Public liability insurance providers in the UK fall into three groups: insurers that carry the risk, brokers that arrange cover, and comparison sites that list quotes. This guide shows what each group says about itself on its own pages, how they are paid, how to check any of them on the FCA register, and which questions to ask before you buy. We checked the pages on 4 November 2026. We do not rank or recommend any provider.
Quick answer
Providers are insurers, brokers or comparison sites, and each does a different job. Check every firm on the FCA register, and ask who the insurer on the schedule is, how the seller is paid, and who handles a complaint.
Public Liability Insurance Providers at a Glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What kinds of provider are there? | Insurers, brokers and comparison sites |
| Who carries the risk? | The insurer named on your schedule |
| What does a broker do? | One body for brokers says brokers give advice and access a range of providers |
| What does a comparison site do? | Lists quotes from partners, and may not include every company |
| How do I check a firm? | Use the FCA register |
| Do we rank providers? | No |
| Can we give a price? | No, no source we opened supports one |
Three Kinds of Public Liability Insurance Providers
The words "insurer", "broker" and "comparison site" describe different jobs, and the same cover can reach you through any of them. An insurer writes the policy and pays the claim. A broker or other intermediary arranges the policy, usually from several insurers. A comparison site shows quotes and passes you on to the seller.
The table sets out what each firm says about itself. We took the facts from each firm's own pages and describe nothing else. The examples are there to show the pattern, not to suggest a choice.
| Role | Example | What its own page says | Page date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insurer | Hiscox | Hiscox Insurance Company Limited is authorised and regulated by the FCA and the PRA | None shown |
| Insurer | AXA | AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the PRA and the FCA | None shown |
| Broker | Simply Business | Trading name of Xbridge Limited, an insurance intermediary regulated by the FCA | Modified 24 July 2025 |
| Comparison site | MoneySuperMarket | An appointed representative of MONY Group Financial Limited | Reviewed 3 November 2026 |
Our hub guide explains the cover itself. The so what: a provider's role decides who you ask when something goes wrong, so find the role on the firm's own page before you compare quotes.
Insurers Carry the Risk
An insurer takes the risk. The Hiscox page we opened names Hiscox Underwriting Ltd and Hiscox Insurance Company Limited, and says the insurance is underwritten by the first on behalf of the second. It does not state whether Hiscox sells direct, so we say nothing on that point. The AXA regulatory page names AXA Insurance UK plc as underwriter for car, home and travel, and does not name an underwriter for business insurance.
That gap matters for one reason. A brand name on a website does not tell you which legal entity stands behind your policy. The schedule does. The step is to find the insurer's name on your documents and check that exact name on the register, because a group name and a regulated company are not always the same thing.
Brokers Arrange the Cover
A broker arranges policies, and the Simply Business page we opened calls it an intermediary authorised to arrange non-investment insurance contracts from a range of insurers. The page, last modified on 24 July 2025, names seven insurers, including AXA Insurance UK plc, Hiscox Limited and Zurich Insurance Company. That is a useful illustration. The same insurer name can reach you directly or through an intermediary, so it can appear in more than one place.
The Association of British Insurance Brokers, known as BIBA, is a trade body, and its page says brokers give advice and access a wide range of insurance providers. It carries no date and describes the industry's own view. Our Towergate guide looks at a broker name that its owner has since replaced with Everywhen.
Comparison Sites List Quotes
A comparison site is not the seller. MoneySuperMarket's page, reviewed on 3 November 2026, says it works with partners and that it is free to compare. It says it aims to search as wide a range of companies as possible, but that not every company can be included. It also lists business insurance among the products it compares.
The page says Moneysupermarket.com Limited is an appointed representative of MONY Group Financial Limited, which it describes as authorised and regulated by the FCA. The so what: a comparison result is a list of the partners the site works with, not a view of the whole market. Treat the first screen as a starting point and read the schedule behind each quote.
How Public Liability Insurance Providers Get Paid
Payment shapes what you see, so it is a fair question to ask. MoneySuperMarket's page says the companies it works with pay it, through a flat fee for some services, a commission for some services, or a flat fee when you click through. It says commercial agreements will not affect how quotes are ranked, and that is the site's own statement, which we cannot test.
The Simply Business page we opened does not say how it is paid, so we do not describe it. An insurer selling direct has no intermediary to pay, but the page we opened for Hiscox does not say whether it sells direct. Rather than guess, ask each firm in writing how it is paid for the policy you are quoted.
Checking Any Provider on the FCA Register
The check is the same for every group. The FCA says its register shows whether firms are authorised and what products and services they may offer, on a page last updated on 22 September 2026. Use this order.
