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Businesspeople have a responsibility to keep their clients safe in providing their goods and services. But no matter how careful and focused they are, accidents can still occur.

That’s where public liability insurance comes in. It covers businesses from the expenses incurred due to property damage and personal injury done to others.

As liability insurance features an array of benefits and options, it can be hard to understand, much less find a suitable policy that meets your business needs.

Fortunately for you, we’ve written a guide on how to choose the best public liability insurance in NZ here. Through this, you’ll be able to browse our list below effortlessly.

How to Find the Right Public Liability Cover

Each business is different in terms of offerings, skill and experience, and risk levels. Hence, you need a public liability cover specifically tailored for it.

Your client may state in the contract a certain public liability clause. You should know the minimum level of that required cover so that you can abide by the contract.

Below are several things you need to take into consideration when buying public liability insurance:

1. Level of Coverage

To protect your business, it’s essential to have the right level of cover. Your business has to be fully protected from the many risks involved as much as possible.

An insurance broker can talk you through your options and help you decide on the right coverage for your business.

2. Extensions

As we mentioned earlier, liability insurance products offer different benefits or extensions. Here are the most common ones:

• Legal compensation – This covers legal defence and settlement costs if a client has filed a charge against you and decides to take the fight to the court.

• Damage costs – This provides cover if you are legally liable to pay for damage to another person’s property or business.

• Accidental injuries – In case someone has been injured through your business, employee, or product, you are covered for the accidental expenses.

• Advertising liability – This protects you from claims that accuse your company of slander, libel, copied ideas, copyright infringement, and invasion of privacy.

• Lost or stolen keys – If you’ve lost the keys entrusted to you and they have been stolen or duplicated, you will be covered up to a certain amount.

3. Excess

You have to be aware of your policy’s excesses and make sure you can afford them. These typically range from $500 to $2,500 depending on the extension.

4. Premium

The premium you have to pay is based on several factors including your company’s nature of business, yearly sales, claim history, number of staff, and size.

Remember, getting a cheap policy isn’t always the best if it leaves your business open to certain risks. After all, you seldom know what’s going to happen every day.

You can visit your top providers online and get quotes from them, or use the BizCover comparison tool to give you useful insights about which policy is best for you.

5. Policy Wording

The policy wording has particular sub-limits, conditions, and excesses that apply. You have to read the fine print so you won’t miss any important details in your cover.

Besides that, you have to know the exclusions in your policy. That way, you won’t be shocked all of a sudden to realise you aren’t covered for something when you need it.

Also, it’s worth noting that you shouldn’t admit any guilt or blame concerning the  claim made against you. Let your lawyer handle the case in the best way for you.

The Best Public Liability Insurance in NZ

Now that you know how to choose public liability policy, here’s our roundup of the top public liability insurance in New Zealand!

1)   AA Public Liability Insurance

Best for	Small businesses
Products	Public and Products Liability Insurance
Benefits	Legal compensation Employee’s possessions Product recall Lost keys or access control devices Defective workmanship
Address	New Zealand-wide
Contact Details	Phone: 0800 500 231 Claims: 0800 500 216 Overseas: +64 9 927 2306 Email them here
Office Hours	Monday – Friday: 8.00 AM – 8.00 PM Weekends and public holidays: 8.00 AM – 6.00 PM

Enquire Here

The AA Public and Products Liability Insurance can back you for third-party damages and injuries unknowingly caused by your service or product.

Their policy is one of the best public liability insurance options for small businesses. It offers reliable features that protect you and your business from the following:

• Defective workmanship
• Product recall
• Personal belongings of your employees
• Compensation for a court appearance
• Lost keys and security access devices

You are covered in legal liability up to your sum insured. Different excess fees apply for each benefit, for example, $1,000 excess for poor service outcome and $2,500 if you are ordered to recall your product.

And by taking out one or more policies from AA insurance, you’ll receive a discount on your premiums each month or year.

2)   State Public Liability Insurance

Best for	Full liability protection
Products	Public Liability Insurance
Benefits	Public and product liability Defence costs Advertising liability Business advice and service Business travel to a non-territorial country Care, custody, or control Goods lifted or carried by crane Hot works away from your promises Innkeeper’s liability Landlord’s liability Lost or stolen keys And more…
Address	58 Killarney Road, Frankton, Hamilton 3204, New Zealand
Contact Details	0800 80 24 24
Office Hours	Customer Service   *Monday – Friday: 8.00 AM – 6.00 PM Saturday: 8.00 AM – 2.30 PM Sunday: closed   *Excludes public holidays   New Claims   Monday – Friday: 8.00 AM – 6.00 PM Saturday – Sunday and public holidays: 9.00 AM – 6.00 PM   Overseas   Australia: 1800 887 863 United States: 1800 593 9482 United Kingdom: 0800 096 5308 All other countries: +64 9 969 1150

Enquire Here

For over a century, State has been a trusted insurer for Kiwi people and businesses. It is a company under and whose policies are underwritten by IAG New Zealand Ltd.

IAG has achieved an AA- rating proving that they have a very strong claims-paying ability.

State’s Public Liability policy provides extensive cover for your business against sums incurred out of accidentally injuring another and/or damaging his property.

In other words, the policy is versatile and appeals to different business industries including construction, real estate, marketing, business consultancy, and others.

Some of its exclusions include piloting an aircraft or driving a vehicle, defamation, asbestos, and hot work carried away from your premises, to name a few.

