Public liability and stock cover built for wholesalers, covering the goods you buy, hold and resell in bulk.
Public liability and stock cover built for wholesalers, covering the goods you buy, hold and resell in bulk.
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Wholesale insurance is a combination of covers built around buying and reselling goods in bulk, public liability for injury or damage, stock cover for what you hold, and employers’ liability if you have staff.
If you hold stock on consignment or sale-or-return terms from a supplier, you may be acting as a bailee for goods you don’t yet own, worth checking your cover reflects this.
Wholesale insurance can include:
Stock insuranceEmployers’ liabilityPublic liabilityBusiness interruptionGoods in transitBusiness van insurance (separate policy)
Stock Insurance
Covers your stock against theft, fire or damage.
Employers’ Liability
A legal requirement once you employ any staff, even casual help.
Cyber Insurance
Covers costs following a data breach involving customer or supplier data.
Business Contents
Protects your forklifts, racking and site equipment.
Goods in Transit
Covers stock while it’s being delivered to customers or between sites.
Do you own your stock outright?
Do you own your stock outright?
This affects what your insurance actually needs to cover.
This affects what your insurance actually needs to cover.
| Arrangement | Who owns the stock | What to know |
|---|---|---|
Goods you’ve bought outright | You, from the point of purchase | Standard stock cover applies as normal |
Goods held on consignment | The supplier, until you sell it on | You may be a bailee for goods you don’t yet own |
Goods on sale-or-return terms | The supplier, until you either sell or return it | Check whether you’re liable for loss before a sale completes |
Goods damaged before you’ve paid for them | Depends on your contract terms with the supplier | Some contracts make the wholesaler liable regardless of ownership |
Top Tip
If you regularly hold consignment or sale-or-return stock, tell your insurer, a real case involving army surplus stock held under similar terms went to court over exactly this kind of ownership dispute after a warehouse fire.
There’s no fixed price. It depends on your stock value, staff numbers, security measures and claims history.
Value of stock held
Higher-value stock increases your stock cover premium.
Whether you own or rent
Owning your premises adds buildings insurance to consider.
Number of staff
More employees increase your employers’ liability exposure.
Level of cover
Higher stock or liability limits increase your premium.
Security measures
Alarms, CCTV and access control can help reduce your risk.
Claims history
A clean claims record helps keep premiums down at renewal.
How to get wholesale insurance
How to get wholesale insurance
Getting wholesale insurance takes four steps: tell us about your business, choose your covers, compare specialist insurers, then get covered, often the same day.
Getting wholesale insurance takes four steps: tell us about your business, choose your covers, compare specialist insurers, then get covered, often the same day.
Tell us about your business
What you stock, and whether you have staff.
Choose your covers
Stock cover, public liability and any extras.
We compare specialist insurers
We search our panel of 20+ UK insurers.
Get covered and trading
Receive your documents, usually the same day.
UK-based specialist advisersAccess to specialist insurersNo obligation, just expert helpTrusted by thousands of businesses across the UK
Trusted by thousands of businesses across the UK
From everyday business insurance to complex specialist cover, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to find the right protection and provide expert support when it matters.
From everyday business insurance to complex specialist cover, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to find the right protection and provide expert support when it matters.
Wholesale insurance guides
Wholesale insurance guides
Practical advice on cover, stock ownership and staying protected.
Practical advice on cover, stock ownership and staying protected.
Wholesale Risks in 2025: The Insurance Every Wholesaler Should Consider
The wholesale sector is evolving quickly. Online retail growth, global supply chain issues and higher security concerns are changing the way wholesalers operate. With warehouses full of valuable stock and tight delivery schedules to meet, risks are higher than ever. A single incident such as theft, equipment breakdown or supply disruption can cause huge financial loss.
From Break-Ins to Business Interruption: Why Wholesalers Need Specialist Cover
Wholesalers play a crucial role in the UK economy. They bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, moving huge volumes of goods every day. But with valuable stock, busy warehouses and tight delivery deadlines, the sector faces serious risks. Theft, fire, equipment breakdown and supply chain delays can all bring business to a halt.
Wholesale Insurance Explained: Protecting Stock, Supply & Staff
Wholesalers are the link between manufacturers and retailers. They buy products in bulk, store them safely and move them quickly to the businesses that need them. This work keeps the supply chain moving but also carries serious risk. Fires, thefts, equipment breakdowns or supply delays can stop trading overnight. Standard business insurance often fails to cover these situations.
Stock, Staff and Site Safety: A Guide to Builders Merchant Insurance
Builders merchants play a vital role in the construction supply chain. They provide timber, bricks, tools, and protective equipment to both trade and public customers. But operating a merchant business is not without challenges.
Builders Merchant Risks Explained: Why Public Liability Isn’t Enough
Public liability insurance is often considered the foundation of protection for businesses dealing with the public. For builders merchants it is essential, but relying on it alone leaves serious gaps. Merchants face a wide range of exposures that cannot be addressed by public liability cover on its own.
From Timber to Tools: The Essential Covers Every Builders Merchant Needs
Running a builders merchant is a cornerstone role within the UK construction supply chain. Merchants supply everything from timber and steel to power tools and protective equipment, often operating from large depots or yards with constant traffic from trade professionals and delivery vehicles.
Wholesale insurance FAQs
Wholesale insurance FAQs
Straight answers on cover, stock ownership and cost.
Straight answers on cover, stock ownership and cost.
Wholesale insurance is a combination of covers built around buying and reselling goods in bulk: public liability for injury or damage, stock cover for what you hold, and employers’ liability if you have staff.
Still have questions?
Our advisers are here to help you find the right solution.
