Do I need craft insurance?

public liability insurance for craftspeople

So you’re ready to turn your craft hobby into a business?

What started as a hobby, is starting to become a bit more than that. You’ve been selling your handmade crafts to friends and family, but now “You should try selling these online” has started to be a phrase you hear a lot.

So, you bite the bullet, “Right, lets see if I can make my craft hobby into a business”

You’ve made sure that your products comply with all of the relevant legislation, you’ve done the testing, you’re ready to go, what else might you need to think about. Click here to read top-tips-for-starting-a-craft-business/

You should ask yourself, do I need craft insurance?

What insurance do I need for my craft business?

Let me walk you through the craft insurance that is offered by us at Ian W Wallace Ltd, and things to look out for if you’re comparing insurers.

Public and Products Liability

This covers you in the event that somebody makes a claim against you, because the product that you have made has injured them, or caused some damage, or, if you have managed to accidentally injure someone, at a market or during a teaching workshop.

We refer to this as sleep easy insurance. Nobody expects or wants this sort of thing to happen, but what if it does? Public and Products Liability insurance will give you the peace of mind, should something unexpected happen.

Where does the cover apply?

Our insurance will cover you to sell online, through other peoples’ shops, and selling at events, such as craft fairs and markets (when we are finally allowed to) This isn’t covered as standard by all insurance policies, so make sure you do your homework before opting for the cheapest craft insurance policy you can find. All insurance policies are not built equally, and the old addage buy cheap buy twice really can apply!

What products will the insurance cover?

Likewise, make sure the policy that you want to take out can cover all of the products that you want to make. Not all insurance companies will cover all crafts, so ask the questions.

How much will it cost?

Whilst you’re shopping around is, in addition to the basic cost of the insurance policy, what other potential fees might you be hit with?

If you start to make new products, will it cost you anything to add them to your policy? How much would it cost to change your address? If you increase your cover, will there also be an administration fee? All of these things can make what started as a cheap cover, to quite an expensive exercise. Whilst on that subject, we do not charge an admin fee for information updates. If you increase your cover, you will only ever pay for the pro-rata additional amount – no extra fees!

Start shopping around by getting a quote with us

Top tips for starting a Craft Business

Tiff Reynolds, the owner of Springers Cottage Soaps, gives her top tips for starting a craft business.

springerscottagesoap (2) - small craft insurance
Soap created by Springers Cottage Soaps

Everything is expensive, to begin with. The costs of starting a craft business mount up quickly, so make a business plan, including costings, to know exactly how much you will need to spend to get up and running.

Don’t forget to include the cost of your time, as this will help you know what percentage of your turnover is profit.

Do your research on everything.

  • Think about what sort of products you want to make.
  • How many ranges do you want to offer?
  • What equipment will you need, that is essential for manufacturing? Who are your target customers?
  • How do you want to sell your products – online or at events?

Practice, practice, and practice some more. When practicing, make small batches, so you don’t waste valuable materials and ingredients. You will make mistakes, which you will learn from.

Stay on top of your administration.

  • Be compliant with any legalities that apply to your craft.
  • Speak to trading standards to ensure that you have the correct and current information.
  • Make sure that you have the correct insurance.
  • Research bank accounts and stay up to date with your accounts.