Even if you only have a single employee, you are legally required to have employers' liability insurance with a reputable insurer*.

The insurance covers you if a claim is made against you by an employee injured at work, or by an employee who has become ill as a result of their work while in your employment.

Blyth Valley provides employers’ liability insurance together with public liability cover. Our site will give you an instant quote and if you like the price, you can go ahead and buy online.

*The only exemptions are for a) limited companies where the owner is the sole employee and b) unincorporated family businesses where all employees are closely related.

Employers' liability insurance certificates

When you take out the policy, and each year at the anniversary of taking out the policy, we will send you your Certificate of Employers’ Liability Insurance. You must display the Certificate where your employees can easily read it.

You are required to retain copies of all your Certificates of Employers’ Liability Insurance for at least 40 years! This is because claims can be made many years after the injury or illness is caused.

Volunteers and unpaid workers

Strictly speaking you do not need employers’ liability insurance for volunteers, unpaid students or school children on work experience. However, such people could still make a claim against you if they suffered an injury while working for you, so our policy includes cover for any person working for you in connection with your business who is:

1. employed by you under a contract of service or apprenticeship;
2. hired to or borrowed by you;
3. self-employed and working on a labour-only basis under your control or supervision;
4. engaged as a labour-only sub contractor;
5. engaged under a work experience or training scheme;
6. a voluntary helper.

The law and employers' liability insurance

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces the law on employers’ liability insurance and HSE inspectors may check that you have employers’ liability insurance.
You can be fined up to £2,500 for any day which you are without suitable insurance. If you do not display the certificate of insurance, you can be fined up to £1,000.

The law states that you must be insured for at least £5 million, however, most insurers offer cover of at least £10 million.