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Questions are grouped the same way the site is: business cover, personal cover, industry packages, our offices, then the Insights articles. Each block ends with a link to the full guide, which carries the detail on exclusions, premiums and claims. If your question is not here, send it through and a broker will answer it.
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Business insurance FAQs
Business Insurance FAQs
There is no standard answer. The right cover depends on your industry, size, contracts, assets and risk profile. Most businesses start with public liability insurance and a property section, then add business interruption. Professional indemnity and cyber insurance follow where you give advice or hold customer data. Larger operations with high-value assets move up to ISR insurance. We work out your risks first, then structure cover around them rather than ticking boxes.
An insurance broker works for you, not the insurer. We help you:
- Identify and explain risks in clear, straightforward language
- Compare insurers beyond price alone
- Negotiate terms and claims outcomes
- Act as your advocate when something goes wrong
That advice is what turns a policy into cover you can rely on at claim time.
Many businesses insure on outdated asset values, rough estimates or last year's figures. Underinsurance can cut a claim payout sharply, most often on property damage and business interruption claims. We review sums insured with you properly, including replacement cost, escalation and the interruption period you would actually need.
Growth in turnover, new locations, new services or overseas operations can all affect your cover. If insurers are not told, a claim may be reduced or declined. We check these changes with clients through the year, not only at renewal, so the policy keeps pace with the business.
Small business insurance usually comes as a business pack, and you choose the sections. The best fit covers what would actually hurt your business, which might be public liability for a tradie, or stock and business interruption for a shop. Check sums insured against current replacement values, since underinsurance is one of the most common problems at claim time. A broker can compare packs across insurers section by section.
Full guide: Business Insurance
Industrial Special Risks (ISR) Insurance FAQs
ISR insurance mainly suits large enterprises with assets over $5 million, particularly heavy industry and large-scale manufacturing.
ISR gives an all-risks base cover that includes more perils automatically, higher limits and, usually, worldwide cover. Policy wordings are flexible and can be tailored to your operations. The same policy can carry business interruption insurance, and specialised engineering risk teams support the placement.
ISR policies are bespoke and negotiated, not off-the-shelf products. Without specialist advice, businesses can end up with:
- Inadequate sums insured
- Unclear policy wordings
- Claims disputes over technical exclusions
As your broker, FRS acts as risk adviser, negotiator and claims advocate, so the policy responds as intended. Where you also own the buildings you trade from, we check how the ISR sits against commercial property owner insurance.
Full guide: Industrial Special Risks (ISR) Insurance
Commercial Property Owner Insurance FAQs
Buildings should be insured for full replacement cost, not market value. Underinsurance can cut a claim payout sharply. We give clients valuation guidance and review sums insured regularly, so the figure keeps pace with building costs.
It depends on the lease. Landlords usually insure the building and the liabilities that come with owning it, including property owner's public liability insurance. Tenants insure their own contents, fit-out and business activities. We read the lease and check the split is right.
Yes, though vacancy changes the cover. Unoccupied buildings often attract special terms, higher excesses or extra risk controls. We arrange suitable cover, handle the vacancy disclosure and check how business interruption insurance responds while the space is empty.
Building values, lease obligations and liability limits sit in different documents, and a gap between them only shows up at claim time. As your broker, FRS helps you disclose the property and its use accurately, set sums insured and limits that match, compare specialist property insurers and act as your advocate when you claim.
For a building you lease out, start with the sum insured. It should reflect the cost to rebuild today, including demolition and professional fees, which is rarely the price you paid. Loss of rent is the second test: how many months it pays while repairs run. Finally, read the vacancy clause, because cover can be restricted once the property sits empty beyond a set period. A broker compares these clauses across insurers before you renew.
Full guide: Commercial Property Owner Insurance
Business Interruption Insurance FAQs
Yes. Property insurance pays to repair or replace what was damaged. It does not replace the income you lose while you cannot trade, or while you trade at reduced capacity. Business interruption insurance fills that gap and protects cash flow through the recovery period.
Base the sum insured on your gross profit or revenue, your fixed costs and how long a full recovery would realistically take after a major loss. The indemnity period matters as much as the figure. Many claims run out of cover because recovery takes longer than the owner expected. We calculate sums insured from your financial data rather than an estimate.
Increased turnover, new contracts, extra locations or a change of supplier can all move the figure you need. If insurers are not told, a claim may be reduced. We review cover with clients through the year, not only at renewal, so the sum insured tracks the business.
Most claims start with an insured event under the property policy: fire, storm, explosion or malicious damage. Extensions can pick up denial of access, supplier disruption or utility failure, depending on the wording. If you own the premises, the trigger usually sits in your commercial property owner insurance.
Most businesses underestimate recovery time, leave fixed costs out of the calculation or work from last year's figures. Underinsurance can cut a payout sharply, and it bites hardest on long interruptions. We set sums insured against current turnover, current cost structures and a realistic recovery timeline.
Business interruption cover is only as good as the numbers behind it. The indemnity period should be long enough to rebuild and win customers back, which is often longer than owners expect. The gross profit sum insured has to be worked out the insurer's way, which is not the net profit on your tax return. Extensions for supplier failure or blocked access are worth comparing too. We can work through the calculation with you before approaching insurers.
Full guide: Business Interruption Insurance
Public Liability Insurance FAQs
It is not compulsory by law in most cases, but it is often required by contract. Landlords, councils, principals and event organisers commonly require it. Given the size that third-party injury and property damage claims can reach, most businesses treat public liability insurance as essential.
Public liability covers incidents arising from your business activities, such as a customer slipping in your shop. Products liability covers injury or damage caused by products you make, supply or sell. Both usually sit in one policy. Claims about advice or professional services belong to professional indemnity insurance.
Public liability policies differ in wording, exclusions and claim handling, not only in price. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Clearly define and disclose your business activities
- Compare insurers beyond the headline premium
- Negotiate cover extensions and exclusions
- Act as your advocate if a claim arises
The wording you buy is what the insurer measures a claim against.
No. Employee injuries are handled by workers' compensation insurance, which is compulsory in Australia. Public liability insurance responds only to claims from third parties. Incidents involving your vehicles sit outside it too, under commercial motor insurance.
A sole trader's public liability policy should start with the limit your clients or venues require, which is often written into the contract. Next, check that the business description matches every activity you do, as claims from undeclared work may not be covered. Products liability is usually packaged in, but confirm it if you sell or install goods. Injuries to employees fall under workers compensation, not this cover. Our team can compare public liability wordings and limits for you.
Full guide: Public Liability Insurance
Professional Indemnity Insurance FAQs
It is mandatory for many professions in Australia, including financial advisers, engineers, architects and other licensed or regulated professionals. Even where the law does not require it, professional bodies, client contracts and engagement agreements often do.
Professional indemnity insurance covers financial loss caused by your advice, design or professional services, for example incorrect advice that costs a client money. By contrast, public liability insurance covers injury to third parties or damage to their property, for example a client hurt at your office. Most professional businesses hold both.
Possibly. If you have held professional indemnity insurance continuously, the policy can include retroactive cover for claims arising from work you did in earlier years.
Yes. The policy generally covers claims arising from negligent acts, errors or omissions by employees, directors or contractors acting for the insured business.
Professional indemnity policies differ in wording, exclusions, retroactive dates and claim conditions, not only in premium. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Define and disclose your professional services clearly
- Structure limits, excesses and retroactive cover
- Compare policy wordings beyond headline pricing
- Negotiate extensions and manage insurer requirements
- Act as your advocate if a claim or investigation arises
Firms that hold client data should also review how the policy sits beside their cyber insurance.
PI policies are written on a claims made basis, so the policy in force when a claim is made is the one that responds. Look at the retroactive date: cover for past work matters if advice you gave years ago is later questioned. Check run-off cover for when you retire or close the business. Then confirm the limit meets what your professional body or clients require. We check these points against your contracts at each renewal.
Full guide: Professional Indemnity Insurance
Management Liability Insurance FAQs
Any company with directors or officers can face management-related claims. Exposure is highest where there are employees, contractors, shareholders or regulatory oversight, which brings employment disputes, compliance breaches and governance claims. Incorporated not-for-profit organisations are in the same position.
