specific extensions or local policies to stay compliant. International retailers and distributors may also require higher levels of cover before working with you.

Making sure your insurance is set up correctly from the outset helps avoid gaps in protection as you expand.

Even when manufacturing is outsourced, responsibility for the finished product usually sits with the brand selling it. In practice, if a product causes harm or damage, claims are far more likely to be made against the brand owner than the manufacturer.

Because of this, most consumer brands carry their own product liability insurance regardless of who makes the product. Manufacturers often have their own cover in place, but this doesn’t replace the need for the brand’s policy.

Depending on the setup, manufacturers may also be referenced in the policy or within contracts, but the primary exposure typically remains with the brand.