Business coaching sells outcomes – growth, clarity, better decisions – and when a client's business goes the other way, the coach's advice is where blame looks first. It's an unregulated profession, which means insurance is one of the few professionalism signals clients can verify, and corporate clients increasingly require it in engagement terms. This guide covers what business coaches need, what it costs, and where to buy.
What insurance does a business coach need?
Professional indemnity – the core. Claims arise from advice alleged to have caused financial loss: a recommended restructure that backfired, growth strategy preceding a downturn, or hiring/firing guidance with employment-law consequences. The coaching defence – "the client made the decisions" – is real but only tested in a dispute, and PI pays for that testing. £1m is the standard working limit; corporate engagements often specify it contractually. A wording note: coaches who slide into consulting deliverables (written strategies, financial projections) should say so – pure coaching and advisory output rate differently.
Public liability. Workshops, client-site sessions, speaking engagements – modest premises risk, cheaply covered and often contractually required by venues and corporate clients.
Also: cyber (client commercial confidences and session notes), employers' liability with any associate coaches on your payroll, business equipment, and legal expenses for fee disputes. Coaches with accreditation (EMCC, ICF, AC) should check current membership expectations – the credible bodies encourage or require member insurance.
How much does it cost?
Coaching prices at the friendly end of professional services: Protectivity lists business coaching among its covered occupations with policies from £3.86/month; Professional Saver's coaching packages start under £55/year; mainstream PI floors apply (Simply Business from £6.62/month; AXA from £66/year; Hiscox from £9.80/month). A typical practice with £1m PI plus PL lands £100–£300/year; executive coaching for regulated-sector clients and consulting-style deliverables rate upward.
Comparison of providers
| Provider | Type | From | Notable features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protectivity | Specialist direct | £3.86/mo | Business coaching an explicitly covered occupation; 4.8 Trustpilot |
| Professional Saver | Trades-family specialist | <£55/yr | Cheapest verified coaching entry (PL-led with financial-loss cover) |
| Hiscox | Direct insurer | £9.80/mo | Premium PI pedigree for advisory work; 4.4 Trustpilot |
| Superscript | Digital broker | quote-based | Monthly flexibility for portfolio careers; 4.5 Trustpilot |
| Simply Business | Comparison | £6.62/mo | Multi-insurer benchmark; fast corporate-terms certificates |
| Markel Direct | Direct insurer | £5/mo | PI + legal helpline (useful for fee disputes) |
Reviews and expert ratings
Protectivity 4.8/5; Superscript 4.5; Hiscox 4.4; Simply Business 4.2; Markel 4.0. Which?/Fairer Finance: not rated.
Key takeaway
Carry £1m PI as your professional baseline, declare any consulting-style deliverables, and let contracts do half the work – clear engagement terms about who decides what are both good practice and your insurer's favourite exhibit. Coaching individuals on wellbeing rather than businesses on strategy? That's life coaching, with its own guide and its own wording questions.
Sources
- protectivity.com (covered-occupations list incl. Business Coach; pricing)
- professionalsaver.co.uk (coaching <£55/yr)
- simplybusiness.co.uk; hiscox.co.uk; axa.co.uk; gosuperscript.com