Disclosure: This article was written by Shaun McManus, licensee of Teal Farm Pub in Washington, Tyne and Wear. It contains affiliate links to Premierline Business Insurance. If you purchase a policy via our link we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. All figures referenced are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial or insurance advice. Always review policy terms before purchasing.
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or insurance advice. Always obtain a personalised quote and review policy terms before purchasing.
Introduction
I’ve been running Teal Farm Pub in Washington, Tyne and Wear for years now, and pub business interruption insurance is one of those covers that most landlords either ignore completely or overpay for massively. The reason? Most don’t know that tied tenants have legal rights under the Pubs Code to find their own insurance, and the default provider quotes are almost always higher than what you’ll find through a broker like Premierline.
When I needed to review my pub business interruption insurance cover in 2026, I used Premierline to compare quotes from multiple insurers instead of accepting the tied rent company’s standard offer. The difference in price and flexibility was significant enough that I wanted to write this honest review for other pub landlords facing the same decision.
This article covers what pub business interruption insurance actually is, whether you need it, what Premierline offers, and whether it’s worth your time to get a quote. I’m writing this as an actual operator, not a corporate insurance person, so the guidance is based on real pub insurance guide UK experience running under a Marston’s Community Retail Partnership.
What Is Premierline Business Insurance?
Premierline is a UK business insurance broker specialising in small and medium businesses. They don’t underwrite policies themselves—instead, they compare quotes from leading UK insurers including Allianz, Aviva, Hiscox, and Zurich, and then present you with the best match for your circumstances.
For pub landlords specifically, this means you can get business interruption insurance quotes tailored to licensed premises—which is important because standard commercial policies often don’t understand the specific risks pubs face (loss of trade during renovations, tie-up with supplier relationships, seasonal variation, etc.).
The process is straightforward. You provide details about your pub—turnover, location, cover requirements—and Premierline generates quotes from multiple insurers in minutes. You can do this entirely online or speak to an expert advisor if you prefer to talk it through. They’re used by thousands of UK businesses including pubs, restaurants, shops, and tradesmen, so they understand the sector.
Pricing varies significantly depending on your pub’s turnover, location, and specific cover needs, so you’ll always need a personalised quote rather than relying on generic figures. This is actually where Premierline’s value shows—comparing five insurers manually would take hours; they do it for you in under an hour.
Premierline Business Insurance Pros and Cons
Pros
- Multi-insurer comparison in minutes. Instead of ringing Allianz, then Aviva, then Hiscox separately, Premierline generates quotes from all of them at once. For a pub landlord juggling the bar, staffing, and ordering, this saves real time.
- Licensed premises expertise. They understand pubs specifically. That matters because a generic commercial broker won’t necessarily flag that your business interruption cover needs to account for kitchen equipment breakdowns, supply chain delays, or loss of licence implications. Premierline’s team has worked with enough pubs to ask the right questions.
- Pubs Code compliance awareness. As a tied tenant, you have the legal right to arrange your own insurance under the Pubs Code. Most brokers don’t mention this; Premierline does. This alone can save you hundreds of pounds annually because tied rent company quotes are typically 30-50% higher than broker quotes.
- Flexible cover options. You’re not forced into a one-size-fits-all package. If you only want core business interruption cover and not loss of licence protection, Premierline can find quotes that match exactly what you need—or layer additional cover if you want it. This control is crucial for tight margins.
- Online quote process is genuinely simple. The form doesn’t ask pointless questions. You input pub turnover, location, number of staff, and cover type. You’ll have quotes within 10 minutes. No phone call required unless you want one.
- Access to specialist underwriters. Some of the insurers Premierline compares (like Hiscox for hospitality) have underwriters who specifically understand pub risks. Going direct to a generic provider, you might not reach that specialist team.
Cons
- You still need to review policy wording carefully. Premierline generates quotes, but the legwork of actually reading the policy terms falls on you. Business interruption cover in particular has lots of exclusions and waiting periods—you need to understand what you’re buying. There’s no way around this, but it does mean a quote from Premierline is a starting point, not a finished product. My recommendation: once you’ve chosen a quote, spend 20 minutes reading the key coverage section and exclusions document before you buy.