Yes. The Employment Practices Liability section typically covers claims such as:
- Unfair dismissal
- Workplace bullying or harassment
- Discrimination
- Breach of employment contracts
Employment claims are among the most common triggers on management liability policies.
Management liability insurance responds to claims about management decisions, governance failures and employment issues. Claims about the advice or services you give clients fall under professional indemnity insurance instead. Many businesses, professional firms in particular, need both policies for complete protection.
Yes. Directors and officers can be held personally liable for breaches of duty, employment claims and regulatory action. The policy protects personal assets where the company cannot indemnify its directors, including decisions made after an incident covered by cyber insurance.
Full guide: Management Liability Insurance
Contract Works Insurance FAQs
It is usually arranged by the principal contractor or head contractor. Project owners and developers may also arrange the cover, depending on the contractual obligations and risk allocation in the building contract. Owners who hold commercial property owner insurance often arrange it for a refurbishment.
Cover varies by insurer, but common exclusions include:
- Defective workmanship or materials, meaning the cost of rectifying the defect itself
- Normal wear and tear
- Mechanical or electrical breakdown, unless it results in insured damage
- Delays not caused by insured physical damage
Resultant damage caused by defective work may still be covered, subject to policy terms.
Most contract works policies include public liability insurance for construction activities. Check the limits, exclusions and named insured parties against the building contract before you rely on them.
Construction insurance should fit the contract, so begin there. The contract states who insures the works and the liability limit required, and the sum insured needs to cover the full contract value, including any materials supplied by the principal. Then read the maintenance or defects period extension, which keeps cover going after practical completion. Existing structures being altered may need to be declared separately. Get the wording compared across insurers before the site starts.
Full guide: Contract Works/Construction Insurance
Marine Insurance FAQs
Yes. Marine cargo insurance can be arranged door to door, covering sea, air, road and rail transit from origin to final destination. Damage to your own delivery vehicle is a matter for commercial motor insurance.
It is not legally compulsory. Without it, though, cargo owners carry the full financial risk of loss or damage in transit. Carrier liability is typically limited and may not cover the full value of the goods.
Yes. Responsibility depends on the Incoterms in the contract:
- Under FOB, the buyer is responsible for insurance once the goods pass the ship's rail.
- Under CIF, the seller usually arranges insurance, but the cover may be limited.
Check which term applies before each shipment.
Single transit policies suit occasional shipments. Annual open policies suit regular importers and exporters, and they add efficiency, cost savings and automatic cover.
Before comparing policies, check your sale terms. Incoterms such as FOB or CIF decide when the risk passes to you, and so whether you need to insure the voyage at all. For the cover itself, look at the clause set: Institute Cargo Clauses (A) are the widest standard terms, while (B) and (C) name fewer risks. Then choose between single shipment cover and an annual policy for regular imports. Our brokers compare cargo wordings for importers and exporters.
Full guide: Marine Insurance
Cyber Insurance FAQs
Yes. Small and medium-sized businesses are frequent targets because they rarely have dedicated IT security staff. An incident can mean days of downtime, a ransom demand and, for many businesses, notification obligations under Australia's Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, whatever the size of the company.
Yes, provided the policy specifically includes cyber fraud or funds transfer loss cover. Not every policy does, which is why we check the wording rather than the headline premium.
Cyber policies differ widely in what triggers a claim, which costs are covered and how the incident response is managed. As your broker, FRS helps you disclose your systems and data accurately, structure limits that match your exposure, compare specialist cyber insurers and coordinate the response if an incident occurs. Firms that give advice should also check how this cover sits beside their professional indemnity insurance.
Cyber policies differ more than most covers, so compare the sections rather than the headline limit. Incident response comes first: what help the insurer provides when systems go down, and which costs it pays. Business interruption after an attack is the next test. Social engineering fraud, where staff are tricked into paying a fake invoice, is often sub-limited or excluded unless added. Talk to us about which wordings fit the way your business uses its systems.
Full guide: Cyber Insurance
Commercial Motor Insurance FAQs
Commercial motor insurance is written for vehicles used mainly for business, including carrying tools, goods or passengers for work. A personal policy may not respond to business use, particularly for trades, deliveries or multiple drivers. Privately owned prestige vehicles belong under prestige motor insurance.
Yes. The policy can be structured for named drivers or as an open driver policy, subject to age and licence conditions.
Some policies give limited cover for tools and accessories. Higher values are usually insured under a General Property or Tools policy.
Yes. Businesses running several vehicles can move to a fleet policy, which simplifies administration, keeps cover consistent and may reduce the total premium.
Commercial motor policies differ in driver conditions, vehicle use definitions, claims handling and exclusions. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Define business use and driver profiles correctly
- Structure excesses and cover options
- Assess whether a fleet or individual policies suit you better
- Coordinate claims and keep downtime short
- Confirm vehicles, accessories and modifications are adequately insured
Builders should check how the policy lines up with their contract works insurance, and operators carrying customers' goods should check where marine insurance takes over.
Business car insurance, which insurers call commercial motor, varies most on drivers and contents. Check whether any licensed driver is covered or only those named, and what excess applies to younger or less experienced drivers. Tools and equipment left in the vehicle may need their own cover. With several vehicles, a fleet policy can put them all on one schedule. A broker matches these terms to how your vehicles are really used.
Full guide: Commercial Motor Insurance
Not-for-Profit Insurance FAQs
Faith and community organisations carry risks that most businesses do not: volunteer exposure, public gatherings, pastoral care responsibilities, governance obligations and reputational sensitivity. A standard commercial package rarely handles them well, particularly the public liability insurance section for open events.
Yes. Cover can include personal accident insurance and liability protection for volunteers while they carry out authorised activities.
Yes. Board members and office bearers can be held personally liable for governance, employment and regulatory decisions, even in unpaid roles.
Yes. The professional indemnity section can be structured to respond to claims from counselling, pastoral advice and support services, subject to full disclosure and policy terms.
Often, yes. Regulators, governing bodies and landlords frequently require faith and community organisations to carry abuse and molestation liability cover as part of their safeguarding obligations.
Faith and not-for-profit policies differ in exclusions, duty-of-care requirements, volunteer definitions and claims handling. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Understand and disclose your activities accurately
- Structure protection for volunteers, members and leaders
- Align insurance with governance and safeguarding frameworks
- Compare specialist insurers and policy wordings
- Act as your advocate if a sensitive claim or incident arises
We also check the sections organisations forget, such as cyber insurance for donor and member records, and commercial motor insurance for vehicles used by staff and volunteers.
Churches rely on volunteers and old buildings, and both need attention. Rebuilding a heritage church can cost far more than a standard building, so the sum insured should reflect that. Volunteers are not employees, so check whether personal accident cover applies to them. Abuse liability and board members' liability are often separate sections that have to be asked for. We help congregations and community groups weigh these points before choosing cover.
Full guide: Faith & Not-for-Profit Organisations Insurance
Personal insurance FAQs
Prestige Home Insurance FAQs
Prestige policies offer higher sums insured, broader definitions, fewer sub-limits and specialist claims handling built for high-value properties.
Yes. Prestige policies suit homes with complex construction, bespoke materials or heritage requirements.
Flood cover depends on the insurer's definition and its underwriting. It should be checked against the property's location before you buy.
Yes. Prestige policies typically fund accommodation of equivalent quality in a similar location, subject to policy limits.
High-value home insurance depends on accurate valuation and careful policy structuring. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Arrange accurate replacement cost assessments
- Access specialist prestige insurers
- Match the policy wording to the construction and risk profile
- Manage complex or high-value claims discreetly
If you also own rental property, we can review your landlord insurance at the same time. Owners of apartments should check how the strata insurance policy sits against their own cover.
Luxury homes are expensive to rebuild in ways a standard calculator misses, from custom joinery to the architect's fees. So the first test is whether the sum insured reflects a true replacement value. The second is temporary accommodation: does the policy pay for a home of similar standard, and for how long? Liability limits should also suit the property and the way you use it. We compare prestige wordings for owners around Melbourne.
