Type of covers and options available under a charity insurance policy can include:

• Property – from a single unit to many units spread across the country
• Liability – Employers, Public and Product
• Equipment Breakdown
• Fidelity Guarantee
• personal accident assault cover

We do not offer an online quotation for charity insurance because we understand that no two charity operations are the same. All of our charity insurance and care insurance products are tailored to meet the needs of the individual organisation. Some charities may only require liability insurance products and some may need a comprehensive solution covering buildings, outdoors events, stock and staff.

Options Available to Charities looking for business insurance:

• Liability insurance policy only – usually requestedby  smaller charities
• Shop package policy – This is an all risks charity insurance policy suitable for small, medium and large charities.
• Combined insurance policy – This product is designed for charities that are complex and need a bespoke solution.

Typical commercial buildings insurance policies available:

• Shops and Office – let or owner occupied
• Shops and Offices – with residential accommodations / flat above
• Unocupied commercial property – such as a vacant pub, shop, office, warehouse and industrial units
• Office blocks with multiple tenants
• Warehouses, factory, distribution and processing plants
• Shopping centres and commercial shop parades
• Function halls such as weddings, party’s and conference centres
• We can cater for almost any type of commercial premises insurance

Instant online sole traders public liability insurance. Quote, Buy and Print Documents. Over 240 trades to choose from including builders, carpenters, carpet fitters, plumbers, gas fitters, heating engineers, tilers, painters, gardners, beauticians, nail technicians, etc.

Sole Traders Businesses are run by an Individual

A sole trader is an individual trading in his or her own name or under a suitable trading name. Sole traders are self-employed, for example as shopkeepers, electricians, hairdressers, consultants or advisors. Even though public liability insurance cover is not a legal requirement for sole traders to have, it is still very important for most sole traders to have some form liability cover. Most customers in the building and construction trade usually insist on seeing a copy of the public liability insurance certificate before they consider giving you a contract for the work.

The essential feature of this type of business is that the sole trader has full responsibility for the financial control of his or her own business and for meeting running costs such as marketing the business, stationary, tools and sole trader insurance etc and also capital requirements. The sole trader has the full responsibility for all the debts of the business.

Advantages to being a sole trader

• Freedom – The sole trader is his/her own boss and has complete control over decisions.
• Profit – The sole trader is entitled to all the profit made by the business.
• Simplicity – There is less form-filling than for a limited company. Bookkeeping is less complex. Employers Liability Insurance cover is not required as part of the sole traders insurance policy until they employ staff.
• Savings on fees – There aren’t any legal costs like you’d get with drawing up a partnership agreement or limited company documentation.

Disadvantages to being a sole trader

• Risk – There is no one else to share the responsibilities of running the business with.
• Time – Sole traders often need to work long hours to meet deadlines.
• Expertise – the sole trader may have limited skills in areas such as accounts and tax.
• Vulnerability – There’s no cover if the trader gets ill and cannot work.
• Unlimited liability – the sole trader is responsible for all the debts of the business.

Active Insurance is a UK leading commercial broker specialising in business insurance products for small to medium size shops, offices, tradesmen and commercial property.

A Business Plan sets out the Objectives of the business

A business plan is a document that states what the owner(s) want to do and how they intend to do it. There are several reasons for writing a business plan before starting a business:

• The main purpose of a business plan is usually to get financial backing for the business. A business plan shows the financial risk involved in setting up the business – this is important for potential lenders or investors who may want to help finance the start-up. Banks and venture capitalists will want to see a business plan before they will think about investing.
• Setting down all the plans for the business in a report helps the entrepreneur to assess the business’ strengths and weaknesses, and allows them to see whether their idea is actually realistic. It also helps them to identify areas that they need to think about and plan more thoroughly.
• The business plan is an important management tool – it gives details of business objectives, which the entrepreneur can compare with the actual performance of the business once it starts trading in order to track its progress. It also reminds the owner of the ideas they had before the business started.

Business Plans are Divided into Sections

Most business plans contain the following sections:

• Executive summary – this is a general overview of the business which contains the key points from all the other sections. It’s really important because if potential investors aren’t impressed by the executive summary then they might not bother to read the rest of the business plan.
• Business summary – what type of business the entrepreneur wants to set up, what product(s) or service(s) the business intends to provode, why it wants to provide them and what gives it a competitive advantage. It also includes the legal structure of the business, and the entrepreneur’s vision for the future of the business.
• Production plan – this sets out how many products the business intends to produce, and how it will go about producing them.
• Marketing plan – the entrepreneur defines the market for the business and explains who its main competitors are, who the target customers are and what the product’s unique selling point is. It includes details of any market research that the entrepreneur has done, and any promotions that they intend to run.
• Human resources plan – outlines the relevant qualifications and experience of the entrepreneur and other people involved in setting up the business. It also sets out how many employees the business intends to take on, and how much it intends to pay them.
• Operations Plan – gives details of where the business will be located, whether the business will own or rent property and machinery, etc.
• Financial Plan – covers all of the financial forecasts for the business, e.g. how much capital they need to start the business, howe they are going to finance the business, and their break-even calculations. It also includes a cash flow forecast and an estimated profit and loss accounts and balance sheet for the first year. The financial information explains how the business will survice in the start-up period.

