insurance for a work at home small business?

[bettythebuilder]

Yes, I know, the award for 'dull topic of the day' goes to.... but this is driving me mad!

My small business insurance is due for renewal soon, so I've been looking for quotes and can't find anything suitable! The main problem is this list of trades to descibe your business- there's gravedigger and butler, but not 'greeting card wholesaler'- I spent half an hour on the phone to Direct Line only to (eventually) be told 'it's not on the list so we can't quote for insurance'

I'm aware this may have turned into a rant but all I want is insurance to cover stock held at home, a couple of days at trade fairs, and public/product liability for wholesale sales in the UK, Eu and Australia- without having to describe myself as 'an artistic painter sculptor or potter' which is the nearest category I could find last time.

Any suggestions, anyone, or recommendations for small work at home business insurance?

axa will cover you

have you tried a broker

the trip might be overseas public liability do you sell much in australia

direct line are useless at this they wouldnt cover my car because it wasnt on their list

surely just a generic 'small retailer' or small wholesaler' would cover it?

I sympathise though, I made hundreds of phone calls before I foubd someone willing to insure me (aparantly my business it too high risk for most insurance companies)

I'll try axa, zippi.

The insurance company I'm with at the mo (well for the next couple of hours- nothing like leaving a renewal late, is there )said thet EU and Oz are fine, it's Canada and the US sales that ramp up the premium. I have got a company distributing the wheels in Oz, so i do need insurance for there.

I just can't get through to the brokers my insurance is with at the moment- 10 mins waiting on the phone and they cut me off, so I'm flouncing

something like 'small wholesaler' would be perfect, but nothing like that is on their 'lists'...grrr!

axa are online but you would have to ring them i think but this is what they do i cant see it being a problem

(omdb, I'm impressed that your business is 'high-risk' it sounds exciting . I couldn't be anymore low risk if I tried, and yet still 'the computer says 'no''!)

I've filled in the online form with axa, and again 'my occupation makes work from home insurance unsuitable' (I tried 'wholesaler' and 'fancy goods wholesaler', whatever fancy goods are (bunting, maybe?))

I'll have to try ringing- I'll get some biscuits to eat while I'm on hold...

BtB it is worth calling Businesslink as i used to find it impossible to find home insurance but they had a few leads for me and one worked out very well. Think they are call NIG but not sure (have sold business now so no longer access to it)

Thanks, pickie, I will give business link another go- i have to be honest (whispers) but I've not found them of much help in the past, but i think there's been a bit of a change at the local business link recently, so I'll try again, -thanks

hope you will get some more and better info this time. The Oxfordshire branch is very good