Full guide: Prestige Home Insurance
Prestige Motor Insurance FAQs
It offers higher levels of cover, specialist repairers, genuine parts and claims handling built for luxury and high-value vehicles.
Many prestige policies allow repair by manufacturer-approved or specialist prestige repairers, subject to the insurer's terms.
Yes. Agreed value is commonly available, particularly for high-value, performance and collectible vehicles.
Yes. Many policies now address EVs specifically, including battery systems and the specialised repairs they need.
Prestige vehicle policies differ widely in valuation method, repair standards and exclusions. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Set agreed values that match market conditions
- Access specialist prestige insurers and policy wordings
- Hold repair quality to manufacturer standards
- Manage complex claims and loss negotiations
Any car you also use for work sits better under a policy for vehicles used for business. We also arrange pleasure craft insurance and aircraft insurance for clients who own boats or aircraft.
With a luxury or performance car, the questions are about value and repairs. Agreed value sets the amount for a total loss when the policy starts, subject to its terms, rather than leaving it to market value on the day. Ask who repairs the car: some policies allow a manufacturer-approved repairer and genuine parts, others do not. If you take the car to club events or the track, check whether that use can be added. We can check which insurers offer each option.
Full guide: Prestige Motor Insurance
Landlord Insurance FAQs
Landlord insurance is written for rental properties. It adds cover for tenant-related risks such as rent default and malicious damage, which a standard home policy does not usually include.
Loss of rent after insured damage is commonly included. Rent default cover is separate and subject to the policy terms and conditions.
Landlord policies differ widely in tenant damage definitions, waiting periods and sub-limits. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Clarify what the landlord, the tenant and the owners corporation each cover
- Structure loss of rent and rent default cover
- Compare policy wordings, not premiums alone
- Handle claims involving tenants and property managers
If the property is an apartment or townhouse, we check your cover against the building's strata insurance. Owners who also let commercial premises need a separate policy.
Landlord policies look similar on the cover page and differ inside. Compare the rent default section first: how many weeks of unpaid rent it pays, and which notices you must have given. Check whether malicious damage by tenants is included, as it is not in every landlord policy. Loss of rent after insured damage also comes with different maximum periods. If the property is a strata apartment, you insure fixtures and rent rather than the building. Insurers word these sections differently, and we can show you where.
Full guide: Landlord Insurance
Home and Contents Insurance FAQs
No. It is not required by law, though most mortgage lenders make building cover a condition of the loan.
Yes, under an optional portable valuables extension, subject to specified limits and conditions.
Policies vary in definitions, sub-limits, exclusions and claims handling. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Set accurate building and contents valuations
- Avoid underinsurance and unexpected exclusions
- Compare wordings, not only price
- Handle claims and insurer negotiations
Rented-out properties need landlord insurance instead. Apartment owners should read the building's strata insurance.
Home and contents insurance comes down to two numbers and a few definitions. The building sum insured should match today's rebuild cost, and contents should be valued at replacement, not what you paid years ago. Then read how flood and storm are defined, and whether accidental damage is included or optional. Portable valuables taken outside the home usually need to be listed. We compare these points across insurers for homes in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Full guide: Home and Contents Insurance
Strata Insurance FAQs
Yes. State and territory strata legislation generally makes it mandatory.
It covers common property and shared structures. Each lot owner insures their own contents and internal improvements, unless the strata plan says otherwise.
No. Lot owners arrange their own contents or landlord cover.
Yes. Regular replacement cost valuations keep the sum insured accurate, which is what avoids underinsurance and legislative non-compliance.
Strata policies vary widely in valuation method, exclusions and claims handling. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Arrange compliant building replacement valuations
- Structure liability and catastrophe limits that match the building
- Compare strata wordings beyond price
- Manage complex claims and coordinate owners, managers and insurers
Lot owners who rent out their apartment need landlord insurance on top. Buildings with shops or offices at ground level also raise commercial property owner insurance questions.
An owners corporation should start with the building valuation, since a sum insured based on an out-of-date figure can leave every owner short after a major loss. Compare the office bearers' liability and fidelity sections, which protect the committee and the building's funds. Lot owners should know what the strata policy leaves to them, such as contents and, for investors, rent default under landlord insurance. We compare strata wordings for owners corporations and their managers.
Full guide: Strata Insurance
Pleasure Craft Insurance FAQs
No. Boat insurance is not compulsory for every pleasure craft, but marinas, clubs and waterways authorities often require third-party liability cover.
No. Racing, charter and commercial use are excluded unless the insurer specifically endorses them. Businesses shipping goods need marine cargo insurance instead.
Marine policies differ widely in navigation limits, exclusions and claims handling. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Set agreed values and navigation areas that match how you use the vessel
- Check that machinery and liability limits are adequate
- Compare specialist marine insurers
- Manage claims and recovery after an incident
Clients who keep a boat and a performance car often hold this policy alongside prestige motor insurance.
Good boat cover starts with an honest description of how you use the boat. Check the navigational limits, as some policies restrict how far offshore you can go. Choose between agreed value and market value, a choice that matters most for older boats. Racing and charter use are commonly excluded unless agreed. Third party liability deserves attention too if you moor in a busy marina. Ask us to compare pleasure craft wordings before your next renewal.
Full guide: Personal Pleasure Craft Insurance
Aircraft Insurance FAQs
Not in every case. Hull insurance is not always mandatory, but third-party liability insurance is generally required under aviation regulations and under airport or airfield operating conditions.
Yes. A policy can cover named pilots, or any pilot who meets agreed criteria for experience and licence held.
It depends on the policy terms, and the activity must be disclosed to the insurer. This matters most for flight training and hire-and-reward work.
Yes. Hull cover can include ground risks such as hangaring, towing and maintenance movements.
Aviation insurance is highly specialised, and wording, pilot requirements and liability limits vary widely between insurers. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Structure hull and liability limits that match the aircraft and its use
- Disclose pilot qualifications and usage correctly
- Access specialist aviation insurers
- Negotiate terms for high-value or specialised aircraft
- Manage complex claims and dealings with regulators
Aircraft owners rarely insure only the aircraft, so we also arrange prestige motor insurance for the cars in the garage. FRS also arranges cover for other high-value assets, including prestige home insurance for the family home.
Aircraft policies are tied closely to who flies and how. The pilot clause sets which pilots are covered and the hours or ratings they need, so check it against everyone who flies the aircraft. Agreed value on the hull avoids an argument over market value after a loss. Training or charter use must be declared, because private use wording may not extend to it. Aviation wordings vary widely, and we can compare them for owners and operators.
Full guide: Aircraft Insurance
Personal Accident Insurance FAQs
Personal accident insurance is the simpler, shorter-term product, paying defined benefits for a set period. Income protection is the broader, long-term income replacement contract.
Yes. Policies can cover both injury and illness, subject to waiting periods and the medical definitions in the wording.
Yes. Claims usually need medical certification confirming that you cannot work.
Personal accident policies differ widely in benefit definitions, exclusions and waiting periods. As your broker, FRS helps you:
- Set benefit amounts and waiting periods that suit your income
- Match the cover to your occupation and how you are paid
- Compare policy wording, not only premium
- Handle claims and insurer communication
Business owners usually hold this cover alongside their business insurance. Self-employed professionals who give advice should also review their professional indemnity insurance.
Personal accident policies differ most in the small print about time. The waiting period sets how many days pass before weekly benefits start, and the benefit period sets how long they continue. Check whether sickness is included or the policy covers accidents only. Your occupation affects what is offered, so describe your work accurately. For self-employed people without sick leave, these details decide how useful the cover is. We can compare waiting and benefit periods across insurers for you.
Full guide: Personal Sickness & Accident Insurance
Health Insurance FAQs
No. Medicare covers public healthcare, but private health insurance gives you greater choice, shorter waiting times and access to private hospitals and specialists.
Hospital cover applies to treatment as a private patient in hospital. Extras cover applies to out-of-hospital services such as dental, optical and physiotherapy.
