A practical summer insurance and risk management guide for members of the British Institute of Innkeeping

Pub insurance guidance for summer trading

How to safeguard your people, income and reputation in the months ahead.

Summer trading creates excellent opportunities for your business – from outdoor service to extended hours and live events. While these can drive higher footfall and increased revenue, they also heighten the risk of incidents. This is why understanding your key exposures and maintaining strong control measures is essential.

There’s no such thing as giving too much information when it comes to your insurance.

Any changes to your usual working practices should be discussed with your insurer or broker in advance, including:

• Additional outdoor seating
• Live entertainment
• Summer fetes
• Outdoor cooking, such as BBQs
• Large scale events, from afternoon gatherings to full weekend festivals

Early conversations help ensure your cover remains accurate and avoids any gaps in protection.

To simplify your summer planning, we’ve outlined key business considerations that may require input from your insurer or broker. 

FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026

This summer’s Men’s World Cup held across Canada, Mexico, and the United States will result in some unusual kick-off times in the UK.

The UK Government has confirmed that pubs in England and Wales will benefit from extended licensing hours to accommodate key matches without the need for a Temporary Events Notice.

Under the proposed Licensing Hours Order, venues will be allowed to extend opening hours for the sale of alcohol on the premises during the later stages of the tournament, provided a Home Nation team (England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland) is playing. The extensions will apply as follows:

• Until 01:00 for any quarter final, semi final, or the final if the match kicks off at or before 21:00 (BST)
• Until 02:00 for any quarter final with a 22:00 (BST) kick off
• Matches starting after 22:00 (BST) will not fall within the scope of this relaxation and will therefore require a TEN if premises wish to open later

Although a Temporary Events Notice isn’t required, insurers may still expect you to discuss any late openings or planned events in advance. We recommend contacting your insurer or broker as soon as you become aware of any changes to your opening hours.

Fetes

Summer fetes are a British tradition come rain or shine, but if you’re hosting one at your premises, or attending one at a third-party location, there are some things to consider.

If you’re hosting a fete with third-party stallholders, you should ensure the latter have their own Public Liability insurance to cover against anything from a collapsing table causing injury, to a member of public tripping over the stallholder’s stand or being injured by a product sold by the third party.

If your business attends a fete with a pop-up bar or that’s providing a catering service, you should discuss this with your broker in advance. You may require the policy to be extended to cover contents, stock, and/or employees working away from the premises.

Outdoor seating

If you’re looking to extend your outdoor seating to the pavement or third-party grounds such as a green over the road from the premises, you’re likely to require either a pavement licence from the local authority or permission from the local parish council.

The local authority often asks for proof of insurance with an endorsement specifically noting the cover. They may also ask you to increase your Public Liability cover to £10,000,000. Your broker will be able to assist with these requests.

Outdoor cooking

With prior agreement, most insurers will permit outdoor cooking under your existing policy, provided it aligns with your declared business activities and meets certain conditions. However, you should always notify your broker before carrying out this activity.

Marquees

If you’re hiring a marquee, it’s important to understand exactly what’s included in the hire, such as installation, cover for any damage while it’s on your property, and liability protection. Your insurer will also require full details of the marquee, including its size, location, duration of hire, and who is responsible for it while it’s on your premises.

Inflatables

Most insurance policies do not automatically include cover for bouncy castles or similar inflatables. These typically require a separate policy, and ideally the hire company should provide appropriate cover. If the equipment is owned by you, it will need to be insured under a standalone policy.

Preparation for events

When arranging any of the above events or if there are changes to your normal working practices, you should always carry out a risk assessment and have this available for your broker or insurer.  elements to consider are:

Event preparation checklist:

• Event capacity
• Site safety – check for trip hazards, potholes, adequate lighting, and availability of first aider
• Fire safety – particularly for any outdoor cooking
• Third party stallholders – confirm they carry their own insurance – where relevant, ensure they have a valid hygiene rating
• House rules – displayed clearly and in accessible locations
• CCTV – ensure coverage of high traffic and high risk areas
• Staff briefings – conduct a briefing before each event
• Crowd management – ensure appropriate plans and staffing are in place
• Emergency plan – have a clear and communicated procedure in case of an incident

Underinsurance is a serious risk… all year round

In the insurance world, there are a few reassuring phrases you want to hear when you need to submit or follow up on a claim – such as ‘Your claim has been successful’ or ‘Your claim has been paid.’ These responses indicate that your cover was appropriate, helping to ease the stress and uncertainty that can come with making a claim.

But what if your first communication after property theft or damage, or a case accident, is something along the lines of “It seems you were underinsured”. That’s never the start of good news.

Underinsurance means not taking out insurance to the right level. Or put another way, taking out insurance at a level that’s simply not enough to cover what you wanted it to.

To help prevent your business from being underinsured, here are some proactive steps you can take to ensure your business is adequately covered.

More than 400 of our members have already chosen us to protect what matters most to them – their people, their income, and their reputation.