- No explicit comparison table on their site. When you’re comparing Premierline to other brokers, they don’t publish a side-by-side breakdown of which insurers they work with versus competitors. You have to request a quote to see the full list. For transparency-focused buyers, this can feel slightly opaque, though the quote process itself is clear enough.
- Phone advisor availability can be slow during peak times. If you’re ringing in September or October (renewal season), you might wait 15-20 minutes. This isn’t a dealbreaker—the online process is faster anyway—but if you prefer talking to someone, timing matters.
- Quotes expire after 30 days. If you get a quote and sit on it for six weeks, you’ll need to request a new one. This is standard across the industry, but it does mean you can’t take your time mulling it over indefinitely. That said, most pub insurance renewals come with at least 30 days’ notice, so this usually isn’t an issue in practice.
The cons here are minor and manageable. None of them are reasons to avoid Premierline—they’re just realities of how insurance broking works. The first con (policy wording) applies to every broker equally. The others are workflow niggles, not failures.
Comparison Table: Premierline vs Competitors
| Premierline Business Insurance | Direct365 | Hiscox (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-insurer comparison (Allianz, Aviva, Hiscox, Zurich, others) | Single underwriter only | Single underwriter only |
| Online quote in under 10 minutes | Online quote in 5-10 minutes | Online quote in 10-15 minutes |
| Pub-specific expertise included | General SME focus | Good hospitality expertise |
| Phone advisor support available | Phone support available | Phone support available |
| Access to specialist underwriters via broker | No broker intermediary | Direct only |
| Tied tenant Pubs Code rights guidance | Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
| Typical renewal complexity: Low (broker handles queries) | Medium (you handle queries with insurer) | Medium (you handle queries with insurer) |
Premierline wins because you’re not restricted to one insurer’s appetite for pub risk. If Hiscox offers the best rate one year but Aviva the next, Premierline finds both. Direct providers lock you into their underwriting criteria—which is fine if they like your pub, but restrictive if your risk profile doesn’t suit their appetite.
Who Is Premierline Business Insurance Best For?
Tied pub tenants renewing insurance under a Pubs Code agreement. This is the primary audience. If you’re operating under a Marston’s, Punch Taverns, or Admiral Taverns agreement, you have the legal right to arrange your own insurance. Most tied tenants don’t use this right and overpay as a result. Premierline specifically acknowledges this, making them the obvious choice for tied operators.
Free-of-tie pub owners wanting to compare multiple quotes without the legwork. If you own your pub outright, you’re not forced to use a specific insurer. Ringing five insurers takes two hours minimum. Premierline does it in 10 minutes. The time saving alone justifies using them.
Pub landlords with non-standard risk profiles. If your pub has a late licence (until 4 AM), runs events, has a restaurant kitchen, or operates on a Marston’s Community Retail Partnership like I do, standard quotes often don’t fit. Premierline’s access to specialist underwriters means you’ll get accurate cover and pricing rather than generic assumptions.
Business owners new to insurance who want guidance, not just a quote. If this is your first time arranging pub insurance independently, the Premierline advisors can walk you through what business interruption actually covers, what waiting periods mean, and which cover options matter most. This is worth the cost of a phone call alone.
Multi-unit operators managing several properties. If you run two or three pubs, getting separate quotes from each is a nightmare. Premierline handles all of them, and often finds volume discounts across multiple policies.
Anyone comparing cost and cover simultaneously. You might find a cheaper quote elsewhere, but Premierline’s advantage is that they’re comparing apples to apples across multiple insurers at once. That level of transparency is rare, and it’s why thousands of UK businesses—especially hospitality—use them. Find the right business insurance cover and see what options are actually available to you.
How to Get Started with Premierline Business Insurance
- Go to Find the right business insurance cover and create your free account. You’ll need an email address and basic details. No payment required at this stage.
- Enter your pub details. Business name, address, turnover (approximate is fine), number of staff, and what cover types you need. If you’re unsure which covers you need, the form has guidance—but business interruption specifically is worth asking about if you’re not certain.
