Hiscox review

Updated September 28, 2026 · AssureCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Hiscox is the insurer on this comparison that carries risk on its own balance sheet, with an indemnity limit of £10,000,000 for consultants, contractors and the self-employed. It suits small consultancies and trades that want a deep limit on paper and can absorb a premium of £7.20 with an excess of £250.

Key facts

Best for
Freelancers and small consultancies who want a high indemnity limit and can pay monthly.
Provider type
Insurer (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Cover types
Public-liability, Professional-indemnity, Employers-liability, Cyber (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Indemnity limit
£10,000,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Premium from
£7.20 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Excess from
£250 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Monthly payments
Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Industries
consultants, contractors, IT, freelancers, self-employed, tradesmen (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
Hiscox Insurance Company Limited (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
Bermuda (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Founded
1901 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Official website
hiscox.com

Personal insurance

Premium from
£7.20 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Insurance types
Auto (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Provider type
Insurer (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Monthly payments
Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Excess from
£250 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Cover limit
General liability: $300,000 to $2,000,000 limits (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Claims channels
Online, Phone (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
Hiscox Insurance Company Limited (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
Bermuda (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Founded
1901 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Pricing model
Monthly

Pros and cons

Pros

  • An indemnity limit of £10,000,000 ranks 1 of 11 brands on this comparison, so the cover on paper is deeper than most of the field.
  • Hiscox is an insurer, so the risk stays with the company that writes the policy rather than with a broker such as WeddingPlan Insurance or a comparison site such as EverQuote.
  • Monthly payments are available, and monthly is the payment model listed, so cash flow follows the month rather than the renewal date.
  • The lines under public liability, professional indemnity and employers liability let a small firm look at public liability, professional indemnity, employers liability and cyber with the same provider.

Cons

  • The excess starts at £250, so a small claim leaves more of the bill with the business than a policy with a lower excess would.
  • The entry premium of £7.20 sits above the median premium across the brands compared here, which is €8.37, so Hiscox is not the value pick at the starting price.
  • The insurance type listed is auto alone, so a firm that wants motor cover in the same place has to look elsewhere for it.
  • Support runs on phone and help centre only, which leaves you without a listed email address or live chat route for day to day questions.
Hiscox

Ready to try Hiscox?

Scored 9.3 / 10 by AssureCue.

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Who it suits

  • Consultants, contractors, IT freelancers, the self-employed and tradesmen, the industries Hiscox names for its business cover.
  • Small firms that want depth on paper, since the indemnity limit of £10,000,000 ranks 1 of 11 brands here.
  • Businesses that would rather spread the cost, since monthly payments are available on the monthly model.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Readers shopping purely on entry price, because Hiscox UK quotes £5.20 against £7.20 for this brand.
  • Firms that would rather have a broker place the cover, since WeddingPlan Insurance is a broker and handles the placement instead.
  • People who want many insurers screened in a single search, since EverQuote is a comparison site rather than an underwriter.

Cover and limits

The insurance type listed for this provider is auto, which places Hiscox in the vehicle cover category rather than among the business lines it writes for small firms. The liability cover runs at General liability: $300,000 to $2,000,000 limits, so the amount a claim can reach depends on where in that range the policy is set. Treat any limit as a ceiling on what the insurer will pay, not as a prediction of what a claim will cost you, and check whether a client contract or a professional body expects a particular point inside that range before you buy.

Price signals

Business cover is quoted from a premium of £7.20, and that figure moves with your trade, the limit you choose and the volume of work on the books. The excess starts at £250, which is the share of any claim that never reaches the insurer. Monthly payments are available, so the premium can be spread across the year instead of landing as a single bill when cover starts. Price a policy on the excess as well as the premium, because together they decide what a claim really costs you.

How your money is protected

Hiscox is an insurer, so the company named on the policy is the company that holds the risk and pays the claim, with no intermediary placed in between. The UK regulator is listed as the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority, and the reference is 113849. Premiums you hand over sit with that insurer while the policy runs, and the licence reference is the quickest way to confirm the firm behind a quote before any money moves.

Who regulates the provider

The listed regulator is the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority, and the UK reference is 113849. Hiscox is an insurer rather than an intermediary, so the firm you deal with and the firm that answers a claim are the same organisation. That matters before you sign, because questions on terms, excess and renewal go straight to the underwriter. Quote the reference whenever you want to check a licence detail or raise a concern.

How Hiscox compares

Where Hiscox is available

Available
United Kingdom
Licence in United Kingdom
Prudential Regulation Authority / Financial Conduct Authority (113849), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does Hiscox business cover start at?+

Business cover is quoted from a premium of £7.20. The median premium across the brands compared here is €8.37, so the headline figure sits above the middle. Your own price will move with your trade, the limit you choose and the volume of work you handle.

What is the excess on a Hiscox claim?+

The excess starts at £250, which is the amount a claim leaves you to cover before the insurer steps in. A policy priced at £7.20 can still cost more than a dearer rival if the excess is set high, so read both figures together before you choose.

Can I pay for Hiscox cover monthly?+

Yes. Monthly payments are available, and monthly is the payment model listed for this provider. That matters when cash flow is tight, because the premium can be spread rather than settled in a single payment when the policy starts or renews.

How much cover can I buy?+

The indemnity limit listed is £10,000,000, which is the ceiling on what the insurer will pay on a covered claim. On this comparison that figure ranks 1 of 11 brands, and the median limit across the brands here is €3,486,547.74.

Is Hiscox an insurer or a broker?+

Hiscox is an insurer, so the company that quotes the policy is the company that carries the risk and settles the claim. A broker such as WeddingPlan Insurance places cover on behalf of an insurer instead, and a comparison site such as EverQuote only compares providers.

Who regulates Hiscox in the UK?+

The listed regulator is the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority, and the reference is 113849. Use that reference to check the register before you pay a premium, and read the wording of the document to see which entity your policy names.

How do I make a claim with Hiscox?+

Claims can be started through online and phone, so a claim can be opened online or by phone. Support itself runs on phone and help centre, which gives you a phone line and a help centre to work with while the claim is being handled.

Is Hiscox aimed at small businesses and freelancers?+

The industries listed are consultants, contractors, IT, freelancers, the self-employed and tradesmen. The lines under public liability, professional indemnity and employers liability cover public liability, professional indemnity, employers liability and cyber, so a small firm can review the policies its trade actually needs.

Which company would I be contracting with?+

The listed legal entity is Hiscox Insurance Company Limited, a company founded in 1901 and headquartered in Bermuda. The UK licence sits with the regulated entity, so check the document wording to see which company your policy actually names.

Sources

Compiled from 9 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Hiscox

Hiscox

Freelancers and small consultancies who want a high indemnity limit and can pay monthly.

9.3/10See alternatives

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