A good quote is a fast quote – and the key to speed is having the data ready beforehand. This list gathers what insurers typically ask for when quoting liability insurance. Thirty minutes of work, and your quote request is complete the first time round – not pieced together over three rounds of back-and-forth. The reasoning behind it is explained in the activity assessment article.
- The single most important item is an accurate description of your activity – everything else builds on it.
- Names and sensitive personal data aren't needed to get started.
- Be honest about your claims history: a clearly disclosed history is a better position than one that surfaces later.
The business's basic details
☐ Company name, registered address, tax number, legal form.
☐ Year founded, and when operations began under the current profile.
☐ Headcount: number of employees (by role, if their risk profiles differ).
The activity – the heart of the list
☐ A list of every activity you carry out, described in plain, precise language (“bathroom renovation with tiling” is better than “construction services”).
☐ The approximate share of each activity in your revenue.
☐ Any new activities planned for the coming year. (multiple-professions article)
☐ Where the work is done: at your premises / at the client's / both; domestic / abroad (which countries). (territorial scope)
The operating environment
☐ Premises: owned or rented (if rented: the nature of the space). (tenant liability)
☐ A list of major machinery, equipment and vehicles. (equipment and machinery article)
☐ Subcontractors: regularly / occasionally / never; if so, for what. (chain article)
☐ Typical client base: private individuals / businesses / public sector; the rough size of your largest orders.
Financial and history data
☐ Annual net revenue (last closed year + this year's expected figure).
☐ Claims history for the past 3–5 years: when, what happened, and how it was resolved – including declined and still-open cases.
☐ Current/previous liability insurance: insurer, period, retroactive date (if claims-made). (why it matters)
The requirements
☐ External requirements: chamber rules, client clauses, tender requirements – with the exact wording. (minimum-limit article)
☐ Your own preferences: the limit range you're after, an acceptable deductible band, extensions that matter to you.
With the data list in hand, the path runs: specification → quotes → comparison checklist → your decision. A downloadable data-disclosure form (covering both property and liability) is available on the Resources page – and for a live discussion: free consultation.
The art of a good activity description
The list's single most important item deserves its own paragraph. A good activity description is specific and complete: not “construction work,” but “residential and multi-unit plumbing, heating and air-conditioning installation; air-conditioning installation makes up roughly a quarter of revenue; occasional work as a subcontractor on larger builds.” Three sentences, and the insurer can see exactly what it's pricing – while you know exactly what your cover will respond to. A vague description costs you twice: once at quote stage (an uncertainty loading, or a round of follow-up questions), and once at claim time (a dispute over whether the work fell within scope). Writing a precise description takes ten minutes – and those ten minutes are the best-value item in the whole list.
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