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Some risks you'd never think of —
we help you plan for them anyway.

A customer slips on your floor, your signboard injures a passer-by, a leak from your unit floods the one downstairs — these incidents share one thing in common: the person hurt isn't yours, the property damaged isn't yours, but the liability is. Public liability insurance exists for exactly these scenarios — we'll help you work out how much cover is actually enough.

Public liability insurance — illustration of a policy document, scales, and customers

Which businesses need this most?

Public liability insurance isn't legally mandatory, but the risk exists the moment people come and go at your premises, or your operations bring you into contact with the public. Many shopping mall and landlord leases make it a direct requirement.

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Food & Beverage

Slippery floors, scalding-hot spills, group food-poisoning claims — F&B is a hotspot for public liability claims, and mall leases almost always require it.

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Retail / storefronts

Falling merchandise, a child caught in a fitting room door, a wet floor — footfall is the risk. Coverage requirements are usually written into the lease.

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Beauty / fitness / education

Treatment reactions, equipment injuries, a student falling on-site — businesses with direct physical contact with clients should also check whether the policy extends to "professional liability."

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Construction / renovation

Scaffolding debris injuring a passer-by, a burst pipe flooding someone's unit — construction liability is typically bought per project, and both the main contractor and property owner will usually ask to see proof of the policy.

What's covered, and what isn't?

✓ Generally covered

Legal liability for third-party bodily injury
Legal liability for third-party property damage
Related legal costs and defence expenses (often underestimated)
Accidents arising from your business premises and operations

✗ Generally not covered

Your own employees' work injuries — that falls under Employees' Compensation Insurance
Your own property losses — that falls under Property Insurance
Professional advice or service failures (needs a separate professional liability / product liability extension)
Contractual liabilities that go beyond your legal liability

Before signing a new lease, read the insurance clause carefully

Mall and major landlord leases typically specify: a minimum coverage amount (commonly HK$10 million), a requirement to name the landlord as "joint insured," and proof of policy before opening. Finding out too late that you can't get covered in time, or bought the wrong cover, can easily delay handover — we see this happen regularly.

How much coverage should you choose?

Public liability cover is calculated "per event." Three things to consider when choosing:

Is there a lease minimum?

If so, that figure is a floor, not a target — a lease requiring $10 million doesn't mean $10 million is actually enough.

How bad could the worst case be?

Bodily injury claims are where the big numbers come from — a serious disability claim plus legal costs can easily reach seven figures. The higher your footfall and the more risk scenarios, the higher your coverage should be.

Higher coverage costs less than you'd think

Public liability premiums are front-loaded — the jump from $10 million to $20 million of cover is usually far cheaper than you'd expect. It's worth asking about the next coverage tier when you compare quotes.

Public Liability FAQ

My company is office-based with no walk-in customers — do I need this?

The risk is lower, but not zero — a delivery courier tripping in your unit, or a leak flooding the office below, both fall under public liability. Office-based premiums are inexpensive, and are often bundled with property insurance at a package rate.

The landlord wants to be named as a "joint insured" — what does that mean?

It means your policy also covers the landlord's liability if they're drawn into a claim arising from an incident at your premises. This is a standard requirement, and insurers generally add the name at little or no extra premium — but make sure it's specified when the policy is issued, since adding it later can be more of a hassle.

What's the difference between public liability and product liability?

Public liability covers accidents arising from your premises and operations; product liability covers injury or property damage caused by products you sell (e.g. food poisoning, an allergic reaction to a product). F&B and retail businesses typically buy "combined public liability" covering both — check whether product liability is included before you buy.

Signing a new lease? Landlord asking for public liability cover?

Send us the insurance clause from your lease — we'll check what you need to buy, and how much cover is enough, for free.

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Not sure which cover you need? Take the 5-question Coverage Check →