Distillery Insurance UK

• Buildings, contents & the still — A production still can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds to replace, so insure the plant for its full reinstatement cost.
• Stock — including duty-suspended spirit — Raw materials, work in progress, finished bottles and maturing casks, some of it held in duty suspension. Agree with the insurer how each is valued.
• Fire & explosion (flammable vapour) — Flammable vapour from high-strength spirit is the hazard the DSEAR regulations cover, and insurers will ask how you control it.
• Product & public liability — You are putting a consumable product into the market and, often, the public onto your site.
• Employers' liability — A legal requirement once you employ staff, including part-time, with minimum cover of £5m. Narrow exceptions include businesses employing only close family and companies whose only employee owns at least half of the company.
• Business interruption — Covers lost income if an insured event such as a fire halts production. Choose an indemnity period long enough to replace the still and rebuild stock, which can take well over a year. Check whether flood and breakdown are included.
• Visitor, tour & gin-school liability — Not a legal requirement, but you need it in practice if you host tours, tastings or gin-making sessions, and landlords and event partners often ask for it.
• Goods in transit & cyber — For moving stock, and for taking orders and payments online direct to consumers.

There is no flat rate: premiums depend on your stock, still, premises and visitors, and the specialist schemes we checked do not publish prices. Our rough estimates of annual premiums by size:

A micro or nano distillery has the same kinds of risk on a smaller scale (the still, stock, flammable vapour), so check that the policy names distilling as your activity. You pay less for less stock and no visitors.

Illustrative only. The only way to a real figure is a quote for your premises, stock and activities.

Expect the insurer to ask about the value of stock on site (especially maturing casks, which for a whisky distillery can reach hundreds of thousands of pounds or more), the value of your still, your premises and fire precautions, flood risk, your claims history and your visitor numbers if you run tours or a tasting room. Have those figures ready before you ask for quotes.

These brokers publish a page for distillery insurance (UK search, 28 September 2026). None of them pays us to be listed. Ask two or three for quotes on the same figures, and compare what each policy excludes, not only the premium.

• Marsh Commercial
• Partners&
• Everywhen (formerly Towergate)
• James Hallam
• Howden
• Alan Boswell Group
• Wessex Insurance Brokers (Craft Distillers scheme)