Business insurance in Ireland
DigiCare Insurance is an independent broker regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. We compare commercial cover from Irish insurers and build one combined policy: public liability, employers' liability, property and business interruption, sized to your trade and the limits your contracts ask for.
Reviewed by the DigiCare broking team · Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland · Last reviewed July 2026
- Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland
- Independent broker comparing Irish insurers
- Public + employers' liability, property and interruption in one policy
- Cover for sole traders, trades, retail, hospitality and offices
What is business insurance?
Business insurance, also called commercial insurance in Ireland, is a combined policy that bundles the main cover a firm needs into one contract: public liability, employers' liability, property and business interruption. In Ireland, "business insurance" and "commercial insurance" mean the same product.
Most Irish firms buy these covers together rather than one at a time, because a single combined policy is simpler to run and usually cheaper than separate contracts. Cover is advised rather than obligatory for most businesses, though clients, landlords and tenders often insist on it. You pick the components and limits that suit your trade, from a sole trader adding public liability to a limited company (Ltd or DAC) insuring staff, premises and stock.
One combined policy
Public liability, employers' liability, property and business interruption under a single renewal.
Business = commercial
Irish insurers title it either way; it is the same SME product.
Built around your trade
Add professional indemnity, product liability, cyber or money cover as bolt-ons.
Advised, not obligatory
Strongly recommended and often demanded by contracts, but rarely a legal must (citizensinformation.ie).
What does a business insurance policy cover?
A combined policy is built from core covers plus optional bolt-ons. The standard market indemnity limits below follow State Claims Agency guidance. The three main liability covers each have their own detailed page: follow the links to compare limits and prices.
| Cover | What it does | Standard limit |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability | Pays third-party injury or property-damage claims arising from your work. | €6.5m standard (often €2.6m entry) |
| Employers' liability | Covers staff who are injured or fall ill because of their work. | €12.7m any one occurrence |
| Property & business interruption | Rebuilds or replaces premises, contents and stock, and replaces lost income while you cannot trade. | The sum insured you set |
| Professional indemnity | Covers financial loss caused by your advice or professional work. | €0.5m to €10m by risk |
| Product liability | Covers injury or damage caused by products you make, sell or supply. | €6.5m standard |
| Cyber | Responds to data breaches and ransomware; about 46% of Irish businesses have had a cyber incident. | As set on the policy |
Common bolt-ons include product liability, cyber, directors' and officers' (D&O) cover for Ltd or DAC directors, business money and key-person cover. Commercial motor is a separate compulsory line and is not part of this policy.
Is business insurance compulsory in Ireland?
In Ireland, motor third-party cover is the only business insurance the law compels you to hold (Road Traffic Act 1961). Employers' liability is not legally required: employers instead owe staff a duty of care under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Public liability is not compulsory either. Professional indemnity is mandatory only for certain regulated professions.
Legally required
- Motor third-party cover for any business vehicle used in a public place (Road Traffic Act 1961).
Not legally required (but advised)
- Employers' liability insurance is not compulsory, though you owe employees a duty of care under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (irishstatutebook.ie).
- Public liability is not compulsory, but landlords, tenders and clients routinely demand proof before you can trade.
- Property, business interruption and most other covers are advised, not obligatory (citizensinformation.ie).
Some regulated professions must hold professional indemnity insurance by law or by their professional body. Solicitors, for example, need a minimum of €1.5m each and every claim (S.I. 429/2020, Law Society of Ireland). This differs from the UK, where employers' liability is compulsory: that rule does not apply in Ireland.
How much does business insurance cost in Ireland?
A small business can expect to pay from around €300 to €500 a year for basic combined cover, while a full package (public and employers' liability plus property) averaged about €3,043 in 2024. What you pay depends on your trade, turnover, staff numbers, public interaction, claims history and the limits you choose.
Sole trader / consultant
Annually€300 to €1,000Public liability + professional indemnity
Tradesperson / contractor
Annually€300 to €1,000Public + product liability; employers' liability if you have staff
Small shop or office
Annually€300 to €500 (basic)Property + stock + public liability
Combined package with staff
Annuallyabout €3,043 average (2024)Public + employers' liability + property + interruption
What moves the price
- Your trade and its injury or negligence risk
- Annual turnover
- Number of employees
- Level of public interaction or footfall
- Claims history
- The indemnity limits you choose (for example €2.6m vs €6.5m public liability)
Sources: Irish insurers and brokers; premium averages, Central Bank NCID (2024); levies, Revenue
Last reviewed: July 2026
Government levies are added on top: for 2026 that is 3% stamp duty plus a 1% Insurance Compensation Fund levy, 4% in total (Revenue). The ICF levy dropped from 2% to 1% on 1 January 2026, so older 5% figures are out of date.
Business insurance premiums are normally tax-deductible as a trading expense when the cover is bought wholly and exclusively for your business.
Business insurance by trade and sector
Not sure which cover you need? Find your trade below for the risk that matters most and the usual mix of cover, from electricians and cleaners to hairdressers, shopkeepers and consultants. Each row links to the detailed page and to a quote.
| Trade or sector | Key risk | Usual cover mix |
|---|---|---|
| Sole trader / self-employed | A client or venue asks for proof of cover before you start | Public liability + professional indemnity |
| Tradesperson / contractor (electrician, plumber, cleaner) | A main contractor requires public liability, often €2.6m to €6.5m, before site access | Public + product liability + employers' liability → public liability insurance |
| Shop / retail | Fire, theft, or a customer injured on the premises | Property + stock + public liability + employers' liability + business interruption + money |
| Pub, restaurant or café (hospitality) | Food safety, slips and fire across a busy premises | Property + public liability + employers' liability + product/food + interruption |
| Office / professional services | A negligent-advice claim or damage to the office | Property + public liability + professional indemnity |
Independent broker: we compare cover from a range of Irish insurers rather than selling one company's policy.
We arrange the cover directly, not a lead-generation site that passes you to a third party.
One combined policy and one renewal date, built around your trade and the limits your contracts require.
Clear advice on what you actually need, from a sole trader's public liability to a full package for staff and premises.
DigiCare Insurance is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland as an insurance intermediary under the European Union (Insurance Distribution) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 229 of 2018).
Chapter VI
Business insurance FAQ
- Is business insurance compulsory in Ireland?
- Motor third-party cover is the only compulsory business insurance in Ireland. Employers' liability is not legally required, though employers owe staff a duty of care under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Professional indemnity is mandatory only for regulated professions such as solicitors.
- How much is business insurance in Ireland?
- A small business might pay around €300 to €500 a year for basic cover, while a combined package averaged about €3,043 in 2024. Price depends on your trade, turnover, staff, claims history and cover limits, plus 4% in government levies.
- Do sole traders need business insurance in Ireland?
- It is not legally required, but sole traders who deal with the public or give advice are strongly advised to hold public liability insurance and professional indemnity cover. Clients, venues and marketplaces often ask for proof before you can work.
- Is business insurance tax-deductible in Ireland?
- Yes. Premiums are generally an allowable trading expense when the cover is bought wholly and exclusively for your business, so they can be set against your taxable profits.
- What if I have a complaint about my insurer?
- Raise it with the provider first. If it is not resolved, you can bring it free of charge to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO). Small businesses with turnover of €3m or less are eligible.
Get a business insurance quote
Tell us your trade and the cover you need. As an independent broker regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, DigiCare Insurance compares Irish insurers and builds one combined policy around your business. Cover can often be arranged before you register or start trading.
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