Yes. Waiting periods apply to certain services, particularly pre-existing conditions, maternity and major dental.
No. Out-of-pocket costs can still apply, depending on Medicare rebates, provider fees and policy limits.
Health insurance policies vary widely in inclusions, exclusions and value. As your adviser, FRS helps you:
- Compare policies across multiple health funds
- Match cover to your life stage, income and healthcare needs
- Explain waiting periods and exclusions
- Review the policy each year so it still earns its premium
FRS also arranges home and contents insurance for the family home. Owners of higher-value properties are usually better served by prestige home insurance.
Full guide: Health and Medical Insurance
Insurance by industry FAQs
Restaurant Insurance FAQs
Public and products liability is the base, because landlords, councils and event organisers ask for it and because customer injury and food-related claims are the most common. On top of that most venues hold a business insurance package for the fit-out and equipment, with food spoilage cover, glass cover and business interruption added. A venue with a liquor licence adds liquor liability. Workers compensation is separate and compulsory for any business with employees.
Yes, under the products liability section, provided the claim arises from food you prepared or sold. The policy pays compensation and legal defence costs. It does not replace good food handling: insurers will look at compliance with the Food Standards Code and your council registration when a claim is assessed, so keep temperature logs and cleaning records.
Only if the policy includes a deterioration of stock or food spoilage section. Standard property cover pays for damage to the fridge, not the food inside it. A dedicated spoilage section responds to equipment breakdown and, depending on the wording, to power failures outside your control. We check which triggers are included before you buy.
It replaces the gross profit you lose while the venue cannot trade after an insured event such as a kitchen fire, and it pays the fixed costs that keep running: rent, wages, loan repayments and utilities. The indemnity period matters. A commercial kitchen rebuild can take six months or more once council approvals and equipment lead times are counted.
Yes. Customers still enter the shop, delivery drivers carry your food, and products liability covers the meals themselves wherever they are eaten. Vehicles used for deliveries need commercial motor insurance, because a personal car policy usually excludes business use. If staff use their own cars, ask us about the liability gap that leaves.
Hospitality policies differ in the exclusions that matter most: deep fryer conditions, flue cleaning requirements, spoilage triggers and liquor wording. As your broker, FRS helps you disclose the kitchen and trading hours accurately, structure sums insured for fit-out and stock, compare specialist hospitality insurers and act as your advocate at claim time. Venues with several staff should also review management liability insurance for employment disputes, and any venue taking online orders should look at cyber insurance for card data.
Restaurant cover is easy to buy and harder to compare. Two sections separate one policy from another. Products liability should respond to a food poisoning or allergy claim, with a limit your landlord accepts. Spoilage cover should pay for stock lost when refrigeration fails, and you should check whether a power cut from the street counts. After those, look at how business interruption is calculated while the kitchen is closed. We compare the wording across insurers for venues around Melbourne.
Full guide: Restaurant Insurance
Cafe Insurance FAQs
Public and products liability comes first, because landlords and councils ask for it and because customer injury and food claims are the most common. Beyond that, cafe insurance is usually written as a business insurance package covering the fit-out, equipment, stock and glass, with business interruption added. Workers compensation is compulsory once you employ staff and sits in a separate policy.
Yes, where the policy includes a machinery breakdown section. Standard property cover responds to fire, storm and impact, not to a motor that burns out or a control board that fails. Ovens, provers, dough mixers and refrigeration can all be listed. Bakery insurance is normally rated on that equipment list, so keep it current as you add plant.
Only where a deterioration of stock section is included and the trigger matches. Some wordings respond to breakdown of your own refrigeration but not to a supply failure in the street. Others cover both, with an excess set in hours rather than dollars. We check the trigger, the sum insured and the excess before you buy, because milk and cakes go quickly.
Yes. Councils issue footpath trading permits with conditions attached, and evidence of public liability is normally one of them. The liability section should extend to the outdoor area rather than stop at the shopfront. Tables, chairs, umbrellas and planters also need listing under property cover, since they sit outside overnight and are exposed to wind and theft.
Workers compensation first, since it is compulsory for every employer in Australia. Employment disputes, unfair dismissal claims and director exposures sit outside a standard package, which is where management liability insurance applies. Online ordering, loyalty apps and stored card data bring a different exposure again, so look at cyber insurance for the response costs after a breach.
Hospitality wordings differ in the conditions that decide claims: flue cleaning intervals, deep fryer rules, spoilage triggers and glass definitions. FRS helps you disclose the equipment and trading hours accurately, structure sums insured for fit-out and stock, compare specialist insurers and act as your advocate at claim time. You deal with the same broker at renewal and after a loss.
Most cafe claims are ordinary ones, so the detail decides how a policy performs. Check whether machinery breakdown covers the coffee machine and ovens, or only fire damage to them. Ask how stock spoilage is handled when the power fails overnight. If you put tables on the footpath, confirm the public liability extends to that area. The cafe policy that suits you is the one that answers these questions in its wording, and our brokers can put a few options side by side.
Full guide: Cafe and Bakery Insurance
Retail Shop Insurance FAQs
Public liability is the starting point, because most leases require it and the landlord will ask for the certificate. Retail shop insurance is then written as a business insurance package covering fit-out, stock, glass and theft, with business interruption for the trade lost while closed. Workers compensation is compulsory once you employ anyone, even one casual, and is arranged separately.
Read the lease, because it decides. Most retail leases make the tenant responsible for plate glass in the premises, while the landlord insures the building structure. Glass sits in its own section with its own sum insured. Check that it pays for boarding up, temporary hoarding and re-applying signage or security film after the panel is replaced.
Yes, and a single ram raid usually triggers three sections at once: glass for the frontage, theft for the stock taken, and property damage for the fit-out, roller door and shelving. Business interruption responds while repairs run. Insurers will ask about bollards, security screens, alarm monitoring and whether high-value stock sits within reach of the front door.
A tenant policy protects the tenant stock and fit-out, not your building. As the owner you need commercial property owner insurance for the structure, common areas, loss of rent and the liability that comes with being a landlord. If you own the building and trade from it, both exposures apply, and they can often sit with one insurer.
Yes. Point-of-sale terminals, loyalty databases and click-and-collect systems are all attack surfaces, and a compromised terminal can stop you trading for days. A cyber insurance section pays forensic investigation, notification to affected customers, system restoration and the income lost during the outage. It also gives you a response team to call, which matters when the tills are down on a Saturday.
Retail wordings differ where it counts: theft after forced entry, unattended stock, glass definitions and how a seasonal stock peak is treated. FRS helps you disclose the trade and security accurately, set sums insured that hold up in December, compare specialist insurers and act as your advocate at claim time. We also read the insurance clauses in your lease before you sign.
Shop policies look alike until you read the glass and theft sections. Your lease decides whether you or the landlord insures the shopfront glass, so check it first. Next, read how theft is defined: many policies require forced entry, and ram raid damage should sit under malicious damage or impact. Business interruption then carries the rent while the shop is shut for repairs. We go through these clauses with shop owners before each renewal.
Full guide: Retail Strip Shop Insurance
Grocery Store Insurance FAQs
Start with public and products liability, since you sell food and the landlord will require the certificate. Grocery store insurance is then built as a business insurance package covering fit-out, cool rooms, stock and glass, with deterioration of stock and business interruption added. Money cover matters more here than in most shops. Workers compensation is compulsory for every employer and is arranged separately.
Frozen stock may be covered if deterioration of stock cover has been selected and the loss falls within the policy terms. The sum insured should reflect the maximum stock value at risk, a full cool room rather than an average day. Depending on the policy, cover may also extend to certain refrigeration breakdowns or public supply failures, and a time-based excess or waiting period may apply. Keeping temperature logs and refrigeration service records helps support a claim.
Your money cover should reflect the maximum amount of cash you actually hold, including weekend takings waiting to be banked. Depending on the policy, separate limits may apply to money on the premises, in a safe after hours and in transit to the bank. Count your busiest trading days rather than the average, and check any conditions relating to safe requirements and banking frequency.
