Liability insurance minefield

[Tufty]

I'm trying to sort liability insurance and it is so unbelievably confusing.

I got a dirt cheap quote via Axa but I noticed past posts on here warned quotes like this only cover me when I'm with the machines.

I am really struggling to find a company who will cover the machines when I'm away.

Any ideas?

Intasure were previously recommended on here but when I asked they said it would only be me that is covered and they hinted (although don't officially advise) that if for example a drunk or child knocked the tower and injured themselves I wouldn't be liable as it wouldn't have been my fault. Is that the general consensus on here?

I also tried J Whippy insurance brokers and they said if I leave the machines with the customers it would normally be their responsibility to insure the machines and I should have a trade agreement with them stating this. If they understood my question correctly I'm not sure anyone would ever let us site machines if they faced that hassle.

By using the search function I found a big debate about it all but it is a few years old now and I'm struggling to find numbers for the insurers mentioned via Google etc.

[PabloV8Haggis]

Hi,
I shall dig out my insurance and let you know tomorrow who I deal with. I had a scare a couple of years ago whereas a kid who on three different occasions managed to knock the tower over, with the last time being it fell on him. His mum was going to sue anybody she could, as it was I asked her if she was suitably looking after her son, or was it standard practice that she lets him do what he wants whilst she sat and drank coffee and had a chat with friends, the owner backed up that appraisal and said her child was a menace. Job done, I had liability insurance however, have now changed to another company that seems to cover whether I am there or not, cover is £2 million I am sure and costs just over £100. Who said this business was cheap and cheerful!

Pablo

[Tufty]

Thanks Pablo

Glad that worked out for you with the menace!

[Siting Services]

I also tried J Whippy insurance brokers and they said if I leave the machines with the customers it would normally be their responsibility to insure the machines and I should have a trade agreement with them stating this. If they understood my question correctly I'm not sure anyone would ever let us site machines if they faced that hassle.

That's a new one on me. It's your business, your property and it's you who is covering for Public Liability for your equipment on their premises. Anyone who is in business will have public liability, it's the law, so the site where you are placing the machine will already have public liability in place so there is no need to even mention this to the site. I don't think Whippy has understood your request possibly?

Public Liability is not to cover the cost of replacing the machine in the event of it being stolen or damaged, it's just in case a member of the public hurts themselves by using the vendor or suffers poisoning as a result of eating the contents of the pot. Insuring the machine against theft or damage is not a viable option due to cost.

Kind regards,

Barbara

[Tufty]

Thanks Barbara, they actually just got back to me and I think they had misunderstood what I was looking for.

"Hi guys,just a quick question....do you provide public liability insurance for vending machine operators? I am just starting out and have 10 non electrical sweet machines. I seem to be able to get cover for myself but I would also like the machines covered in case they somehow caused an injury. Any advice would be appreciated"

I had asked to be covered in the event someone was injured etc using the machine but I think they thought I wanted the machines covered against damage when I'm away from site.

They have just confirmed I will be covered for what I need,their quote was £120 so now I just need to work out the difference between that and the £70 quote I got from Axa.

[Siting Services]

Axa are cheap, let me know their details and I can pass their information onto anyone else who asks me in the future.

Thanks.

Barbara

[Tufty]

I think they seem suspiciously cheap. I will let you know how it goes though.