Do Caravan Parks Need Employers’ Liability Insurance?

Caravan parks are people-heavy businesses. Even small sites rely on wardens, cleaners, grounds staff, maintenance contractors, seasonal workers, and sometimes family members who “help out”. That mix of hands-on work, public access, vehicles, tools, and outdoor conditions creates a real risk of staff injury or illness.

So, do caravan parks need employers’ liability (EL) insurance? In most cases, yes — and for many parks it’s not just a sensible protection, it’s a legal requirement.

This guide explains when EL is required, what counts as an employee, the grey areas that catch park owners out, typical claims, and how to set up cover that actually matches how your park operates.

What is Employers’ Liability insurance?

Employers’ liability insurance covers your legal liability if an employee is injured or becomes ill because of their work for you. It typically pays for:

• Compensation awarded to the employee (or their family)

• Legal defence costs

• Claimant’s legal costs (where you are liable)

• Settlements agreed by insurers

It’s different from public liability insurance, which covers injury to members of the public (guests, visitors, suppliers) and damage to third-party property.

For caravan parks, EL is often arranged as part of a wider caravan park insurance or commercial combined policy, alongside public liability, property cover, business interruption, and other sections.

Is Employers’ Liability insurance a legal requirement for caravan parks?

In the UK, employers’ liability insurance is generally required by law under the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 if you employ anyone.

That includes many caravan park roles such as:

• Park managers and wardens

• Reception and admin staff

• Cleaners and housekeeping

• Grounds maintenance and gardening staff

• Maintenance engineers and handymen

• Bar, restaurant, or shop staff (if you have on-site facilities)

• Entertainment staff (seasonal acts employed by you)

• Security staff employed directly

If you employ staff, you normally must have EL insurance with a minimum cover level of £5 million (most insurers provide £10 million as standard).

What happens if you don’t have it?

If you’re required to have EL insurance and you don’t, you can face:

• Fines (potentially significant, per day)

• Enforcement action

• Difficulty defending claims (you pay legal costs and compensation yourself)

• Contract issues (many suppliers and local authorities require evidence)

Who counts as an “employee” on a caravan park?

This is where many park owners get caught out. It’s not only full-time PAYE staff.

You may need EL insurance if you use:

• Part-time staff

• Seasonal staff (summer, school holidays)

• Casual workers

• Apprentices and trainees

• Volunteers (in some circumstances)

• Labour-only subcontractors

• Agency workers (depending on arrangements)

The key question is usually whether you have a duty of care and a level of control over how the work is done.

Family members “helping out”

If a spouse, partner, or family member helps with cleaning, reception, or maintenance, they may still be treated as an employee for EL purposes — even if informal or unpaid. If they’re injured and claim, the lack of EL can become a serious problem.

Labour-only subcontractors vs bona fide contractors

Caravan parks often use trades such as electricians, plumbers, gas engineers, landscapers, and general maintenance.

• Bona fide contractors: They run their own business, supply their own tools, control how they work, and carry their own insurance. You still have duties as the site operator, but EL may not apply to them.

• Labour-only subcontractors: They work under your direction, often using your equipment, and are effectively treated like employees. EL usually needs to cover them.

This distinction matters because many claims arise from routine maintenance tasks: ladder work, power tools, lifting, vehicle movements, and working around guests.

What about self-employed park wardens?

Some parks engage wardens as “self-employed” or on a licence arrangement. If you set their hours, direct their tasks, and they work like staff, insurers and courts may treat them as employees for liability purposes.

If in doubt, it’s safer to disclose the arrangement to your broker/insurer and ensure EL is in place.

Common Employers’ Liability claims on caravan parks

Caravan parks combine hospitality, facilities management, and outdoor work — a mix that produces predictable injury patterns. Typical EL claims include:

Slips, trips, and falls

• Wet floors in shower blocks and laundrettes

• Uneven ground, potholes, and poorly maintained paths

• Slips during cleaning tasks

• Trips over hoses, cables, and equipment

Manual handling injuries

• Moving gas bottles (LPG)

• Lifting refuse sacks and bins

• Handling cleaning supplies and linen

• Moving furniture in lodges or reception areas

• Loading/unloading deliveries for on-site shops

Back, shoulder, and repetitive strain injuries can lead to long-tail claims.

Grounds maintenance accidents

• Injuries from strimmers, mowers, and chainsaws

• Flying debris causing eye injuries

• Cuts and lacerations from hand tools

• Falls while trimming hedges or trees

Vehicle and plant incidents

• Collisions involving site buggies, tractors, or utility vehicles

• Reversing accidents in storage areas

• Injuries while towing or moving caravans

Even at low speeds, these incidents can cause serious harm.

Electrical and maintenance injuries

• Electric shock during repairs

• Burns from faulty equipment

• Falls from ladders during roof/gutter work

• Injuries caused by inadequate lock-off procedures

Exposure and occupational illness

• Dermatitis from cleaning chemicals

• Respiratory issues from dust, mould, or aerosols

• Illness linked to poor ventilation in plant rooms

• Stress-related claims (less common but rising)

Violence and abuse (where relevant)

If staff deal with difficult guests, alcohol service, or enforcement of site rules, there can be incidents involving aggression. EL can respond where the employer is alleged to have failed in duty of care (training, staffing levels, security measures).

Employers’ Liability vs Public Liability: why you usually need both

A caravan park has two main liability exposures:

• Public liability: guests, visitors, delivery drivers, contractors, members of the public

• Employers’ liability: staff and people treated as employees

It’s common to assume public liability “covers everything”. It doesn’t. If a cleaner slips in the shower block, that’s an EL issue. If a guest slips, that’s public liability.

