A public liability insurance quote is only as good as the details behind it. A vague request produces a vague quote, and a quote that leaves out part of your work can hide a gap you only find at claim time. This guide shows how to ask for quotes in Australia, what to prepare, who to ask and what the law says you must tell the insurer. We do not give quotes and we do not compare prices live.
Quick answer
Cairn Cover does not give quotes. To get comparable quotes, describe your business fully, give each provider the same details and compare limit, excess and wording, not only price.
Public Liability Insurance Quotes in Australia at a Glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Where can I get quotes? | Direct from an insurer, through a broker or on an online comparison site |
| Does Cairn Cover quote? | No. We do not sell insurance or compare prices live |
| What should I prepare? | A full description of your activities, size, locations and any contract limit |
| What must I tell the insurer? | Matters you know, or a reasonable person would know, are relevant to the risk |
| How do I check the insurer or broker? | APRA register for insurers, ASIC professional register for brokers |
| What proves my cover? | A certificate of currency from your insurer or broker |
How to Get a Public Liability Insurance Quote
Work in this order:
- Write down what you do. List every activity, including work off site and any events or markets.
- Find any required limit. Check your contract, licence or lease before you ask.
- Choose where to ask. The NSW Small Business Commissioner fact sheet lists three routes: an insurer, a broker or an online comparison site.
- Give the same details to each provider. Otherwise the quotes are not comparable.
- Ask for the policy wording. Read the exclusions and definitions, not only the summary.
- Check the insurer and broker. The registers are described below.
- Keep a record. Save what you told each provider and what came back.
What to Prepare Before You Ask
Insurers and brokers commonly ask for the same core facts, so have them ready.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A clear description of your activities | The policy responds to the business described, so gaps can matter later |
| Where you work | Customer sites, your premises, events or a home base can change the risk |
| Staff and contractors | Workers compensation and public liability are different covers |
| Expected turnover and size | Commonly asked for by insurers and brokers |
| The exact legal name of the business | Licences and contracts can require the policy to name the same entity |
| Any limit set by a contract, licence or lease | It sets the minimum you can buy |
| Claims history | Insurers commonly ask about it |
| Other insurance you hold | It helps avoid gaps and overlaps |
Where to Ask: Insurer, Broker or Comparison Site
All three routes can work. What differs is who you can question and how much of the market you see.
| Route | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Insurer direct | Which cover options do you offer? Can I read the full wording before I buy? |
| Broker | Which insurers do you use? Are you licensed? How are you paid? |
| Comparison site | Which insurers are included? Does the quote show wording and exclusions? |
Business Queensland lists the Council of Queensland Insurance Brokers and the National Insurance Brokers Association as places to find a broker. Business Tasmania lists a finder run by the Insurance Council of Australia as another way to compare options.
business.gov.au gives two free checks to run on whoever you pick:
- Find an authorised general insurer on the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) register.
- Check a broker's licence on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) professional register.
Your Duty of Disclosure When You Ask for a Quote
Most quote problems trace back to this duty. Section 21 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 sets the general duty of disclosure. Before the contract is entered into, you must tell the insurer every matter you know is relevant to whether it accepts the risk and on what terms. The duty also covers matters a reasonable person in your circumstances could be expected to know are relevant.
The same section says you need not disclose a matter that is common knowledge, that the insurer knows or should know, or that the insurer has waived. If you leave a question unanswered, or give an obviously incomplete or irrelevant answer on a proposal form, the insurer is taken to have waived the duty for that matter. The Act also requires the insurer to inform you of your duty of disclosure.
In practice, answer every question fully, keep a copy, tell the insurer when your activities change and ask when you are unsure whether something is relevant.
Common Slip-Ups and Questions to Ask
Most problems come from small gaps, not big ones:
- Describing the business more narrowly than the work you actually do.
- Asking for a limit before checking what a contract or licence requires.
- Comparing a price on one policy with a price on a policy that has a different limit or excess.
- Skipping the exclusions because the summary looks fine.
- Buying under a trading name when the licence or contract names another entity.
Business Queensland says claims can only be made on the right type of insurance and may fail where you are insufficiently insured, so fixing a gap before you buy is easier than discovering it at claim time. When you talk to a provider, ask:
- Which activities does the policy list, and what happens if I add a new one?
- Is the limit per claim or for the whole policy period, and what is the excess?
- Which exclusions most often affect businesses like mine?
- Is product liability included, and how soon must I report an incident?
If an answer matters, ask for it in writing on the quote or policy documents.
Where to Go Next on Cairn Cover
The one thing to remember: the quote should describe the business you actually run. Once you hold quotes, our compare guide gives the side by side checklist and our cost guide explains what moves the price. For state rules read the Queensland guide and the New South Wales guide. Our national guide explains certificates of currency, and the Australia hub lists every Australian guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cairn Cover give public liability insurance quotes? No. We explain how to ask for them, how to compare them and what to check. We do not sell insurance or compare prices live.
How many quotes should I get? We do not set a number. What matters is that each provider receives the same details so the quotes can be compared.
What happens if I leave something out? The duty of disclosure covers matters you know, or a reasonable person would know, are relevant. An incomplete answer can create problems later, so describe your work fully.
Can I get a quote online? The NSW fact sheet lists online comparison sites as one route, alongside insurers and brokers. Check which insurers a site includes.
How do I check a broker? business.gov.au points to the ASIC professional register for broker licences.
How do I prove I have cover after I buy? Ask for a certificate of currency. Business Queensland says your broker or insurer can usually issue one by email.