Best Security Guard Insurance in the UK (2026)
Security guarding shares door supervision's defining insurance problem: the work can involve physical intervention, detaining people and confrontation, and standard liability policies are written for accidents, not deliberate acts. A security guard policy has to be written for the trade — and the claims are not small: Simply Business's average security guard claim over the year to February 2026 was £18,123. This guide covers what SIA-licensed guards and guarding companies need, what it costs, and where to buy it.
What insurance do you need as a security guard?
Public liability — with security-trade wording. The core cover for third-party injury and property damage, but the wording is everything: claims in this trade often arise from intentional contact (restraint, removal, detaining a shoplifter) and from allegations of wrongful arrest or detention. A genuine security policy extends to injury arising from deliberate acts in the course of duties and wrongful-arrest allegations; a generic policy that's silent on both isn't fit for the job. £1m–£5m limits; councils and large contracts commonly demand £5m.
Employers' liability — legally required. The moment you engage anyone, including temps and labour-only subcontractors (who count as employees for EL purposes even if invoiced as self-employed). £10m is the contract-standard ask; fines for non-compliance reach £2,500 per day per person.
Professional indemnity. Increasingly required of guarding companies for security advice, risk assessments and planning. £1m–£2m is the common specialist-scheme range.
Inefficacy / contractual liability. The security-sector speciality: cover for failing to provide the contracted service, including loss of or damage to the property being guarded. Citynet's long-running scheme includes it; generic policies exclude it — and it's precisely what a client whose warehouse was emptied on your watch will claim under.
Also: personal accident (physical job, no sick pay if self-employed), legal expenses (defending allegations is the most common claim scenario), and equipment cover for radios and body-worn video. Context: guards must hold the relevant SIA licence (currently £136 for three years per February 2026 industry guidance); insurers and clients will verify it on the SIA register.
How much does security guard insurance cost?
Two markets under one name. Self-employed individual guards: Simply Business advertises public liability from £12.19/month (10% of its security guards paid £146.29 or less annually in late 2025), with security businesses from £6.35/month at the bottom of its range — budget roughly £100–£250/year depending on limits and history. Guarding companies: a surveyed, minimum-premium market — Camberford's 30-year specialist scheme sets a £500 + IPT minimum for manned guarding (vs £1,500 for door supervision), with premiums scaling on wage roll, site types and claims record. Static corporate sites rate gentler than licensed premises and event work.
Comparison of security guard insurance providers
| Provider | Type | Best for | Notable features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Business | Broker/comparison | Self-employed guards | PL £1m–£5m from £12.19/mo; 2,700 security guards covered; published claims data; quick EL add-on |
| Just Quote Me | Specialist broker | Firms and event security | Automatic £5m public/products and £10m employers' liability — contract-ready limits for council and government work |
| Citynet | Specialist broker (Lloyd's) | Established guarding companies | Combined liability scheme (Coversecure/XL Catlin) with inefficacy, deliberate-acts cover and PI £1m–£2m |
| Camberford (via broker) | Underwriting agency | Mid-size+ security firms | 30-year scheme; manned guarding minimum £500 + IPT; rates all site and venue types |
| QuoteRack | Comparison/introducer | Benchmarking | Routes SIA-licensed individuals and firms to security specialists |
Which route suits whom? A self-employed guard picking up shifts: Simply Business for speed and price — but verify deliberate-acts and wrongful-arrest wording before buying on premium. A small firm with staff and contracts: Just Quote Me's automatic limits match what clients demand. Established companies, or anyone needing inefficacy cover and PI: Citynet's scheme, or ask your broker to approach Camberford alongside it and compare wordings, not just prices.
What customers say: review data
Simply Business 4.2/5 on Trustpilot (~7,300 reviews across all trades). The specialist brokers (Just Quote Me, Citynet) and Camberford (which doesn't sell direct) have thin consumer footprints — normal for commercial specialists. Their quality signals: scheme longevity (Citynet 10+ years, Camberford 30+) and underwriter strength (XL Catlin is part of AXA XL). (Checked June 2026.)
Independent expert ratings
Which? and Fairer Finance don't rate security insurance. The diligence questions that replace ratings: does the wording cover deliberate acts, wrongful arrest and (for companies) inefficacy — and has the scheme paid security-sector claims for years?
The bottom line
In this trade the wording is the product and the paperwork is the defence. Individuals: specialist public liability with deliberate-acts and wrongful-arrest cover, plus personal accident. Companies: £5m/£10m limits, EL covering labour-only subs, inefficacy cover, and incident reports filed religiously — at an £18k average claim, documentation pays for itself the first time it's needed.
Sources
- simplybusiness.co.uk/business-insurance/security-guard-insurance/ and /by-industry/security-company-insurance/
- justquoteme.co.uk/security-insurance/
- citynet.co.uk/schemes/security-liability-scheme/
- camberford.com/products/manned-guard-door-supervisors-insurance/
- quoterack.co.uk; securitycompaniesaround.co.uk (SIA licence fee, Feb 2026)
- uk.trustpilot.com (June 2026)