It’s Difficult to produce an Accurate business plan

• Business plans are never 100% accurate because it is impossible for a business to get accurate information about costs, revenuws, etc. before it has started trading.
• Just because the business plan plan says that the business shpuld be making a profit of £2000 a month doesn’t mean that that’s what will actually happen – there is no way of knowing for definite what will realy happen, so there is always risk involved in setting up a business.
• However, producing a thorough business plan reduces the risk of the business failing.

Entrepreneurs can get Advice on creating a business plan

• The business plan is really important, so entrepreneurs need to get it right.
• Entrepreneurs can get free help and advice on writing a business plan from a government organisation like Business Link, or from a Small Business Advisor at their bank – they can give entrepreneurs sample business plans or CDs that guide you through the process of writing a business plan. Some websites also provide sample business plans free of charge, which entrepreneurs can adapt to their own business.
• Entrepreneurs can also get expert guidance and advice from business consultants or accountants, but this is a more expensive option.

Establised Businesses produce business plans too

• Business plans are not just for new start-up businesses – it can sometimes be very useful for established businesses to write a new business plan.
• If a business is planning to launch a new product, creating a new business plan can allow managers to see whether it’s likely to be profitable. If not, they might decide not to go ahead with the launch.
• A new business plan can also be useful if the business is planning to expand (e.g. if the owner of a successful restaurant decides to open another branch in a diffrent town) especially since they might need to find external finance to do it.

Whilst the United Kingdom has its own debt issues to contend with, the Greeks are facing a financial abyss – the Greek government knows this as does the rest of the European Union but so do their people. They know that their government must press ahead with compulsory (and significant) budget cuts and as a result their people have protested in huge numbers which, regrettably, has escalated in to violence.

The TV media have sadly also reported the deaths of three innocent bank workers.  The state authorities are under no illusion that this may continue. Will this animosity spread to the UK when our government has to make similar demands on their people? Those old enough to remember the early eighties know only too well that if the touch paper is lit, people could take to the streets.

The insurance industry like most others is not immune to these hard times ahead both from an economic point of view and from a physical risk point of view. Business insurance rates will surely have to increase to cope with a potential influx of both legitimate claims and fraudulent claims.

Premiums for business insurance purchasers of shops, offices, restaurants, public houses, hotels and the like have remained spectacularly low despite the recession and are set to continue to do so. But for how long is anyone’s guess. If premiums start to rise dramatically as other classes of insurance have already seen, businesses will have no choice but to pass on their increased costs to customers. And so the cycle continues.

Business insurance proprietors may elect to choose not to have insurance or reduce their cover to avoid this. This is extremely dangerous but yet tempting for some. One catastrophe alone could wipe out and destroy years of hard work. Want some advice? Don’t be tempted.

Each year there are over 2000 arson acts involving all types of commercial premises ranging from shops, hotels, restaurants, cafes, motor trade premises and other industrial units. Many of these fires cause so much damage that the property remains unoccupied for long periods of time.

Many of these arson attacks are carried out on commercial property during the hours of darkness. This obviously is not always the case as many commercial properties that are unoccupied are an easy target for these arsonists. Especially unoccupied pubs and vacant light industrial units those are perhaps isolated. For commercial properties that are vacant the landlords should ensure that they have the correct unoccupied commercial property insurance cover in place.

Most malicious fires in commercial buildings occur in warehouse and storerooms as these offer both fuel and cover for the arsonist. Malicious fires that are started in the open are frequently started as result of rubbish and combustible material such as pieces of wood stacked next to the building. So what can a commercial property owner or business proprietors do to minimise the risk of arson attacks?

Carry out a thorough arson risk assessment

• Identify both internal and external security processes.
• Identify any potential causes that may cause arson attacks e.g. presence of debris or any other combustible materials close the the premises or on the premises.
• Know who your visitors, contractors and staff are. Have they been vetted etc?
• Once the threat has been identified, eliminate or control the threat. An example is lock all storerooms and only allow authorised staff access.
• Record the risk assessment findings.
• Review this assessment on a periodically basis and update your course of action as appropriate.