- Find the firm's exact registered name on its website or documents.
- Search the register for that name, and note the reference number.
- Check that the firm has permission for the service you are being sold.
- Compare the contact details on the register with those you were given.
The last step guards against scams. The FCA's clone firms page, last updated on 14 May 2025, says clone firms are not authorised and may copy a real firm's name, address, website or reference number. It tells readers to call the FCA on 0800 111 6768 if contact details are missing or said to be out of date. The firm-level register page we cite in other guides was last updated on 13 February 2026.
The Same Cover Through Three Routes
Picture a joiner who wants cover and tries three routes in one afternoon. The first is an insurer's own website. The second is a broker that arranges cover from a range of insurers. The third is a comparison site, which, on its own account, may pass the joiner on to a seller when a quote is clicked. MoneySuperMarket describes a flat fee for click-throughs among its payment methods.
The joiner could end up with three quotes that name the same insurer on the schedule, or three that name different ones. The brand on the screen does not settle it. What settles it is the insurer on the schedule, the limit and its basis, and the exclusions. The takeaway: compare schedules, not logos, and keep the description of the work identical on each form.
Complaints Depend on the Route
Where you complain depends on who sold the policy. The Simply Business page says to start with its customer service team, and to contact the insurer directly about a complaint on a policy. It says the insurers are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service. Other providers may set out a different route, so read the complaints section of the documents you receive.
If the firm cannot resolve a complaint, you can go to the Ombudsman within 6 months of the final response, subject to its size tests. Picture a plumber who bought through a comparison site and then has a dispute. The plumber needs to know whether to write to the comparison site, the broker or the insurer, and the answer sits in the documents, not on the quote page.
A Fill-In Table to Compare Providers Like for Like
Quotes from different providers are hard to compare until the same facts sit side by side. The table is our worksheet, not a provider's form. Fill one row per quote and leave a cell blank if the documents do not say.
| Item | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Provider role (insurer, broker, comparison site) | ||
| Registered name and FCA reference number | ||
| Insurer named on the schedule | ||
| Limit, and whether per event or aggregate | ||
| Excess | ||
| Employers' liability included or separate | ||
| Key exclusions read | ||
| How the seller is paid | ||
| Who handles a claim and a complaint |
A blank cell is a question for the seller. The fourth row catches the most mismatches, and our 10 million guide explains why the basis of a limit matters. Our cost guide covers the factors that move a premium.
Buying and Disclosure Duties
The Insurance Act 2015 duty of fair presentation applies to business contracts whichever provider you use. Part 2 of the Act, as enacted, asks you to disclose what you know or ought to know, so give each provider the same description of your work. A different description in each quote makes the comparison meaningless.
What We Could Not Confirm
We opened four providers' own pages and one trade body page, which is a small sample of the market. We did not find how any provider is paid beyond MoneySuperMarket's statement, and we did not confirm which insurer stands behind each brand's public liability product. We did not check the Prudential Regulation Authority register, and we have not checked Scotland and Wales separately.
Where to Go Next on Cairn Cover
The one thing to remember about public liability insurance providers: find out whether you are dealing with an insurer, a broker or a comparison site before you read the quote. Cairn Cover is a free guide and does not sell insurance or quote prices. Read the sole trader guide if you work alone, and the what is it guide for the basics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an insurer and a broker? An insurer writes the policy and pays claims. A broker arranges cover, usually from several insurers. The Simply Business page calls itself an intermediary that arranges contracts from a range of insurers.
Do comparison sites show every provider? No. MoneySuperMarket's page says it aims to search as wide a range of companies as possible, but not every company can be included. Treat results as a list of partners.
How do I check public liability insurance providers are genuine? Search the exact firm name on the FCA register, confirm it has permission for insurance, and compare the contact details. The FCA warns about clone firms that copy real names.
Is Hiscox an insurer or a broker? Its own page names Hiscox Insurance Company Limited as FCA and PRA regulated and says insurance is underwritten on its behalf. The page does not say whether it sells direct. Check the entity on your schedule.
Do brokers cost more than going direct? We found no source that compares the two, so we cannot say. Ask each provider in writing how it is paid for your policy, and compare the schedules, not just the totals.
Who do I complain to? It depends on the route. The Simply Business page says to contact the insurer directly about a policy complaint. You can then use the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the final response, subject to size tests.
Does Cairn Cover rank providers? No. We do not rank, rate or recommend any provider. We read each firm's own pages and registers, date them, and describe what they say. We do not sell insurance or quote prices.
Where can I find related guides? Use the site search, or read our cost guide and requirements guide for what sellers and clients ask for.