Delivery vans generally need commercial motor insurance, as business packages typically do not cover vehicles and private motor policies may not cover business use. Goods carried in the van may need separate goods in transit cover. If staff use their own vehicles for deliveries, check whether their motor policy covers business use.
Workers compensation is compulsory, and premiums are generally based on your declared wages, so keep wage declarations accurate. Employment-related claims, such as unfair dismissal or allegations of underpayment, are generally not covered under standard business insurance and may need management liability insurance or employment practices liability cover, depending on the policy.
Asian grocery store and supermarket insurance involves specific considerations such as stock spoilage, refrigeration equipment, money limits and imported stock. FRS helps you assess your risks accurately, structure appropriate sums insured, compare suitable insurance options and assist with claims when needed. You have one point of contact for both renewal and claims.
Full guide: Asian Grocery Store and Supermarket Insurance
Warehouse Insurance FAQs
Warehouse insurance covers the property side and the liability side of a storage site. Property means the building if you own it, the fit-out and racking if you lease it, plus stock, machinery and office equipment. Liability covers injury to visitors and damage you cause to other people's property. Tenants usually buy both inside one business insurance package, then add theft, transit and interruption sections.
Not automatically. Goods held for other people sit outside your own stock section, and liability policies commonly exclude property in your care, custody and control. Third-party goods need a bailee extension with a limit set on the highest value you hold at any one time. Tell us the peak, not the average, because the building is fullest exactly when a fire hurts most.
Larger sites move to ISR insurance once declared values pass what a packaged policy will carry. An ISR wording is broader and negotiable: perils, excesses, escalation and the interruption basis are set for that site rather than taken off a standard form. High stock values, multiple buildings and complex fire protection are the usual reasons to make the move.
Only if a transit section is in place. Property cover stops at the boundary of the premises, so pallets on a truck between your site and a customer need marine insurance, which despite the name covers goods in transit by road, rail, sea and air. Carriers limit their own liability under their conditions of carriage, so leaning on the freight company leaves a real gap.
Yes. Trucks and utes that travel on public roads need commercial motor insurance, because the property policy does not respond to a registered vehicle on the road. Forklifts and reach trucks that stay on site belong in a plant or mobile machinery section, which can also pick up damage the machine causes to racking, doors and walls. Confirm which machines leave the gate.
Warehouse wordings turn on detail that is easy to get wrong: sprinkler and alarm conditions, stock declarations, bailee limits and the indemnity period. FRS helps you disclose construction, storage and security accurately, structure limits for peak stock, compare insurers who understand industrial risk and act as your advocate at claim time. We also read the lease, so the landlord's policy and yours do not leave a gap between them.
The answer turns on whose goods are inside. If you store stock for customers, your own stock cover may not reach it, so look for cover for goods held as a bailee. Racking collapse and forklift impact are frequent warehouse losses; check whether the wording treats them as accidental damage. Once values climb, an industrial special risks policy can suit better than a business pack. We can compare both routes across insurers once we know your values.
Full guide: Warehouse Property Insurance
Manufacturing Insurance FAQs
Manufacturing insurance covers three fronts: the site, the product and the income. Site means buildings, plant, stock and machinery breakdown. Product means the liability that follows goods you made once they are in use somewhere else. Income means the gross profit lost while production is down. Smaller workshops start with a business insurance package and add the industrial sections they need.
No. Property cover responds to an external event such as fire, storm or impact, and it excludes a machine that fails through its own mechanical or electrical fault. Breakdown cover fills that gap and can extend to spoiled work in progress and the hire of a temporary replacement. Larger plants often carry breakdown inside an ISR insurance wording rather than as a bolt-on section.
The manufacturer usually carries it. Under the Australian Consumer Law a supplier can be liable for goods with a safety defect, and suppliers must report goods associated with serious injury or death to the ACCC. Products liability pays compensation and defence costs, whether the fault is in the design, the assembly or the labelling. It applies to goods you import and rebrand as well.
Not automatically. Products liability answers the injury or damage the item causes, not the cost of getting the item back. Recall expenses such as freight, storage, destruction and customer notification need a recall extension or a separate policy, and insurers will ask about batch coding and traceability before they offer it. Food, cosmetics and components sold into vehicles are the usual candidates.
Only under a transit or cargo section. Property cover stops at the boundary of the site, so finished goods on a truck, in a container or on a ship need marine insurance. Who arranges that cover depends on the Incoterms in the sale contract, because the point where risk passes to the buyer is set there. Read the contract before you assume the customer is insuring the shipment.
Factory risk sits in the detail: declared values, the indemnity period, breakdown conditions and how the products liability wording treats export sales. FRS helps you disclose processes and materials accurately, structure limits for plant and stock, compare specialist industrial insurers and act as your advocate at claim time. Owner-run factories should also review management liability insurance for employment and regulatory claims.
Full guide: Factory and Manufacturing Insurance
Real Estate Agency Insurance FAQs
Yes. A licensed estate agent in Victoria must hold professional indemnity insurance that meets the requirements set under Victorian estate agents legislation, and it has to stay in force while the licence is held. The policy answers claims of negligent advice, misdescription and errors in a contract or a rental file. Cover is written on a claims made basis, which means the policy that responds is the one in force when the claim is first notified, not the one that was in force when the work was done.
Professional indemnity is the base, because the licence depends on it and because advice is what the agency sells. Public liability follows, for inspections and auctions. Most agencies then hold a business insurance package for the office contents, glass and interruption, and add cyber and management liability sections. Workers compensation is separate and compulsory for any agency with employees.
It depends on how the money left the account. Theft by a staff member is an employee dishonesty or fidelity question, usually sitting in a crime or management liability section. Money paid to a criminal after a deposit or settlement email was intercepted and altered is a cyber insurance question. Conveyancing and rent payment emails are a standing target, so both sections need to be arranged deliberately.
The agency's public liability section responds where the agency is found responsible for the way the inspection was run, such as a hazard left unmarked or a stairwell with no light. The vendor or the rental provider may carry their own liability as the owner of the property, and both policies can be drawn into the same claim. Note the hazards in your inspection checklist and keep the record.
Not under professional indemnity. Unfair dismissal, bullying and discrimination allegations belong to management liability insurance, along with defence costs for the directors and for regulatory investigations of the agency. Commission-only sales staff, casual property managers and contractors all sit inside this exposure. Check how commission-only staff and contractors are engaged, because that is where the argument usually starts.
The professional indemnity wording is where agencies get caught: retroactive dates (how far back the policy covers past work), run-off cover (keeping the policy alive after you sell the rent roll or close the agency), and whether property management activity is properly declared. FRS helps you disclose sales and management work accurately, structure limits against the size of the rent roll, compare insurers who understand agency risk and act as your advocate at claim time. We also review the licence requirement each renewal.
Agencies face claims about what was said or done, so professional indemnity carries the weight. Make sure it covers property management as well as sales. Trust money is the second concern. Payment redirection fraud, where a fake email changes bank details, may fall under cyber or fidelity cover depending on the wording, and the gap between them is worth checking. Public liability for open inspections and auctions rounds it out. We look at these sections together so nothing falls between policies.
Full guide: Property and Real Estate Agency Insurance
Our offices FAQs
Box Hill Office FAQs
The office is at 991 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill VIC 3128, on the main road through Box Hill. It is open weekdays from 9:30am to 6pm. Call 03 7046 3766 before you visit so a broker is available to sit down with you, or email admin@fortisrisksolutions.com.au with what you need.
No. Most cover is arranged by phone and email, and documents are signed electronically. Visiting is useful for a complex business program, a first meeting for a new client, or when you prefer to go through a policy in person. Either way you deal with the same broker from quote through to claim.
Box Hill and the surrounding eastern suburbs are the natural catchment, but the office arranges insurance for clients across Melbourne and Victoria. Insurance does not depend on distance from the office. The location matters most for clients who want to meet face to face.
Your current policy schedules and renewal notices, a summary of what the business does or what assets you want covered, any lease or contract clauses that require insurance, and details of past claims. With those in hand a broker can identify gaps in the first meeting rather than the second.