Assign someone responsible to this task

• A senior personal such as a manager or the owner should ideally undertake this task to safeguard and minimise the risk of arson attacks on the business as well as the commercial building.
• Keep a look out for any other forms of vandalism such as graffiti as this could give cause to arson attacks. Remove any unwanted debris and or graffiti immediately.

Business / Premise Security

• If feasible erect high and strong perimeter fences or wall to act as a deterrent. Keep these measures in good repair.
• If possible all entry and exit points should be supervised or locked unless it’s a fire exit.
• All accessible doors and windows should have key operated locks. An important component that is often overlooked on buildings with sky lights is the security on these openings. These should also be fitted with key operated locks.
• With all these security measures know the location of all keys and who has access to these keys. If any keys are missing replace the locks and get a new set of keys.
• Another method to reduce attacks or vandalism and arson is both external and internal lighting. Premises that are well lit are less likely to be attacked.
• At the end of a working day assign responsible personnel to carry out checks to ensure that the building is secure and all security devices are active and working.

Intruder Alarm Systems and Fire Alarms

• An alarm system that is linked to a 24 hour manned station is an excellent deterrent to thieves, arson attacks and vandalism acts.
• CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) both internal and external acts as both a deterrent and also provides a possible means of identifying an intruder.
• Automatic fire/smoke detection systems (possibly linked in with an intruder alarm) detect and locate fires in their early stages and so help to minimise damage.
• Security lighting (linked to movement detection) also provides a useful deterrent against fire starters.

Summary of Key Steps

• Take ownership and responsibility in minimising arson attack risks.
• Follow through with a complete arson risk assessment for your business and record these findings with periodic reviews.
• Review internal and external security measures and fire measures.
• Provide all staff with full training and remind them to be vigilante and what to do in the event of a fire.
• Regularly remove any waste or rubbish dumped on the premises or near the premises.

Active Insurance provide a range of business insurance solutions for all types commercial properties and business owners. For a quote or advise please call us on 0844 477 9805.

Fish and chip shop takeaways normally fall under general category of business insurance and can easily be obtained from specialist commercial insurance brokers that specialise in insurance products for takeaways and restaurants. A typical business policy will provide cover for the following risks (not a complete list, check you quote for the exact coverage details);

• Fixtures & Fittings
  

  Fish and Chip Shop Insurance

• Deep Fat Frying (Range or Basket Fryers)
• Business Contents
• Damage to Glass
• Damage to Blinds & Signs
• Goods in Transit
• Theft of Keys
• Loss of Money
• Personal Accident & Assault
• Loss of Freezer Contents
• Seasonal Increase of 30%
• Outside Catering Cover
• Loss of Metered Water
• Damage to Landscaped Gardens
• Rent Payable Cover
• Business Interruption – due to fire, theft or destruction of your business equipment / premises
• Loss of Accounts Receivable
• Loss of Liquor Licence – provides cover for in the event of the forfeiture or withdrawal of the Licence in force.
• Employers Liability – claims arising from employees who were injured whilst at work.
• Public & Products Liability – claims arising from members of the public for injury or property damage and even food poisoning from your products.
• Business Legal Expenses – provides cover for legal disputes with limits of up to £100,000 as standard on most policies.
• Shop Building Cover – only required if you own the building or the landlord insists that it is a condition of the lease that the tenant has to have the buildings insured as well.

Check with your business insurance provider what is covered under their fish and chip insurance policy and more importantly what is not covered and important endorsements and warranties that may apply. Remember if you are unsure about any aspect of your quotation or you just need clarification, contact the provider and ask them to explain it to you. Prices vary considerably from one insurer to the next so to compare business insurance quotes try to obtain at least three different quotes. This will give you a good idea as to the costs involved and allow you to obtain a cheap fish and chip shop insurance policy

Fish and chip shop insurance should be treated as investments rather than a cost as it could be the difference between survival and failure.

For more information on fish chip shop insurance or to get a quote please contact Active Insurance, the specialist commercial insurance brokers.

Online small insurance quotes

Many small business insurance providers also offer instant online quote portals that can offer tailor made covers to suit the needs of most small business owners. Some providers also offer enhanced policies that will also provide assistance to the business owner in terms of Health & Safety legislations including employment legislations.

At the very least a small business owner should consider the following liability insurance covers:

Public Liability Insurance – provides protection to your business against claims arising from third party property damage and or injuries (even death) as a direct result of your small business activities.

