Insurance for camping, glamping and caravan sites in the UK

Do I need insurance to open a campsite?

Yes, we strongly recommend that you have public liability insurance and some form of property protection. Luckily, if you plan to host on Hipcamp, we will provide this cover for you for free (see below).

Public liability insurance covers you if a member of the public makes a claim against your business for any loss or injury caused while at your campsite. Additionally, any business which employs people needs to have Employer’s Liability Insurance for at least £5 million. This insurance covers you if an employee is injured in the course of working for you. You should display your insurance certificate and can be fined—both for not displaying your certificate (£1,000) and for not having insurance (a whopping £2,500 per day). In short, as soon as you become an employer, make sure you have this in place from day one.

Hipcamp insurance

Hipcamp provides free public liability insurance for up to $1million (USD) through the Hipcamp Insurance Policy. This is available to hosts listing on Hipcamp who do not have another insurance policy in place already. Alongside this liability insurance, Hipcamp also has a comprehensive Property Protection Plan to cover damage to your property, giving you additional peace of mind.

Bear in mind, Hipcamp Insurance, as well as our protection plan, only covers bookings taken through Hipcamp. If you offer camping outside of the Hipcamp platform (such as through your own website or via an online travel agent), those bookings will not be covered by Hipcamp. Many commercial campsites opt for their own independent insurance as they grow.

Other insurers

Hipcamp is not in a position to offer financial advice or to advise on which insurers to use. For legal advice on insurance, many hosts are members of unions or organisations that can provide guidance, such as the National Farmers Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BHHPA), or UK Hospitality (UKH).

If you already run a farm, country estate, or smallholding (particularly those with public rights of way) then you should already have liability insurance. In many cases, you can talk to your existing provider about your plans and change to the appropriate coverage you require.

This article was created by the Hipcamp team based on our years of experience, research, and local understanding. However, please note that this is still only our interpretation of UK regulations and does not constitute legal advice. Hipcamp does not accept responsibility for errors and omissions. Different conditions may apply depending on your individual circumstances and we recommend seeking professional advice on implementing the rules.

This article was first published on 18th March 2023.