A 10 million public liability insurance requirement in the UK usually arrives inside a contract, not a statute. This guide shows where the £10 million figure appears in the public documents we read, how "per occurrence" and "aggregate" wording changes its meaning, and what to check before you answer a tender. We checked the pages on 3 November 2026. We explain and do not recommend a limit.
Quick answer
No rule we found makes a £10 million limit compulsory. Public bodies and contracts often set it, and the wording matters: some documents want it per event, some also in aggregate, and one council refuses aggregate cover unless unlimited.
10 Million Public Liability Insurance at a Glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Is £10 million required by law? | We found no gov.uk page that says so |
| Who asks for it? | Councils, framework buyers and clients, in the documents we read |
| What basis do they use? | Per claim, per occurrence, or per event and in aggregate |
| Does the legal minimum for employers' liability match? | No, the legal minimum is £5 million |
| Is a lower figure ever accepted? | East Sussex may reduce its standard for lower-risk work |
| Can we give a price? | No, no source we opened supports one |
| What should I read first? | The insurance clause in your own contract |
Where the 10 Million Public Liability Insurance Figure Comes From
The figure comes from the buyer. Gov.uk's employers' liability page sets a legal floor of at least £5 million, and nothing we found does the same for public liability. A buyer that wants more writes it into a tender or contract. That is why you will meet £10 million in one tender and £2 million in another for similar work.
An insurer's article from Zurich, which is undated and commercial, says public sector bodies typically ask for £10 million. It also says the minimum levels requested by other parties have very little bearing on an organisation's actual needs. We cannot judge that claim, and we do not advise on limits. The so what: treat £10 million as a contractual condition to meet or to query, and ask your adviser about the separate question of what limit suits your own risk. Our hub guide covers what the cover is.
Examples of £10 Million in Public Documents
The table sets out four examples. Each is one buyer's wording, and none is a national standard.
| Buyer | What it asks | Basis stated | Page status |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Sussex County Council | £10 million as standard, reduced to £5 million for lower-risk work and £2 million where it sees virtually no risk | For each claim | Undated |
| Hampshire County Council, supplier scheme | £10 million public liability for all suppliers, and £10 million employers' liability for suppliers with staff | Per occurrence or series from the same event | Undated |
| Government model schedule | £10 million each for professional indemnity, public liability and employers' liability | Single event or related events, and in aggregate | Crown copyright 2025, no publication date |
| Staffordshire County Council, school sites | £10 million employers' liability alongside £5 million public liability | Not stated | Undated |
The government schedule is a model with its wording in square brackets, which marks it as template text to adjust for each procurement. So it shows what a buyer might start from, and it does not show what any buyer has chosen. The West Sussex partner figure is covered in our requirements guide, which owns the comparison and the age of each page.
Per Occurrence, Per Claim and Aggregate
The same £10 million can mean different things. A limit "per occurrence" caps what the policy pays for one event. A limit "in the aggregate" caps what it pays across the policy period. The Zurich article says public liability is usually written on an any one occurrence basis, while products liability typically carries an aggregate limit shared across all claims in the term. That is one insurer's description, so check the wording of the policy you are quoted.
The buyers above do not agree. The model schedule describes cover for a single event or a series of related events and in the aggregate. Hampshire says it will not accept insurance in the aggregate unless that cover is unlimited. East Sussex says for each claim. The table shows the question each phrase raises.
| Phrase in a requirement | Source | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| "For each claim" | East Sussex | Does my policy limit apply separately to each claim? |
| "Per occurrence, or series of occurrences from the same event" | Hampshire | Does my schedule say any one occurrence, and how does it treat a series? |
| "Single event or series of related events and in the aggregate" | Model schedule | Do I have both a per event figure and an aggregate figure? |
| "Not in the aggregate unless unlimited" | Hampshire | Is any part of my cover an aggregate limit? |
Picture a supplier whose schedule shows £10 million in the aggregate for the policy year. Against a buyer who accepts aggregate wording, the schedule may match. Against Hampshire's wording, it raises a question, because Hampshire says it does not accept insurance in the aggregate unless unlimited. We cannot say how an insurer would treat that case, and we do not say that the supplier is covered or uncovered. The supplier's step is to put the clause and the schedule side by side and ask its seller to confirm the basis in writing.