An online quote answers the questions it asks and nothing more. A broker reads the lease, the contract and the way the business actually runs, then compares wordings rather than price alone. If something goes wrong, the broker lodges and argues the claim on your behalf. Our Claims page explains how we make a claim work.
Full guide: Insurance Broker Box Hill
Hawthorn Office FAQs
The office is at 551 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122, on the Glenferrie Road shopping and professional strip. It is open weekdays from 9:30am to 6pm. Call 03 7046 3766 before you visit so a broker is available to sit down with you, or email admin@fortisrisksolutions.com.au with what you need.
No. Most cover is arranged by phone and email, and documents are signed electronically. Visiting suits a complex program, a first meeting for a new client, or a policy review you would rather do in person. You deal with the same broker from quote through to claim either way.
Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell and the inner eastern suburbs are the natural catchment, but the office arranges insurance for clients across Melbourne and Victoria. Distance from the office does not affect the cover. The location matters most for clients who want to meet face to face.
Your current policy schedules and renewal notices, a summary of what the business does or what assets you want covered, any lease, contract or licence conditions that require insurance, and details of past claims. With those in hand a broker can identify gaps in the first meeting rather than the second.
An online quote answers the questions it asks and nothing more. A broker reads the lease, the engagement terms and the way the practice actually runs, then compares wordings rather than price alone. If something goes wrong, the broker lodges and argues the claim on your behalf. Our Claims page explains how we make a claim work.
Full guide: Insurance Broker Hawthorn
About Fortis Risk Solutions FAQs
Home FAQs
A broker works for you, not the insurer. We compare insurers and policy wording, explain the cover in plain language and negotiate premiums and claims on your behalf.
At least once a year, and whenever your circumstances change: a new property, higher turnover, new staff, a new vehicle or a change in how you trade.
Yes. We lodge and manage claims from first notification to settlement. See our Claims page for what to do when something happens.
Yes. Risk assessment and mitigation advice are part of every engagement, not an optional extra.
Look for a broker who asks detailed questions about your business or property before quoting, and who explains differences in policy wording rather than price alone. Ask for the Financial Services Guide, which sets out how the broker is paid. Check that the firm holds an Australian Financial Services licence or acts under one, which you can confirm on the register kept by ASIC. Then ask how they help when you make a claim. Our team works from Box Hill and Hawthorn; call 03 7046 3766.
Full guide: Home
Insights article FAQs
What to do if your insurance claim is denied
Yes, in two steps. First lodge a complaint through the insurer's internal dispute resolution process, which must answer a standard complaint within 30 calendar days under ASIC's rules. If you are still unhappy, take it to AFCA. The service is free, and an AFCA determination binds the insurer if you accept it.
Generally two years from the insurer's response to your internal complaint, or six years from when you first became aware of the loss, whichever comes first. AFCA can extend these limits in special circumstances, but do not rely on that. Lodge the internal complaint soon after the denial, while the evidence is fresh.
Usually not for AFCA, which consumers and small businesses can use directly at no cost. Legal advice is worth getting when AFCA cannot consider the dispute, such as a small business public liability claim, or when you have rejected an AFCA determination and are weighing up court action.
Only in limited cases. Under the General Insurance Code of Practice, a subscribing insurer must give you copies of assessor or expert reports it relied on within 10 business days of your request. It can refuse in some circumstances, such as where a law says it need not, and must then give you its reasons.
Full article: What to do if your insurance claim is denied
Damage to the job or others: contract works vs public liability
Usually not. Public liability wordings commonly exclude damage to the work you are performing, so a fire that destroys a half built frame is a contract works claim. Public liability answers for injury to other people and damage to their property where you are legally liable. That is the dividing line in contract works insurance vs public liability.
Often not, when the head contractor or principal insures the whole job under one contract works policy. Subcontractors still need their own public liability for their own work, and the subcontract should say who insures the works. Ask the head contractor for the certificate of currency rather than assuming the job is covered.
In everyday use, mostly yes. Construction insurance is the term most Australians search for, while insurers call the works cover contract works, construction works or contractors all risks. Some construction policies include a public liability section and some do not. The schedule shows which sections you hold and the limit for each one.
Neither of them. Injury to your own employees is a workers compensation matter, which in Victoria means WorkCover, administered by WorkSafe Victoria. Public liability wordings commonly exclude it, and contract works never covered injury in the first place. Check whether any contractor you engage could be treated as your worker under the scheme.
Trading at markets as a sole trader: public liability explained
Not as a general rule. business.gov.au says some states and territories require it for certain occupations. For most sole traders it becomes compulsory through a contract, lease, council permit or market booking. A sole trader is personally responsible for the business, so a claim without cover is paid from your own money and assets.
Sometimes, but only on its own terms. Some established markets include insurance in the registration fee. business.gov.au suggests you find out exactly what it covers before relying on it, and you can take out your own policy as well. Ask whether it covers products you sell, your set up and pack down time, and other markets.
It can be, if you trade rarely and the policy dates cover the whole event, including set up and pack down. Regular stallholders often find an annual policy simpler, since each certificate then covers every market on the calendar. Check that the limit meets each organiser's conditions and that your products are declared.
No. Public liability pays for injury to other people and damage to their property. business.gov.au notes that workers compensation does not cover a sole trader and points to accident and sickness insurance, which can pay you a benefit for lost income while you recover. Consider both if your work is physical.
Gross profit and extra costs: how a BI claim is calculated
On gross profit as your policy defines it, not on revenue and not on net profit. The usual definition takes turnover and subtracts only the uninsured working expenses, such as stock purchases. Continuing costs like rent and salaries stay inside the figure, which is why the insurable amount is often higher than the gross profit in your accounts.
It depends on the wording. Some policies include wages inside gross profit, so they are paid as part of the lost gross profit. Others insure wages as a separate item, sometimes with a shorter period or a lower limit. Check the schedule, because the way wages are treated changes the sum insured you need.
Many wordings reduce the claim in proportion. If the business needed $600,000 of cover and insured $450,000, an insurer applying that provision would pay 75% of the assessed loss. The shortfall stays with you. Review the figure at every renewal, especially after growth, a new site or a change in how you buy stock.
Most wordings let the benchmark turnover be adjusted for trends and circumstances that would have affected the business anyway. If sales were rising before the damage, the expected turnover is lifted to reflect that. You will need evidence, such as monthly trading figures, signed contracts or new customers already won, so keep those records current.
Mistake in your work or injury on site? PI vs public liability
Often, yes. If you give advice or design and you also visit sites or work on client premises, one job can produce a claim for financial loss and a claim for injury or damage. Each policy commonly excludes the other's risk. A consultant who never leaves the office may need little public liability, but most contracts still ask for it.
Yes, in practice. Professional indemnity is the usual Australian name, while professional liability is used by some insurers and in contracts drafted overseas. Both cover claims that your professional work caused a client a financial loss. If a contract asks for professional liability, a professional indemnity policy at the stated limit normally satisfies it. Confirm with the client in writing.
Generally not. Public liability commonly excludes claims arising from professional advice or design given for a fee, because that risk belongs to professional indemnity. It responds when your activities injure someone or damage their property. If the only loss is money, such as a client overpaying or missing a deadline, the claim points to professional indemnity.
Because the worst cases differ. A single fire or serious injury can produce a very large claim, so contracts and councils commonly ask for 10 or 20 million dollars of public liability. Professional indemnity claims are usually financial and are commonly requested at 1, 2 or 5 million dollars. Your contract sets the figure, not a law.
How long can an insurer take to decide your claim?
Under the General Insurance Code of Practice, a subscribing insurer should decide a claim within four months of receiving it. The limit extends to 12 months for claims from an extraordinary catastrophe, suspected fraud, an unresponsive claimant or a delay you asked for. Once all information is in and enquiries are complete, the decision is due within 10 business days.
Any gap longer than the Code allows: no list of requirements within 10 business days of lodging, no update for more than 20 business days, or no decision at four months without a written explanation. Shorter gaps can still be unreasonable where the insurer has everything it needs and the claim is not moving, and you can complain about them.
