Insurance is one of those topics that nobody finds exciting but every florist needs to get right. A single claim from a customer who trips in your shop, a venue damaged by a water spill from your arrangements, or a delivery van accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds. The right insurance means these scenarios are a phone call to your insurer rather than a threat to your livelihood.
This guide covers the types of insurance you need, what they actually cost, and which providers specialise in florist cover.
Types of Insurance You Need
Public Liability Insurance
This is the foundation of your insurance as a florist. Public liability covers claims from third parties (customers, venue staff, members of the public) for injury or property damage arising from your business activities.
Common scenarios:
- A customer slips on a wet floor in your shop
- Water from an arrangement damages a venue's carpet or furniture
- A wedding installation falls and injures a guest
- A workshop attendee cuts themselves on your tools
Most venues (hotels, churches, event spaces) will require proof of public liability insurance before allowing you to work on their premises. Wedding venues routinely ask for a minimum of £1 million cover, and many require £2 million or £5 million.
If you do nothing else, get public liability insurance.
Employers' Liability Insurance
This is a legal requirement if you employ anyone, including part-time staff, Saturday workers, and assistants at workshops. It covers claims from employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their work.
Fines for operating without employers' liability insurance can reach £2,500 per day, plus a fine of up to £1,000 for not displaying the certificate (or making it available electronically).
Even if you are a sole trader with no employees, you may need this cover if you hire freelancers or temporary staff for busy periods. Check with your insurer.
Product Liability Insurance
Covers claims arising from products you sell causing injury or damage. For a florist, this could include:
- An allergic reaction to flowers or plants you supplied
- A vase or pot that breaks and causes injury
- A candle sold alongside an arrangement that causes a fire
Product liability is often bundled with public liability in a combined policy.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Covers claims that your professional advice or service caused financial loss. In floristry, this might apply if:
- You provide the wrong flowers for a wedding and the client claims for the cost of replacement or emotional distress
- You miss a funeral delivery deadline and the family pursues a claim
- Your design does not match what was agreed and the client demands compensation
This is more relevant for wedding and event florists who take significant deposits and work to detailed briefs.
Stock and Contents Insurance
Covers your business contents (tools, equipment, display furniture, refrigeration units) and stock (flowers, plants, sundries) against theft, fire, flood, and other damage.
Fresh flower stock is particularly vulnerable. A fridge failure overnight can destroy thousands of pounds worth of inventory. A burst pipe can flood your shop. Contents insurance protects against these losses.
Goods in Transit Insurance
Covers your stock and finished arrangements while being transported in your vehicle. If your delivery van is involved in an accident and the contents are destroyed, standard motor insurance typically does not cover the goods inside.
This is important if you transport high-value event installations. A wedding's worth of flowers in the back of a van can easily represent £2,000-£5,000 in value.
Business Vehicle Insurance
If you use a van or car for deliveries, you need commercial vehicle insurance (not personal motor insurance). Your personal policy will not cover business use, and driving without appropriate cover invalidates your insurance entirely.
Cyber Insurance
An emerging consideration for florists who take online orders and store customer data. Covers losses from data breaches, cyber attacks, and fraudulent transactions. More relevant for florists with e-commerce websites processing card payments.
What It Costs
Florist insurance costs vary depending on your business size, turnover, number of employees, and the types of cover you need.
Solo / Freelance Florist
| Cover | Approximate Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Public liability (£1m-£2m) | £55-£120 |
| Product liability (included) | Bundled with public liability |
| Professional indemnity | £70-£150 |
| Contents and stock | £50-£200 |
| Total | £180-£500 |
Shop-Based Florist (No Employees)
| Cover | Approximate Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Public liability (£2m-£5m) | £80-£200 |
| Product liability | Bundled |
| Professional indemnity | £70-£150 |
| Contents and stock | £100-£300 |
| Commercial property (if applicable) | £150-£400 |
| Business vehicle | Varies by driver and vehicle |
| Total (excluding vehicle) | £400-£960 |
Shop-Based Florist (With Employees)
Add employers' liability insurance (legally required). Typically £80-£200 per year for a small team.
Many sole traders with minimal cover pay under £100 per year, while comprehensive policies for shop-based florists typically fall in the £400-£600 range.