Employers' Liability and Products Alongside
A £10 million requirement rarely stands alone. Three of the four examples above name employers' liability too, and the model schedule also names professional indemnity. The model schedule requires its public and products liability policy to include an indemnity to principals clause. We did not find a definition of that clause, so ask your seller what it means for you.
| Cover | Legal minimum | Contract figure in the examples |
|---|---|---|
| Employers' liability | £5 million | £10 million |
| Public liability | None found | £5 million to £10 million |
| Professional indemnity | Set by regulators, such as the SRA | £10 million in the model schedule |
On our arithmetic, £10 million is twice the legal employers' liability floor of £5 million, and twice the £5 million public liability figure we saw on school sites and council events. The ratio shows how a buyer can set a bar above the law. It does not show that any limit is right for a business. Our public and product liability guide covers the products side, and our professional indemnity guide covers the regulator minimums.
Proving You Hold 10 Million Public Liability Insurance
A limit on a quote is not proof. The model schedule asks the supplier to give evidence in a form satisfactory to the buyer on the effective date and within 15 working days after each renewal. It also says the insurance should run until the end date, with professional indemnity kept for six years after the end date where it is required. These are template terms, so your contract may differ.
Hampshire says insurance must be in place before contracts are awarded, and that insurance documents are needed when a supplier is accepted and at renewal. The so what: check the date of the certificate against the date of the requirement. A certificate that expires a month into a contract can leave a gap that the buyer notices.
A Worksheet for a 10 Million Public Liability Insurance Clause
Use this on any tender that names the figure. It is our worksheet, not an insurer's form.
| Question | Where to look | Your answer |
|---|---|---|
| Which covers does the clause name? | The clause | |
| Is the figure per claim, per occurrence, per event or aggregate? | The clause | |
| Does my schedule use the same basis? | The policy schedule | |
| Does the clause allow a lower figure for lower-risk work? | The tender notes | |
| What evidence, and by when? | The clause | |
| What do I need for each renewal date? | The contract programme |
A blank cell is a question for the buyer or the seller. The second and third rows catch most mismatches. Our construction guide shows how the same checks work on building contracts.
What a Higher Public Liability Limit Does to Cost
We publish no prices. One insurer page we read in the cost guide says more cover means a higher premium, though the extra cost per pound insured falls as cover rises, and that page is a commercial statement from June 2024. The way to test it is to ask for quotes at two limits on the same description. A figure that you read in a tender is not a price, and nothing here tells you what a 10 million public liability insurance quote will cost.
Buying, Checking and Complaining
When you buy, the Insurance Act 2015 duty of fair presentation applies to business contracts. Part 2 of the Act, as enacted, asks you to disclose what you know or ought to know. Check the seller on the FCA Financial Services Register, last updated on 13 February 2026. If you need to complain, contact the firm first, then go to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the final response, subject to the Ombudsman's size tests.
What Is Moving Into 2027
| Item | What we found | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Model schedule | Version 1.0 shows Crown copyright 2025 and no publication date | Re-check the current template before relying on it |
| Product liability law | A Law Commission consultation closes on 14 January 2027 | Limits for products may be reviewed if the law changes |
| Council pages | Most examples are undated | Confirm the live requirement with the buyer |
Where to Go Next on Cairn Cover
The one thing to remember about 10 million public liability insurance: it is a buyer's condition, so read the basis as carefully as the number. Cairn Cover is a free guide and does not sell insurance or quote prices. Read the what is it guide if limits are new to you, and the sole trader guide if you work alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is £10 million public liability insurance a legal requirement in the UK? We found no gov.uk page that sets it. Buyers set it in tenders and contracts. The only legal minimum we found is £5 million for employers' liability, which applies once you employ staff.
Who asks for £10 million? In the documents we read, councils and a government model schedule do. East Sussex uses it as a standard, and Hampshire uses it for supplier schemes.
What does per occurrence mean? It caps what a policy pays for one event. An aggregate limit caps the total across the policy period. Your schedule shows which applies, and a buyer's clause says which it wants.
Can a council accept a lower figure? Sometimes. East Sussex says it may reduce its £10 million standard to £5 million for lower-risk work and £2 million where it sees virtually no risk. Check your own tender document.
Does £10 million cover my employees? No. Employers' liability covers staff injuries. A tender may ask for £10 million of each, as the Hampshire and Staffordshire examples do for employers' liability.
Does it cost much more than a lower limit? We publish no prices. One insurer page says more cover means a higher premium. Ask for quotes at two limits on the same business description.
How do I prove I hold it? Provide the evidence the buyer names, such as a certificate. The model schedule asks for evidence on the effective date and within 15 working days after each renewal.
How does Cairn Cover help? We read government and council pages, date them, and link them on the words they support. We do not sell insurance, quote prices or recommend a limit.