- Specify business interruption cover requirements. Indicate the waiting period you want (30 days is common, but you can choose 7, 14, 30, or 60+), the cover period length (usually 12 months), and any specific risks you want included (e.g., supplier failure, key person loss, equipment breakdown).
- Review quotes from multiple insurers. Premierline will generate quotes typically within 10 minutes. You’ll see prices, cover levels, excess amounts, and policy highlights side-by-side. Read the key facts document for each quote before comparing.
- Ring the advisor if you have questions, or proceed online to purchase. Once you’ve chosen a quote, you can buy entirely online or call an advisor to discuss terms. If you’re buying, review the full policy wording before confirming—this is non-negotiable for business interruption insurance.
The entire process from start to decision typically takes 30-45 minutes. If you’ve never done this before, allow an extra 15 minutes for reading guidance on what each cover type means.
Frequently Asked Questions About Premierline Business Insurance
What exactly does pub business interruption insurance cover?
Business interruption insurance covers loss of profit if your pub has to close temporarily due to a covered event—fire, flood, gas explosion, supply chain failure, or equipment breakdown. It typically reimburses the gross profit you’d have made during the closure period. Some policies also cover loss of licence (if you lose your premises licence for regulatory reasons). Get a business insurance quote today to see exactly what your policy would cover.
Is business interruption insurance actually worth it for a small pub?
Yes, if you’re trading with tight margins. A forced closure of even two weeks without insurance means two weeks of zero income—rent, staff costs, and suppliers still need paying. For pubs turning over £150k+ annually, one unexpected closure of 21 days could cost you £6,000+ in lost profit. Insurance premiums are typically £30-80 per month, making the breakeven point very short. For smaller pubs under £80k turnover, it’s optional but still worth considering.
Do I have to use my tied rent company’s insurance?
No. Under the Pubs Code, tied tenants have the legal right to arrange their own insurance. Your tied rent company can’t force you to use their provider. Most tied tenants don’t know this and accept the company’s quote by default—which typically costs 30-50% more than broker quotes. This is one of the biggest cost-saving opportunities available to you as a tied operator. Premierline specifically helps tied tenants exercise this right.
What’s the difference between a 30-day and 60-day waiting period?
The waiting period (or excess) is how long your pub must be closed before the insurance pays out. A 30-day waiting period means the first 30 days of closure aren’t covered—you claim from day 31 onward. A 60-day excess means you cover the first two months yourself. Longer waiting periods = lower premiums. For most pubs, a 30-day excess is the standard choice. Get a business insurance quote today and you’ll see how waiting period length affects your price.
How much will business interruption insurance cost for my pub?
Pricing varies significantly based on turnover, location, and cover type. A pub turning over £200k might pay £400-700 annually; one at £400k might pay £700-1,200. These are rough ranges only—your actual quote will depend on your specific circumstances, postcode, and which insurer you choose. The only way to know your actual cost is to request a personalised quote from Premierline. Avoid any article quoting fixed prices—they don’t exist.
Final Verdict: Is Premierline Business Insurance Worth It?
Yes. Premierline is worth using if you’re a pub landlord needing business interruption insurance or any other commercial cover. The reason is simple: they compare multiple insurers at once, they understand the pub sector specifically, and they can help tied tenants exercise their Pubs Code rights to find cheaper quotes than their tied rent company offers.
The process is faster than ringing insurers individually, the quotes are transparent and comparable, and the cover options are flexible enough to match real pub needs rather than generic assumptions. I’ve used them for my own renewals at Teal Farm Pub, and the quotes consistently beat what I’d get direct from individual insurers.
The only caveat is that a quote from Premierline is a starting point, not a finished product. You still need to read the policy terms, understand what the waiting period means, and decide whether the cover actually fits your situation. That’s not Premierline’s fault—it’s true for every insurance purchase. But it’s a step you can’t skip.
If you’re renewing pub insurance in 2026, especially if you’re tied and haven’t exercised your Pubs Code rights yet, Find the right business insurance cover and get a personalised quote. You’ll see in minutes whether you’re currently overpaying—and most tied tenants are.
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