Hard-to-place SME cover

Non-standard business insurance

Specialist business insurance for UK firms that do not fit standard online schemes, including unusual trades, new ventures, prior financial issues, imports, exports and work at height.

Start a business insurance quote Speak to a specialist
Unusual trades New ventures Imports and exports Prior disclosures

Who this page is for

Main hub for businesses that have been declined, restricted or pushed into referral because the trade, history or activity does not fit a standard insurer appetite.

Standard small business insurance journeys often rely on tidy trade categories and simple underwriting assumptions. A non-standard business may need a clearer presentation of its activity, controls, claims history, finances, products, premises and subcontractor exposure before an insurer can decide whether to quote.

Who we can help

  • Small businesses with unusual or combined trades.
  • New ventures without a long trading history.
  • Firms with prior bankruptcy, liquidation, CCJs or other financial issues to disclose.
  • Businesses where directors, partners or key people have relevant convictions to declare.
  • Importers, exporters, online sellers and distributors of unusual products.
  • Contractors carrying out height work, installation work or other higher-risk manual activities.

What insurers usually need

  • Exact trade description and the split of turnover by activity.
  • Public liability, products liability, employers' liability and property requirements.
  • Director history, business history, claims history and any previous declinatures.
  • Manual work, subcontractor use, work at height, hot works, tools, plant and goods in transit.
  • Product source, destination markets, quality controls, instructions, recalls and contractual responsibilities.

Placement notes

  • A clear business description often matters more than forcing the risk into the nearest generic trade label.
  • Non-standard does not always mean uninsurable, but it usually means the insurer needs context before pricing.
  • Disclosure should be handled carefully, especially around prior financial issues, convictions, exports and unusual products.

Why disclosure matters

  • A product supplied by an online seller causes injury and the insurer needs to understand sourcing, labelling, quality checks and recall controls.
  • A contractor has a mixed trade profile and a claim turns on whether the higher-risk activity was disclosed at placement.
  • A new venture suffers a theft or liability claim before it has built a trading record, making the original underwriting file important.

Related non-standard insurance pages

Hard to place business insuranceBusiness insurance for UK SMEs that have been declined, referred or restricted by standard markets because of trade, claims, disclosures, premises or unusual activities. Business insurance with criminal convictionsGuidance and quote support for business insurance where directors, partners or key people need to disclose relevant criminal convictions or related history. Business insurance after bankruptcy or liquidationBusiness insurance support for UK firms where bankruptcy, liquidation, insolvency, CCJs or previous financial difficulty needs to be disclosed to insurers. New venture business insuranceBusiness insurance for new ventures, start-ups and first-year trading businesses that need liability, property, stock, tools, products or employers' liability cover. Unusual trades business insuranceInsurance for unusual trades, niche SMEs and businesses that combine activities standard insurer trade lists do not describe accurately. Unusual products business insuranceInsurance for businesses selling, importing, making or distributing unusual products where product liability, recall, stock, labelling and overseas sourcing need review. Import export business insuranceBusiness insurance for importers, exporters, wholesalers, online sellers and distributors with overseas suppliers, overseas customers or cross-border product exposure. Work at height business insuranceInsurance for contractors, installers, maintenance firms and other businesses that work at height and need liability, employers' liability, tools, plant or contract works reviewed.

Common questions

What is non-standard business insurance?

It is business insurance for companies that do not fit straightforward insurer schemes because of their trade, history, product, activity, premises, claims record or disclosure profile.

Can a business still get insurance if it has been declined elsewhere?

Sometimes yes. A declined quote does not always mean no cover is available, but the risk usually needs to be explained clearly and sent to a more suitable market.

Does Insure24 guarantee a quote for non-standard businesses?

No. Availability depends on the trade, disclosures, claims history, controls and insurer appetite. The aim is to present the risk accurately so suitable markets can review it.

What information helps with a hard-to-place business insurance quote?

Insurers usually need the trade description, turnover split, claims history, staff details, premises details, product sources, contracts, safety controls and details of any previous declinatures or disclosures.

Need a quote for a non-standard business?

Tell us what the business really does, what has made it hard to place, and what cover you need. We will review the details and route the enquiry to suitable commercial insurance markets where possible.

Start a business insurance quote