Hiscox

Hiscox, specialist insurer for businesses and homes in the UK

Hiscox is an international specialist insurer headquartered in Bermuda that underwrites a diverse range of personal and commercial insurance risks. Its UK operation states more than 100 years of experience in insurance and describes itself as a leading specialist insurer covering both commercial and personal lines. The company presents its UK activity around two broad areas: cover for businesses of all sizes and protection for homes, their contents, valuables and collections.

According to the figures published on its site, Hiscox provides commercial covers such as public liability and professional indemnity insurance for over 460,000 businesses in the UK, based on the number of policies sold in 2025, and home insurance for more than 60,000 homes in the UK.

Commercial insurance: liability and professional cover

The business insurance range is designed for profiles ranging from a consultant working from home to an SME with several offices. Two of the central products are:

• Public liability insurance, aimed at protecting businesses against claims from clients or members of the public when their activity causes accidental injury or property damage.
• Professional indemnity insurance, which covers costs when a client claims there is a problem with work carried out, including compensation to correct a mistake or settle a claim and the cost of legal defence.

The site also lists employers' liability insurance among its commercial covers and offers policies segmented by trade, from retail and shop insurance to charity insurance, cover for tradesmen and tailored insurance for sole traders and the self-employed.

Landlords insurance and its standard components

For property owners, Hiscox offers landlords insurance that includes buildings insurance, property owners' liability and loss of rental income or alternative accommodation cover as standard, with optional extras to adjust the policy. The company also provides multi-property cover for a portfolio of up to 10 properties under a single policy.

The product is broken down into specific covers: landlords buildings insurance protects the physical structure against risks such as fire, flood or subsidence, including repair or rebuilding costs; landlords liability insurance, also called property owners' liability insurance, covers compensation to third parties for accidental injury or damage to their property arising from ownership or legal responsibility for the insured property; and loss of rent insurance covers income lost when an incident makes the property uninhabitable during repairs and restoration.

Home insurance, listed buildings and high value homes

Home insurance is presented as flexible, with contents and buildings cover available as two separate policies or as a combined package. The company refers to its home policies as five-star Defaqto rated. Contents insurance includes worldwide coverage for up to 90 days, dedicated claims handlers and accidental damage cover as standard. Buildings cover is provided within the combined Buildings and Contents policy with unlimited cover for buildings, meaning the cost of replacing what is lost or damaged is paid.

Hiscox has also developed a specialised branch of buildings insurance for listed properties, aimed at helping preserve the building's historical significance, and a high value home insurance line for homes whose belongings face a greater risk of theft. The home range is completed with home emergency cover, legal expenses cover, renovation and extension insurance, jewellery insurance and high value motor and overseas home insurance within its private client offering.

Brokers, claims and immediate cover

Hiscox states that its underwriters work closely with insurance brokers across the UK to build bespoke covers for their clients, and it maintains a dedicated broker centre with webinars, events, proposal forms and appetite guides. The company highlights that a tailored quote requested online can be followed by proof of insurance within minutes, and it presents its claims service as award-winning, handled by specialist claims staff.

Beyond insurance, the site publishes a small business knowledge centre with practical guides and insights for business owners, a home insurance blog with advice on protecting and enhancing property, and an FAQ hub answering common questions about business insurance options and policy needs before applying for commercial cover.

International group and regional presence

Hiscox describes itself as an international specialist insurer headquartered in Bermuda. Its site lists regional operations in the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United States and Bermuda, and the UK site is aimed at customers in the United Kingdom.