Many caravan park policies bundle both, but you should check:

• EL is included and active

• The wage roll and staff numbers are accurate

• Any subcontractor arrangements are declared

How much Employers’ Liability cover do caravan parks need?

The legal minimum is typically £5 million, but most insurers provide £10 million as standard. For caravan parks, £10 million is often appropriate because:

• Claims can involve life-changing injuries

• Legal costs can be substantial

• Multiple claimants can arise from one incident (rare, but possible)

If you have larger staffing levels, multiple sites, or higher-risk activities (e.g., adventure playgrounds, water activities, events), your broker may recommend higher limits or additional covers.

What information will insurers ask for?

To price and structure EL cover, insurers usually want a clear picture of your operations. Expect questions such as:

• Number of employees (full-time, part-time, seasonal)

• Total annual wage roll

• Roles and duties (cleaning, maintenance, security, hospitality)

• Use of subcontractors and whether they are labour-only

• Any staff accommodation on site

• Health & safety arrangements (risk assessments, training, PPE)

• Claims history

• Any higher-risk activities or facilities

Being accurate matters. Understating wage roll or failing to mention seasonal peaks can cause problems at claim time.

Practical steps to reduce EL risk (and improve premiums)

Insurers like well-run sites. A few practical controls can reduce accidents and help you present the risk better:

• Written risk assessments for cleaning, maintenance, grounds work, and vehicle movements

• Manual handling training and use of trolleys/handling aids

• Clear procedures for working at height (ladders, roof access, fall prevention)

• PPE policies (gloves, eye protection, hearing protection)

• Chemical handling and COSHH assessments for cleaning products

• Routine inspection logs for paths, potholes, lighting, and handrails

• Vehicle safety rules (speed limits, reversing procedures, designated routes)

• Contractor management: check their insurance, RAMS (risk assessments and method statements), and competence

These steps don’t remove the need for EL — but they can reduce claims and demonstrate good governance.

Special situations for caravan parks

Seasonal staffing and peak periods

Many parks scale up quickly in spring and summer. That’s exactly when:

• New starters are less familiar with the site

• Workloads increase

• Temporary staff may be less trained

Make sure your EL policy reflects seasonal headcount and wage roll, and that inductions are documented.

On-site bars, cafés, shops, and entertainment

If you run hospitality facilities, your EL exposure expands to include:

• Kitchen risks (burns, cuts, slips)

• Cellar work and keg handling

• Late-night incidents and fatigue

• Cash handling and potential confrontation

Tell your insurer about these operations so staff duties are correctly classified.

Play areas, pools, and activities

These are often thought of as public liability risks, but there’s also EL exposure for staff supervising, maintaining equipment, and handling chemicals (e.g., pool plant rooms).

Maintenance of gas and electrical systems

If you have staff doing basic checks, cylinder handling, or minor repairs, insurers may want to understand competence and whether specialist contractors are used for regulated work.

Do you need Employers’ Liability if you only use contractors?

Possibly not — but it depends on the reality of the working relationship.

If you truly have no employees and only use bona fide contractors who:

• Work independently

• Provide their own tools

• Carry their own public liability (and professional indemnity where relevant)

• Control how and when they work

…then EL may not be legally required.

However, many caravan parks still end up needing EL because:

• They use cleaners or wardens directly

• They use labour-only subcontractors

• They have family members working informally

• They use seasonal casual staff

Also, even if EL isn’t required, some insurers package it into a policy as standard because the boundary can be hard to police.

How Employers’ Liability claims are investigated

If a staff member is injured and alleges negligence, insurers and solicitors will look at:

• Training and supervision records

• Maintenance logs and inspection schedules

• Risk assessments and method statements

• Incident reports and witness statements

• CCTV (where available)

• PPE provision and enforcement

• Whether the task was appropriate for the person’s competence

Good documentation can be the difference between a defended claim and a costly settlement.

What to check in your policy wording

Not all EL sections are identical. For caravan parks, pay attention to:

• Who is insured: employees, labour-only subcontractors, volunteers, work experience

• Territorial limits: usually UK, but check if staff travel off-site

• Indemnity limit: £5m vs £10m

• Exclusions: certain high-risk activities, asbestos, deliberate acts

• Definition of employee: can vary across insurers

• Contractors: conditions around verifying their insurance

If you operate multiple parks, check whether the policy covers all locations and whether wage roll is split by site.

How to arrange Employers’ Liability insurance for a caravan park

The simplest route is usually a specialist caravan park or leisure policy that includes:

• Employers’ liability

• Public liability

• Property cover (buildings, contents, plant)

• Business interruption

• Money cover (if you take cash)

• Legal expenses (optional)

• Cyber cover (if you take online bookings and store customer data)

A broker who understands leisure and hospitality risks can help you avoid common gaps — especially around seasonal staffing, subcontractors, and mixed-use premises.

Quick answer: do caravan parks need Employers’ Liability insurance?

• If you employ anyone (including part-time or seasonal staff), you almost certainly need EL insurance.

• If you use labour-only subcontractors or have family members working under your direction, you may still need it.

• If you only use genuine independent contractors and have no employees, EL may not be legally required — but you should confirm based on your exact setup.

Talk to a specialist (CTA)

If you run a caravan park and want to be confident you’re meeting legal requirements and protecting your business, it’s worth getting your policy checked.

Insure24 can review your staffing setup, contractor arrangements, and on-site facilities, then recommend employers’ liability and wider caravan park cover that fits how you actually operate.

Call 0330 127 2333 or request a quote via insure24.co.uk.