An Irish online seller may distribute third-party goods, import products or create an own-label range. Comparing insurance requires an accurate account of those roles and the countries in which customers receive products.
The decision that deserves the closest review
List categories, suppliers, quality checks and marketplace contract requirements. Ask how exports and jurisdiction terms are handled, and whether recall costs or replacement stock need separate cover. Verify the adviser’s status using Irish registers.
A hypothetical example
A seller begins shipping an own-brand product outside Ireland. It obtains written confirmation of the accepted product and destination before treating a domestic policy certificate as a complete answer.
Products and supply-chain responsibility
Product liability and product recall should be assessed separately. Claims concerning injury or damage, replacing defective goods and organising a withdrawal can have different triggers and exclusions. Describe the business’s role in the supply chain.
Premiums, excesses and usable cover
Request quotations using the same business description, required limits and relevant dates. Put the annual premium, any instalment charges, excesses and important sublimits in one comparison. A cheaper premium can represent a different transfer of risk rather than the same cover at a better price.
| Comparison item | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Product range and supplier responsibilities | Are destination countries accepted? |
| Own-brand and importer status | Does the wording address the seller’s supply-chain role? |
| Customer countries and marketplace contracts | Are recall costs insured separately? |
Request the proposed wording and schedule, not just a price or certificate. Mark any difference that affects a real activity before deciding whether the premium saving is worthwhile.
Prepare an accurate insurance enquiry
Give each adviser a consistent description of the activities being insured. Include important contracts, changes since the previous enquiry and matters the insurer asks you to disclose. Do not guess answers merely to obtain a faster or cheaper quote; ask for clarification when the proposal wording is unclear.
Explain Irish trading and overseas product destinations
Identify goods the seller imports, own-brand products and goods resold without alteration. Show the destinations served and any platform or distributor handling fulfilment. The enquiry should describe the seller’s place in the supply chain rather than rely only on the address of its Irish business.
Compare proposals using a representative allegation in an actual destination market. Ask how liability, withdrawal expenses and platform requirements are treated separately. If the product range or export market changes, establish the process for obtaining confirmation before relying on the previous accepted description.
For an Irish business, confirm the accepted activities and territories against the actual Irish quotation and schedule.
A mistake to avoid
Treating EU sales as automatically identical to every other sales territory under the policy.
Check what happens after the policy starts
Ask who to contact when activities change or a potential claim arises. Understand the notification and consent process before arranging repairs, appointing specialists or settling a complaint. At renewal, compare the new documents with the accepted business description; continuity of a familiar brand does not prove continuity of every term.
Questions before choosing
Does the platform insure the seller?
Read the platform contract and compare the seller’s own obligations; do not assume another organisation’s insurance belongs to the seller.
Does an Irish business address mean all overseas sales are accepted?
Check the goods, destinations and relevant territorial terms. The location of the seller alone does not establish the scope of every product-related proposal.
Sources and further reading
Research date: 6 October 2026. Refer to the current linked guidance and written provider or adviser terms when making a decision.