The essential foundation of every Craft Insurance policy — and the cover most craft fair organisers will ask you for. Here’s everything you need to know.
We hear it all the time. Crafters come to us and say: “I don’t understand what kind of claim anyone could make against me — I just make things.” We understand that completely. And if we had a penny for every time we’d heard it, we really would be rich.
But here’s the thing: public and product liability insurance isn’t about the claims you can predict. It’s about all the things you can’t second-guess. A customer trips over your display stand. A product causes an unexpected reaction. Someone’s belongings are damaged at your stall. These things happen — not often, but they do happen — and when they do, the cost of defending a claim can be significant, even when you’ve done nothing wrong.
Public liability insurance covers you if a member of the public or a customer makes a claim against you for injury or property damage that they believe was caused by you, your employees, or your volunteers. It covers your legal defence costs and any compensation you owe — even if the claim turns out not to be your fault.
Product liability insurance covers you if someone makes a claim that one of your handmade products caused them injury or damaged their property — whether they bought it at a craft fair, online, through a rent-a-shelf arrangement, or from another retailer stocking your work.
At Craft Insurance, public and product liability are combined in a single policy — you don’t need to arrange them separately.
✓ Choice of cover levels: £1,000,000 / £2,000,000 / £5,000,000 / £10,000,000
✓ Legal defence costs and compensation covered
✓ Zero excess — no excess to pay on public and product liability claims
✓ Worldwide cover included as standard
✓ USA & Canada included where annual sales are under £25,000 (liability capped at £500,000 in aggregate)
✓ Covers all events where you are selling, teaching or demonstrating your craft, indoors or outdoors
✓ Unlimited events — no need to notify us of each one
✓ Covers online sales, rent-a-shelf arrangements and selling through other retailers
✓ Professional indemnity included as standard, covering you to teach and demonstrate your craft N.b. we now automatically include £500,000 professional indemnity with every policy, at no extra cost.
If you have any questions about the Craft Insurance Policy, you may be able to find your answer in the frequently asked questions below…
The right level of cover depends on your circumstances. Some craft fair and event organisers will specify a minimum limit — £2,000,000 is the most commonly requested for craft stall public liability insurance, but always check with the organiser before you book. If no minimum is specified, it’s your choice. Our team is happy to talk through the options with you if you’re unsure.
Yes — product liability insurance applies wherever your products end up, not just where you sell them. If a customer buys from your online shop, your Etsy store, or through a retailer stocking your items, and they make a claim that your product caused harm, your cover applies. The same policy that covers your craft stall public liability insurance also covers your online and third-party retail activity.
It’s not a legal requirement — but many craft fair and market organisers will insist on it before they’ll let you take a stall. Public liability for craft fairs is increasingly standard practice, and most organisers will ask you to provide proof of cover when you book. Even if no one has asked you for it, it’s worth having for your own peace of mind.
That’s exactly the point of the cover. Even if a claim has no merit, the cost of defending it can be substantial. Your public and product liability policy covers your legal defence cost whether or not the claim succeeds — so you’re protected either way.
No. Your craft fair public liability insurance covers you for an unlimited number of indoor and outdoor events throughout your policy period. There’s no need to list or notify us of each event in advance. Just turn up and trade.
Our policy is an annual policy rather than a single-event policy — and for most crafters, that’s better value. If you attend more than one or two events a year, or sell online at all, an annual policy covering unlimited events will almost always work out more cost-effective than arranging one-day public liability insurance for each craft stall separately. Get a quote and compare — you may be surprised how affordable annual cover is.
We have very few exclusions — and we’re always upfront about what they are. Unlike some general insurers, we don’t exclude home fragrances, reed diffusers, or products you’ve made yourself. One thing the policy does not cover is organising a craft event where you invite other stallholders — that requires a separate policy. You can run your own exhibition or show; you just can’t insure other people’s stalls under your policy.
Product liability insurance cost for crafters varies depending on the level of cover you choose and the nature of your craft business. Because we specialise exclusively in craft insurance, we understand the actual risks involved — which means we price our cover fairly, without the inflated premiums that come when a general insurer doesn’t understand what crafters actually do.
There are no admin fees, no cancellation fees, and you can spread the cost with a 0% interest direct debit over 12 months. The best way to find your exact price is to get a quote online — it takes just a few minutes, and your documents are issued instantly on payment.
Download a copy of Public and Products Liability wording here
Buy online in minutes and have your documents in your inbox straight away. Your policy covers you from the moment you pay — so if you have a craft fair coming up, there’s no reason to wait.
Not sure which level of cover you need, or want to talk through your situation first? Give us a call. You’ll always speak to a real person who knows craft insurance inside out.