3)   AMI Public Liability Insurance

Best for	Tailored insurance options
Products	Tradies Bundle Shop Insurance Bundle Hospo Insurance Bundle Public Liability Cover
Benefits	Tradies Bundle   Public liability Tools and equipment cover   Add-on   Theft cover Natural disaster cover Other business insurance options   Shop Insurance Bundle   Business assets liability Employer’s liability Statutory liability Business interruption   Add-on   Theft cover Natural disaster cover Business interruption cover Other business insurance options   Hospo Insurance Bundle   Business assets Public liability (Broadform) Statutory liability Business interruption Employer’s liability   Public Liability Cover   Business vehicles   Repair and replacement of business vehicles Legal liability Transport and towing expenses Windscreen and windows Uninsured drivers protection Manslaughter defence costs   Business Liability   Public Liability (Broadform) Statutory Liability Employer’s Liability   Business Assets   Mobile business assets Material damage cover   Add-on   Theft cover Natural disaster cover Other business insurance options   Business Interruption   Loss of profit Loss of rent Payroll Expenses incurred in quantifying your claim   Machinery Breakdown and Stock Deterioration   Sudden and accidental breakdown of mechanical, electrical or electronic plant and equipment   Refrigerator breakdown
Address	New Zealand-wide
Contact Details	Freephone: 0800 100 200 Overseas: +64 3 371 9000
Office Hours	Monday – Friday: 8.00 AM – 6.00 PM Weekends and Public Holidays: 9.00 AM – 6.00 PM

Enquire Here

For a tailored cover and affordable premiums, you can apply with AMI Insurance! They have 8 public liability policies that cater to your business type and requirements.

Policy rates only start from $18 with flexible payment frequencies of weekly, monthly, and annually. Add-ons are also offered that allow you to expand your liability cover.

Whether you’re a shop owner, tradie, entrepreneur, or courier boss, you’ll be able to find more suitable insurance to protect your assets, employees, and clients.

AMI has longstanding experience in the business. And as they don’t have a broker, you get a lower premium when you purchase insurance from them.

4)   QBE Public Liability Insurance

Best for	Legal defence and cover
Products	General Liability Insurance
Benefits	Advertising liability Business advice or service Contractors or subcontractors additional insured Defective workmanship Forest and rural fires act Goods on hook Hazardous substances emergency Innkeepers liability Landlords liability Lost or stolen keys Mechanical plant liability Car park liability Product withdrawal costs Property in care, custody, or control Punitive or exemplary damages Remotely piloted aircraft systems Tenants liability Underground services Vehicle or equipment service or repair Vibration or removal of support Visits to North American countries Warrant of Fitness
Address	Head office: Level 21, QBE Centre, 125 Queen Street, Auckland 1140, New Zealand
Contact Details	Customer Service   +64 9 366 9920   Claims   Phone: 0800 QBE CLAIMS / 0800 723  252 Email: [email protected]

Enquire Here

The QBE General Liability insurance is mainly designed for people working in the manufacturing, building, installation, and service or repair sectors.

This liability policy covers costs concerning legal defence, court proceedings, and out-of-court settlements as a result of third-party injury or property damage.

Furthermore, QBE works with NZ’s top defence lawyers who have your back, in case someone files a case as well as demands compensation against you.

Their extensions include defective workmanship, advertising liability, punitive damages, property in care, custody, and control, and goods on hook, amongst others.

By being insured, you can give your 110% focus to growing your business. You’ll attract more customers given your ability to pay should anything go wrong with your service.

5)   Vero Liability

Best for	Fast claim response
Products	Public and Products Liability
Benefits	Advertising liability Contractors/sub-contractors Defective workmanship Forest and rural fires act Goods on hook Hazardous substances emergency Innkeeper’s liability Keys and locks Product recall Property in care, custody, or control Property owner’s liability Punitive or exemplary damages Service and repair Tenant’s liability Trade advice or services Underground services Unmanned aerial vehicles USA/Canada coverage (products only) USA/Canada visits Vehicles (additional provisions) Vehicle inspection certification Vibration or removal of support
Address	Level 32, ANZ Centre, 23-29 Albert Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Contact Details	09 306 0350 [email protected]

Enquire Here

Vero Liability has an expert legal team that can defend your business from allegations or claims, provided that you inform them of the situation as early as possible.

They offer a public and products liability policy that indemnifies your company for sums arising out of unintended personal injury or property damage to your client.

Their product offers a full gamut of extensions from advertising liability to Warrant of Fitness (WOF) for vehicles, and everything in between.

One of the best public liability insurance providers in NZ, Vero Liability has strong financial security characteristics, having been given an A+ by rating agency Standard & Poor’s.

6) Progressive Insurance Brokers

Best for	Affordable cover
Products	General Liability Insurance
Benefits	Legal liability to third parties, including clients, customers and the public for injury or damage to their property, caused by the business
Address	20 Royal Road, Massey, Auckland 0614
Contact Details	0800 461 262

Enquire Here

Progressive Insurance Brokers can help you find the best deal that fits your business’s budget. From AIG to QBE, their large network of insurance providers can find you the most suitable policy options to match your unique requirements.

They specialise in working with businesses across a wide range of industries. This means that they can help identify risks that are specific to your type of business.

We had to include them here because they can also make claims during your time of need, so you don’t have to.

We heard that they can help with the paperwork and follow up on delays, so you can get on with running your business.

So if you’re after convenience and affordability, then you might want to consider hiring a broker such as Progressive Insurance Brokers to help you deal with your public liability insurance.

FAQS about the Top Public Liability Insurance in NZ

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And that concludes our list of the top public liability insurance in NZ! With this cover, your business will be insured from accidental damage and injuries to someone else.

Have you got any questions or suggestions for us? If you have one, kindly drop us a line and we’ll get back to you promptly.

Also, if your work involves advising clients, such as if you’re a financial adviser or lawyer, you may want to be insured by the best professional indemnity insurance in NZ.