Yes. AFCA deals with the handling of a claim as well as its outcome, and delay in claim handling was the issue it listed first for 2025-26. Lodge a written complaint with the insurer first. If there is no decision within 30 calendar days, or the insurer is not engaging, you can take the complaint to AFCA at no cost.
It can. Where an event is declared an extraordinary catastrophe under the Code, the decision limit moves from four months to 12. The 20 business day update rule still applies. If a property claim from a declared catastrophe is finalised within one month of the event, you can ask for a review within 12 months, even after signing a release.
Full article: How long can an insurer take to decide your claim?
Does professional indemnity insurance cover contractors?
Only if the wording says so. Some policies include contractors as insureds for work done under the firm's name and direction. Others cover the firm alone, and the insurer may seek recovery from the contractor after paying a claim. Ask the firm for the definition of insured in writing before you rely on its policy.
There is no general law requiring it. business.gov.au notes that professional indemnity insurance is mandatory for some professions, and for most other consultants the requirement comes from the client's contract. A sole trader has no company standing between a claim and their personal assets, so most who give advice for a fee hold their own policy.
For as long as the contract requires, and six or seven years is common. The policy works on a claims made basis, so it must be in force when a claim arrives, which can be years after the work. If you stop contracting, run off cover keeps a policy in place for past work.
Sometimes. Many wordings already extend to contractors working under the firm's direction, and an insurer may agree to note a contractor by endorsement. The protection stops at that firm's work. Anything you do for other clients, or under your own name, still needs a policy of your own.
Full article: Does professional indemnity insurance cover contractors?
Product liability vs public liability: what does each cover?
Usually, yes. Most Australian insurers write public and products liability as two sections of one policy, each with its own limit shown on the schedule. The products section only responds properly if the insurer knows what you make, import or sell, so check that the business description matches your current product lines.
In most cases, yes. The ACCC states that sellers must provide a refund or replacement for products with a safety issue, and may be liable for compensation if they cannot identify the manufacturer or importer. A reseller with good supplier records carries less risk than an importer, but the products section still matters.
Generally not. Products liability pays for injury to people and damage to other property caused by your goods. The cost of withdrawing, replacing or destroying the goods themselves is commonly excluded and needs separate product recall cover. The ACCC states that a voluntary recall must be notified to the responsible Commonwealth Minister within 2 days.
Because it is commonly an aggregate limit. The public liability limit usually applies to each occurrence, while the products limit is often shared by every products claim in the period of insurance. One faulty batch that injures several customers can draw down the whole amount, so the figure deserves a closer look.
What insurance does a commercial lease require you to hold?
Yes, within the lease. The limit is a contract term the landlord proposes and you accept at signing, so it is negotiable beforehand and binding afterwards. Limits of 10 million or 20 million dollars are commonly requested for shop, office and small warehouse tenancies. Check the figure against your own exposure, not only against the clause.
It records the landlord on your liability policy so the landlord has the benefit of that cover for claims arising out of your occupation of the premises. Your broker asks the insurer for the endorsement and the certificate of currency then shows it. Being named as an additional insured, or a cross liability clause, is a separate and larger request.
Only where the lease says so. The VSBC states that a retail tenant is not liable for outgoings unless they are detailed in the lease, and that the landlord must give a written estimate before the lease starts and before each accounting period. Insurance is one of the most common outgoings passed on, so ask which policies are in the estimate.
Failing to produce evidence of insurance is usually a breach of the lease, which can trigger a default notice even where the policy is current. Most of these are administrative rather than genuine gaps in cover. Keep the renewal date and the agent's email in one place, and have your broker send the certificate the day the policy renews.
Does home and contents insurance cover working from home?
Yes. If you are an employee doing office work, most insurers note it and nothing changes. If you run a business from the house, it is a change in the risk and some policies treat non-disclosure as grounds to reduce or decline a claim. A short call before a loss avoids a long argument after one.
Often not, or only up to a small limit, because most home policies insure items you own. Equipment issued by an employer is generally insured under the employer's own business policy. Ask your employer to confirm that before you rely on your home policy, and keep your own equipment listed in your contents sum insured.
Not reliably. The liability section of a home and contents policy is written around occupying the home as a private residence, and many wordings exclude liability that arises from a business run at the address. If clients, students or contractors come to the house for work, a public liability policy in the business name is the safer route.
Sometimes, for very small operations. Some insurers offer a home business extension that lifts the business equipment limit and adds basic liability. Once there is stock, staff, visitors or income that depends on the premises, a small business pack written alongside the home policy usually gives better defined cover and avoids two insurers disputing which one responds.
Who arranges contract works insurance: the builder or owner?
The owner does. Without a head contractor there is no other party obliged to insure the works, so the owner takes out contract works in their own name and normally adds public liability for the site. Trades on the job carry their own liability policies, but those do not insure the structure being built.
Usually yes, as an interested party or joint insured. It gives the owner a direct interest in the payout rather than relying on the builder to pass it on, and it protects the owner where a third party claim arises from the builder's work. Ask for it in writing before the contract is signed.
At practical completion or handover in most policies, sometimes at the end of the defects liability period if the contract requires it. From that point the finished building belongs on a property or home policy. Leaving the changeover to chance is how buildings end up uninsured for a few weeks.
No. Domestic building insurance, sometimes called builders warranty, responds where the builder dies, disappears or becomes insolvent, and it is required in Victoria for domestic building work above a set value. Contract works covers physical damage to the job while it is being built. A project can need both.
What is a certificate of currency and how do I get one?
Only until the expiry date of the policy period shown on it. Most run for twelve months, and the document becomes worthless the day the policy renews because the requester cannot tell whether cover continued. Ask for a fresh certificate at each renewal and send it to every client, landlord or portal that holds the old one.
No. It confirms a policy was in force on the stated date at the stated limit. Whether a claim is paid depends on the policy wording, the exclusions, the excess and the facts of the incident. Treat it as proof that cover exists, not as any guarantee about a future or current claim.
Usually yes. Insurers can confirm cover for an expired period, which matters when a claim arises years after the work was done or a client audits old suppliers. Ask your broker for the certificate covering the specific dates in question rather than the current one, and say why you need it.
The entity that signs the contract and carries the liability, written exactly as it appears on the agreement. If you trade through a company and the contract is in the company name, a certificate in a personal or trading name will be rejected. Interested parties such as landlords are added by endorsement to the policy.
Full article: What is a certificate of currency and how do I get one?
Underinsurance: how to set sums insured so a claim pays
Compare the sum insured against a current rebuild estimate, not the market value or the purchase price. Include demolition, debris removal, professional fees, compliance with current building standards and cost escalation during the rebuild. If the figure has simply rolled forward at renewal for several years, assume it is short until proven otherwise.
It is a policy condition that reduces a partial claim when the sum insured is below the true value. The insurer treats you as having carried part of the risk yourself, so the payout is cut in the same proportion as the shortfall. It applies to ordinary claims, not only total losses.
Long enough to demolish, obtain approvals, rebuild, refit and trade back to where you were. Many businesses hold twelve months and need more, particularly where imported plant, planning permits or a rebuilt customer base are involved. Work it out from your own worst case rather than accepting a default.
Usually less than owners expect, because the correction is a proportion of an existing premium rather than a new policy. Weigh it against funding the shortfall yourself after a loss. Getting the number right also removes the argument about average, which is the part that damages a partial claim.
Full article: Underinsurance: how to set sums insured so a claim pays
Strata insurance vs contents insurance: what owners must hold
Yes. The owners corporation policy insures the building and common property, not your furniture, electronics, clothing or the fit out you installed. Without your own policy, a fire or a burst pipe leaves you with a repaired shell and nothing inside it. Contents cover for a lot is generally inexpensive.
Usually the lot owner. Many owners corporation policies cover the building as originally constructed and exclude lot improvements, so a kitchen or bathroom you replaced falls to your own policy. Check the strata wording, then set your fit out sum insured to what the renovation would cost to redo today.
Only for the common property. It responds when someone is injured in a corridor, lift or car park. An injury inside your lot, or damage you cause to another lot, sits with your own personal liability cover, which usually comes as part of a contents or landlord policy.
