Written by Michael Foote, Insurance Expert
Michael Foote is the founder of Quote Goat and has over 20 years experience working in finance & insurance. Since launching Quote Goat he has appeared on TV as well as many of the largest online publications including Forbes, The Telegraph and The Metro. Prior to Quote Goat, he worked in finance in the city.
Do Tyre Fitters Need Public Liability Insurance?
Public liability insurance isn’t a legal requirement for tyre fitters, but working without it leaves you personally responsible for claims that could bankrupt your business. If a customer is injured at your premises, you damage their property, or a member of the public trips over your equipment, you’ll be liable for compensation and legal costs.
Most fleet operators, dealerships and local authorities require proof of public liability cover before they’ll work with you. Even smaller commercial clients increasingly ask for insurance certificates before accepting quotes. For practical purposes, public liability insurance is essential to operate as a professional tyre fitter.
What Public Liability Insurance Covers
Public liability insurance protects you when someone claims your business caused them injury or damaged their property. The policy pays for legal defence costs and any compensation awarded.
Common claims in tyre fitting include:
- Customers slipping on wet or oily workshop floors
- Tools or equipment causing trip hazards
- Wheel nuts or components striking vehicles or people during removal
- Damage to customer driveways, forecourts or car parks
- Children injured in waiting areas
- Paint damage caused during wheel handling
A single injury claim can easily exceed £50,000 once legal costs and compensation are included. Without insurance, these costs come directly from your business and personal assets.
How Much Cover You Need
Most tyre fitters carry £2 million to £5 million of public liability cover. The level you need depends on your client base:
- £2 million: Sufficient for retail customers and small independent garages
- £5 million: Required by most fleet operators, dealerships and commercial contracts
- £10 million: Occasionally requested for local authority work or high-value commercial clients
Clients typically ask for a certificate of insurance before work begins. Without the required cover level, you’ll lose contracts and may be denied site access.
Mobile Tyre Fitter Insurance Needs
Mobile tyre fitting creates additional liability exposures because you work in uncontrolled environments:
- Roadside locations near moving traffic
- Customer driveways and residential areas
- Public car parks and commercial premises
- Remote breakdown locations
Public liability remains essential, but mobile fitters need additional cover:
Road risk insurance allows you to drive customer vehicles legally. Standard personal motor policies exclude business use and operating vehicles for reward. If you collect or deliver customer vehicles, you must have appropriate motor trade insurance. Our guide on whether you need insurance to deliver or collect customer vehicles explains what’s required.
Tools and equipment cover protects the diagnostic equipment, air tools, jacks and tyre machines you carry in your van. Replacing stolen or damaged equipment can cost thousands of pounds.
Product Liability for Parts and Tyres
Most public liability policies include product liability cover. This protects you if a tyre or component you’ve supplied causes injury or damage after fitting.
Examples include:
- Tyre failures leading to accidents
- Faulty valves causing rapid deflation
- Wheel bolts or nuts failing due to manufacturing defects
- Damage from incorrectly specified parts
Even when the fault lies with the manufacturer, you may be named in the claim as the supplier. Product liability cover pays your legal costs while liability is established and protects you if you’re found partially responsible.
Employers’ Liability Requirements
If you employ anyone (including part-time staff, apprentices or family members), you’re legally required to hold employers’ liability insurance with minimum cover of £5 million. Most policies provide £10 million.
This covers compensation if an employee is injured at work. Common tyre fitting injuries include:
- Back and shoulder injuries from lifting wheels and tyres
- Crush injuries from jacks, ramps or vehicles
- Impact injuries from air tools or tyre machines
- Cuts and lacerations from damaged wheels or sharp edges
- Slips and falls in workshop areas
Operating without valid employers’ liability insurance carries fines up to £2,500 for each day you’re uninsured. You must display your certificate of insurance at your business premises.
Sole traders with no employees don’t need employers’ liability, but public liability remains strongly advisable.
Protecting Your Stock and Equipment
Public liability insurance doesn’t cover your own property. To protect your business assets, you need separate cover for:
- Tyre stock and alloy wheel inventory
- Tyre fitting machines, balancers and alignment equipment
- Hand tools and diagnostic equipment
- Damage from fire, theft or flooding
- Business interruption after major incidents
Our guide explains what cover protects tyre stock and equipment and what to look for in a policy.
Part-Time and Side Business Considerations
Working part-time doesn’t reduce your liability exposure. A customer injured at your premises or a vehicle damaged during fitting creates the same claim whether you work full-time or occasionally at weekends.
Your personal home insurance specifically excludes business activities. If you trade as a tyre fitter, even part-time, you need proper business insurance.
Many insurers offer flexible policies for part-time traders with premiums reflecting your actual trading hours and turnover. Our article on whether part-time motor traders need insurance covers your options in detail.
What to Look for in a Tyre Fitter Policy
Specialist motor trade insurers offer tyre fitter policies combining:
- Public liability (£2m, £5m or £10m options)
- Product liability for supplied parts and tyres
- Employers’ liability if you have staff
- Optional road risk insurance
- Optional tools and equipment cover
- Business interruption cover
These integrated policies are designed for tyre fitting risks and typically cost less than arranging separate covers.
Check your policy includes:
- Cover for both fixed premises and mobile work
- Product liability for all tyres and components you supply
- Legal defence costs included as standard
- No unusual exclusions for roadside or commercial site work
- Cover for work on commercial vehicles if relevant to your business
Avoid policies with low sub-limits on product liability or that exclude mobile work entirely.
Get Covered Today
Protecting your tyre fitting business with the right insurance gives you financial security and opens doors to commercial contracts that require proof of cover. Compare quotes from specialist motor trade insurers using the button on screen and get covered today.