How to Choose a Provider
What to Look For
Not all business insurance policies are equal. When comparing providers, focus on:
- Industry experience: Some insurers and brokers have specific experience covering florists or retail businesses. They are more likely to understand the risks you face and offer appropriate cover without unnecessary exclusions.
- Multi-insurer comparison: Online brokers that quote from multiple underwriters save you the time of approaching each insurer individually. These comparison services let you see a range of prices and cover levels in one place.
- Workshop and event cover: If you run workshops or work at venues, check that these activities are explicitly included. Some standard policies exclude event work or require an add-on.
- Bundled policies: A combined policy (public liability, product liability, and professional indemnity in one package) is usually cheaper than buying each type of cover separately.
- Excess amounts: A lower premium sometimes means a higher excess. Check what you would need to pay out of pocket before the insurer covers the rest.
- Policy exclusions: Read the fine print. Some policies exclude home-based businesses, market stalls, or work involving candles and other fire risks.
Where to Start
There are three main routes to finding florist insurance in the UK:
- Online business insurance brokers that compare quotes from multiple underwriters. These are the quickest way to see a range of prices.
- Specialist small business insurers that focus on sole traders, freelancers, and micro-businesses. These tend to offer straightforward policies without unnecessary extras.
- Industry bodies and trade associations in the floristry sector sometimes offer group insurance schemes or negotiated rates for members. Check whether any associations you belong to provide this benefit.
Get quotes from at least two or three sources before making a decision. Most providers offer online quotes that take 5-10 minutes.
Common Claims Scenarios
Understanding what can go wrong helps you ensure you have the right cover:
Slip and trip in shop: A customer slips on a wet floor where you have been conditioning flowers. They break their wrist and claim for medical costs and lost earnings. Covered by: public liability.
Wedding flower failure: Your refrigeration breaks down the night before a wedding. The flowers wilt. The bride claims for the cost of emergency replacement flowers and emotional distress. Covered by: stock insurance (for the lost flowers) and professional indemnity (for the claim).
Delivery accident: Your van is rear-ended on the way to a funeral. The coffin spray and all tributes are destroyed. The funeral director needs emergency replacements within two hours. Covered by: goods in transit insurance.
Workshop injury: An attendee at your wreath making workshop cuts themselves badly on floristry wire and needs hospital treatment. Covered by: public liability.
Employee injury: Your part-time assistant develops a repetitive strain injury from conditioning thousands of stems. They claim for treatment costs. Covered by: employers' liability.
Venue damage: Water from your flower installation seeps onto a hotel's antique wooden floor, causing staining. The hotel claims for restoration. Covered by: public liability.
Practical Advice
When to Get Insurance
Get public liability insurance before you take your first order, not after. If you are operating from home, working at venues, or selling at markets without public liability cover, you are exposed.
Review Annually
Your insurance needs change as your business grows. Adding workshops, hiring staff, increasing turnover, or starting to deliver with your own vehicle all affect your cover requirements. Review your policy at renewal each year and update your insurer about any changes.
Read the Policy
Check what is specifically excluded. Common exclusions include:
- Damage to your own property (covered by contents insurance, not public liability)
- Claims arising from work you subcontract to others
- Intentional acts or gross negligence
- Certain high-risk activities not declared to the insurer
Keep Records
Document everything. Photograph your work at venues. Keep written confirmations of client briefs. Save delivery receipts. In the event of a claim, evidence is your best protection.
Notify Your Insurer
If you diversify into new activities (workshops, market stalls, online sales, corporate contracts), tell your insurer. Adding activities that are not covered by your existing policy means you may not be insured when you think you are.
Getting a Quote
You will need to know your estimated annual turnover, number of employees, the types of activities you undertake (shop sales, events, workshops, deliveries), and the level of cover you want.
When requesting a quote, be honest and thorough about your activities. Failing to disclose something (like running workshops or doing event work) could invalidate your policy when you need it most.
Insurance is not the most exciting investment you will make in your florist business, but it may be the most important one. The cost of a comprehensive policy is a fraction of what a single uninsured claim could cost you.
Once your insurance is sorted, get your pricing right too. The Business Markup Calculator helps you set margins that cover all your overheads (including insurance), and the Arrangement Calculator prices individual products to protect those margins.