It depends on the cause. Where the loss starts inside one lot, an owners corporation can often recover the excess from that lot owner, and the amounts on strata policies are not small. Some contents and landlord policies will pay it, so ask before you assume you are covered for it.
Notifiable Data Breaches scheme: what small businesses must do
It depends on whether the Privacy Act binds you. The OAIC sets an annual turnover threshold and also lists categories that are covered regardless of size, such as private health service providers and businesses trading in personal information. Check your position on the OAIC website, and check it again if your turnover or activities change.
Notify as soon as practicable once you have concluded a breach is notifiable. Where you only suspect one, the notifiable data breaches scheme allows an assessment period of up to 30 days from the date you become aware of the grounds for suspicion, and the OAIC expects that assessment to be reasonable and expeditious rather than drawn out.
You may still hold the obligation for information you are responsible for, including data held on your behalf by a payroll provider, a booking platform or an IT contractor. Check what your agreements say about notification and cost sharing, and ask suppliers whether they carry cyber cover of their own.
Most Australian cyber wordings include the cost of legal advice, forensic investigation and notifying affected individuals, often through an incident response panel you call on the first day. Limits and sub limits vary, so read what applies to response costs specifically rather than assuming the full policy limit is available.
Management liability vs professional indemnity: which pays?
No. Professional indemnity answers claims from clients about the service delivered to them. An unfair dismissal, bullying or discrimination claim from a current or former employee sits under the employment practices section of a management liability policy. A firm without management liability funds those defence costs itself.
No. Management liability is written for the internal running of the company: director conduct, employment disputes, regulator investigations, employee theft. A client alleging the work was negligent or the advice was wrong needs professional indemnity. Businesses that sell advice usually hold both policies side by side.
The policy that responds is the one in force when the claim is made against you, not when the work was done. So cover has to be kept current after a job finishes, and the retroactive date must carry across when you change insurers. Let the policy lapse and past work is left unprotected.
Often less of it, but not none. A sole trader with no employees and no company structure has little directors exposure. Add staff, incorporate, or fall under a regulator, and the picture changes quickly. Statutory liability and employee dishonesty sections start to matter well before a business feels large.
Landlord insurance vs home insurance: which does a rental need?
No, not safely. Once a tenant moves in the occupancy the policy was written on has changed, and tenant related claims such as malicious damage, theft by a tenant or loss of rent sit outside a standard home wording. Tell the insurer before the tenancy starts and move to a landlord policy.
No. The tenant is responsible for insuring their own furniture, clothing and electronics under a contents policy in their name. Landlord contents means the items the owner supplied, such as carpets, blinds, light fittings, appliances and any furniture in a furnished property.
Usually yes, in a reduced form. The owners corporation insures the building, so the lot owner insures the internal fit out, landlord contents, loss of rent and liability within the lot. It costs less than insuring a freestanding house and it fills the gap the owners corporation policy leaves.
Only if the wording includes rent default, and cover for that varies a lot between insurers. Loss of rent after an insured event, such as a fire that makes the property unliveable, is standard. Rent default because a tenant stops paying is a separate benefit with its own conditions and limits.
Is business insurance tax deductible in Australia?
Generally yes for policies held to protect the business, on the same principle the ATO applies to any operating expense. The complication for sole traders is apportionment, since vehicles, premises and equipment are often used privately as well. Keep records supporting the business use percentage you claim and confirm the split with your accountant.
Home and contents cover is generally treated as private, so the premium is not deductible simply because you work at the kitchen table. Where part of the home is used for business, the ATO sets out specific rules for working from home expenses, and any claim needs to follow those rather than a broad percentage.
It depends on what the payment replaces. Amounts that stand in for lost income or trading profit are generally assessable, while payments for a capital asset are treated under different rules. Give your accountant the settlement letter and the schedule of what was paid for so the treatment matches the facts.
The premium itself is treated the same way, and the funding arrangement adds an interest cost that is accounted for separately. Keep the funding contract with the policy documents. If cash flow is the reason you are funding, ask your broker whether the insurer offers monthly instalments before you commit.
Full article: Is business insurance tax deductible in Australia?
Insurance broker vs buying direct: what actually changes
Not necessarily. Brokers access wholesale rates and negotiate terms, which often offsets the commission built into the premium. The honest answer is that on a simple, standard risk direct can be cheaper, and on a complex or hard to place risk a broker usually gets a better result on both price and wording.
For you, in a retail placement. A broker arranges cover on your instructions and is paid by commission from the insurer, a fee from you, or both, and all of it must be disclosed. Ask for the financial services guide, which sets out who the broker represents and how they are paid.
Start with the insurer's internal complaints process, which every general insurer must have. If the answer does not satisfy you, take it to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. AFCA handles insurance disputes, its determinations bind the financial firm, and it is free for consumers and small businesses.
Yes. Plenty of businesses keep a simple motor or travel policy direct and use a broker for liability, property and business interruption. Splitting is fine, though gaps tend to appear at the seams, so it helps if one party can see the whole program at renewal.
Full article: Insurance broker vs buying direct: what actually changes
How much public liability insurance do I need?
Not for most businesses as a matter of law. It becomes compulsory in practice through contracts, leases, permits and licence conditions, and a handful of occupations have it written into their registration requirements. Check what your own agreements demand, since a client can refuse to let you start work without a current certificate.
Moving from ten million to twenty million usually costs far less than doubling the premium, because most claims never approach the upper layer. The insurer is pricing the frequency of ordinary claims first. Ask your broker to quote both limits side by side, then decide with the figures in front of you rather than guessing.
The same test applies. Contracts and site rules usually set the floor, and ten million is the figure most commonly requested of sole traders and small trades. If you work in occupied premises, around expensive plant, or at height, the higher limit is worth pricing before you commit to the cheaper one.
For public liability written on an any one occurrence basis, the full limit is generally available for each separate event during the period. Products liability is commonly capped in the aggregate, so claims share one pool until renewal. Check whether defence costs come out of the limit or sit in addition to it.
Full article: How much public liability insurance do I need?
Does public liability insurance cover contractors?
Sometimes, and only on the terms in your wording. Many policies cover you for liability arising from a subcontractor's work while they act on your behalf, without covering the subcontractor themselves. Others require that person to hold their own policy at a stated limit before cover applies at all. Read the subcontractor clause first.
Match it to the contract you work under and the risk of the trade. Head contracts commonly call for twenty million dollars on larger projects and ten million on smaller ones, though that figure is a contractual requirement, not a legal minimum. As a rule, ask for a limit at least equal to your own.
Usually yes. Many insurers rate liability partly on turnover and partly on payments to contractors and labour hire, so those numbers belong on the proposal and at every renewal. Understating them affects the premium and can affect how the insurer responds to a claim. Keep a running total through the year.
Keep them for the full period the trade worked for you and well past the end of the job. Public liability insurance contractors held at the time of the incident is what matters, not what they hold today, and claims are often notified years after the work was finished.
Full article: Does public liability insurance cover contractors?
Business interruption: how long should the indemnity period be?
At the date of the damage, in most Australian wordings, not the date the rebuild begins or the date you lodge the claim. That is why delays in assessment, approvals and builder availability all consume it. Check your own wording, since a few policies define the trigger differently and the difference can be several months.
No. The business interruption indemnity period is fixed by the policy schedule at the time of the damage, and it cannot be extended once a claim has happened. That is why the number is worth revisiting at every renewal, particularly after a fit out, a site move, or any change that would lengthen a rebuild.
It increases the premium because the sum insured has to be scaled to match, but the increase is generally less than proportional since the later months carry lower expected losses. Ask your broker to quote twelve, eighteen and twenty four months together so the decision is made against real figures.
Payment stops when the loss stops. The indemnity period is a maximum, not an entitlement, so choosing twenty four months does not mean the insurer pays for twenty four months. That is the reason a longer period is a low cost hedge against the slow recovery rather than a way of increasing a claim.
Last reviewed: 18 October 2026 by the Fortis Risk Solutions broking team.