Small charity insurance
Helping you to help others
Insurance designed to make life easier for your small charity, from Markel Direct. Expert cover for organisations with an annual income of up to £250K. Cover includes public liability, employers’ liability, business interruption, trustees’ indemnity and more. If income is over £250K, please request a quote from our specialist team below.


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Partnered with Charity Finance Group
What does small charity insurance cover?
If your charity has an income of up to £250,000, get an online quote with Markel Direct that includes:
Expert support
Markel Direct understand the unique risks faced by not-for-profit organisations. Their team of experts works with thousands of charities and not-for-profit groups to help them manage these risks.
Competitive prices
They’ll always aim to provide competitive prices whilst never compromising on the quality of your cover.
Specialist cover for small charities
Markel Direct offers one seamless policy, specifically designed for charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Instant online quote
To get a quote we'll transfer you directly to Markel Direct Insurance. They’ll look after you during the quote and set-up process, and can be contacted on 0300 1345638.
What is small charity insurance?

Insurance for small charities and non-profit groups provides cover against the unique risks associated with charitable organisations and their activities.
Charities may need different types of insurance depending on what type of work they do. For example, they host regular fundraising events or work with vulnerable populations.
Charities also have a duty to care to their staff, service users and volunteers. They need to make sure they are financially protected in case things go wrong. Plus, they’ll need to fulfil legal obligations with public and employers’ liability insurance.
Who else can Endsleigh cover?

Community groups
Specialist cover for a range of community groups and activities. These include youth clubs, leisure trusts, community centres, village halls, community transport groups and more.

Large charities and not-for-profits
We have over 30 years of experience crafting custom insurance solutions for charities and non-profits. This includes coverage for buildings and contents, vehicles, business interruption, trustees' indemnity, employers' liability and public liability.

Social enterprises
We want you to have the time to focus on your social mission. So, we’ve developed products to protect you as your organisation grows. Our specialist team of account managers can provide you with expert support and advice.
Small charity insurance: FAQs
We understand that you're busy and that finding the right insurance can be a hassle. That's why we try and make the process as easy as possible. Find out more about insurance for small charities and not-for-profit groups by reading our FAQs.
Your small charity insurance cost will depend on various factors. Markel Direct will need some information about your organisation and activities to provide a quote. Examples include:
- What’s your charity’s annual turnover?
- What services does your charity provide?
- How many volunteers and employees does your charity have?
- Does your charity have any assets, such as property?
- Does your charity carry out regular risk assessments*, training programmes and inspections?
- Do your staff or volunteers have contact with vulnerable children or vulnerable adults?
*Remember, you’ll need to retain your risk assessments for evidence in the event of a claim
What covers are available for small charities?
Insurance for small charities and nonprofit groups with Markel Direct can include the following covers:
- Public liability insurance and employers' liability insurance
- Trustee indemnity insurance and professional indemnity insurance
- Property damage insurance (with the option to include business interruption insurance)
- Legal representation and employment disputes insurance
- Money and personal assault cover
- Cyber and data risks insurance
- Occupational personal accident insurance
- Fidelity insurance
Do small charities need public liability insurance?
Sadly, it’s not uncommon for people to injure themselves or cause damage to third party property.
If your charity plans to interact with the public or hold events, it may be wise to have public liability insurance. This will protect your organisation from any potential compensation claims filed by third parties.
All organisations have a responsibility to take care of their staff, volunteers and clients. They must also make sure all activities are conducted in a safe and responsible manner. This helps to prevent accidents from happening.
If this duty of care is broken, someone may end up getting hurt or having their property damaged as a result. That person can then make a claim against your organisation for the damages.
Do small charities need employers’ liability insurance?
Employers' liability insurance protects charities from financial losses in a number of situations.
For example, imagine an employee slips and injures themself in the workplace, but there were no ‘wet floor’ signs displayed. Or maybe someone develops repetitive strain injury (RSI) due to not having the right computer safety equipment. If an employee gets hurt or damages their property at work, they could file a compensation claim against the organisation.
If your organisation has employees, you are legally required to have employers' liability insurance. If you don't, you could be fined up to £2,500 per day.
This applies to anyone where there is a contract of employment in place, whether it is spoken, written or implied, including:
- Full-time staff
- Temporary and part-time staff
- Work experience and apprentices
- In some instances, volunteers (sometimes volunteers are covered by your public liability insurance)
Employers’ liability insurance also provides cover for related legal fees and costs.
Is small charity insurance a legal requirement?
Trustees have a legal ‘duty of care’ to act in a charity’s best interests. Especially when it comes to its assets, resources, service users, staff and volunteers.
There is no legal requirement for small charity insurance. However, there may be some types of coverage that your charity is legally required to have, such as employers' liability insurance.
It's important to assess the risks associated with your charity. This will help make sure you’re meeting your ‘duty of care’ and legal obligations.
If your charity's turnover is over £250K per year, we can still help. Find out more on our charity insurance page.
Interested in small charity insurance?
You might also be interested in…
Charity motor insurance
Helping your charity to avoid bumps in the road. Motor insurance designed to make life easier for not-for-profits. Extended cover is available to make sure you stay protected during the pandemic.
Charity public liability insurance
Public liability for charities, community groups and not-for-profits. Get an online quote to protect your charity from third party injury and property damage claims.
Trustees’ indemnity insurance
Financial protection for trustees, directors, governors, officers and committee members of charities, clubs, associations or not-for-profit organisations, incl. legal costs for defence and awarded damages.
Need to contact us?
Our friendly team are ready to talk to you:
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
Call us on 0333 234 1358