Employer Liability Insurance – provides protection for your small business from claims arising from any employees that you employ. Typical claims include injury or accidents. This level of cover is a legal requirement if your business employs staff.

Professional Indemnity Insurance – provides protection for your business from claims arising as a result of you or your business giving incorrect advice to a customer who in turn suffers a financial loss as a result of your advice. Certain professions such as solicitors, insurance brokers and accountants are required to have this type of cover in force by law.

Directors and Officers Insurance – is often overlooked by most businesses. This type of policy will provide cover for a Director of the company that is being sued.

Other small business insurance covers available:

Buildings and Contents – This is probably self-explanatory. It is important to have a buildings insurance cover in place if you own the property and also the business contents and fixtures.

Stock and business equipment – again a very important insurance cover for any business that has stock and or business equipments such as computers, laptops etc. These can be very expensive to replace in the event of loss due to a fire or even theft.

There are a whole array of additional options available to small businesses such as legal expenses insurance, business interruption, goods in transit to name a few. You will need to assess what is right for your business and in many cases a lot of these additional covers come as part of a package policy.

Active Insurance is a leading UK provider of small business insurance quotes for any sized UK business. For a quotation or any advice contact our commercial insurance department on 0844 477 9805.

Builders Insurance Quote System

As a self-employed builder or a building contractor you job can expose you to many risks associated with third party property damage and injury claims. A claim against you or your business can have devastating effects on your business. As such a builders insurance policy for public liability is absolutely essential. Also is the option of insuring your tools or any plant that you may have or have hired-in. Some of the builders tools can cost hundreds if not thousands of pounds to replace should they get stolen. If your building firm employs staff, even on a temporary basis then by law you also need to have adequate employers liability insurance cover in place.

All builders that are self-employed should seriously consider a builders public liability insurance policy. A building contractor’s policy is usually known as tradesman insurance by the insurers. Without this protection your business could face serious financial problems should a third party claim arise against you.

A builders public liability insurance policy can easily be tailored to suit you specific requirements. If additional cover is required at a later stage then this can be included as and when required. This would obviously incur an additional premium to pay.

Liability Options for Builders;

• Public Liability Insurance – This will provide coverage from claims arising from third party property damage and bodily injury claims that have been caused by you or your firm. This type of cover is essential and all builders should have it even though it is not compulsory by law. Level of cover available is typically £1m, £2m, £5m and even up to £10m. The most common level taken up by builders is usually the £5m public liability.
• Employers Liability Insurance – If you or your building company employs any staff, temporary employees or casual labour then this cover is compulsory by law. The EL insurance will provide compensation to your Employee’s if they are injured or death occurs whilst they are carrying out their duties for you or your business. Every year thousands of accidents occur on building sites throughout the UK.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance – If you or your firm is giving advice to customers and as a result of this advice your client suffers from financial loss you could be held liable. The PI insurance will provide cover for these type of claims.

Public Liability Insurance for Building Contractors

Compare builders insurance with Active?

At Active, our online builders insurance quote system provides a comparison quote for all types of tradesman. Enter your details once into our system and within seconds over 8 top UK insurance company’s quotes are available for builders insurance.

The level of cover required on builders insurance can easily be tailored to your needs with many additional great options available such as legal expenses cover and personal accident cover.

Premium can be paid online in either a single payment or your can spread the cost of your insurance over 10 easy monthly payments. Your builders insurance documents are available to you to print immediately or if you prefer they can be saved on your computer.

Active Coffee Shop Insurance

As an owner of a coffee shop you can make the perfect latte or a cappuccino, but with a coffee shop insurance policy tailored to your shop can make all the difference to the success of your business.

If you are a local  coffee shop serving the best latte, cappuccino and snacks in town or the chic establishment  serving gourmet coffee drinks,  juices,  pastries and biscuits, Active Insurance understands your unique needs when it comes to choosing a coffee shop insurance policy.

Partner with us and take the worries off your plate. We have been providing a personal and a professional service for more than 15 years. And since insurance for coffee shops is one of our specialities, we can work with you to select a plan that fits your business and your budget, even if you are sandwiched between high risk premises.
 
To get you started, here are some common concerns coffee shops have in common, along with some ways we can help with trusted coffee shop insurance and some tools you can use to help yourself. When you’re ready to speak to an agent, don’t get in a stew, call us and ask for your free coffee shop insurance quote at low, low prices.

‘What if my shop inadvertently sells contaminated food or drinks and my customers get sick? – Don’t worry, our coffee shop insurance products include liability for food poisoning.’

‘What if one of my customers slips and falls on spilled coffee?  Again, your shop insurance cover includes liability to the public and your employees.’