An importer may not manufacture goods, but its role in the supply chain still matters to a product liability enquiry. Compare policies using the products, territories and contractual responsibilities actually involved.
The decision that deserves the closest review
Describe product categories, supplier locations, quality checks and traceability. Ask how imported or own-branded goods are treated and which sales territories are accepted. Product recall expenses and the value of defective stock should be discussed separately from third-party injury or damage.
A hypothetical example
An importer moves from distributing a supplier’s brand to selling its own-labelled product. It checks whether the underwriting description and supplier records still match the revised responsibility.
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 categories and sourcing countries | Are imported and own-branded goods accepted? |
| Own-brand versus distribution activities | Which traceability documents must be retained? |
| Sales territories and quality-control records | Are recall expenses a separate product? |
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.
Build a product and destination register
List the goods imported, the suppliers, the markets served and whether the importer changes the branding or packaging. Include technical descriptions that distinguish product categories. Keep supplier documents available so advisers can review the actual goods rather than infer the exposure from the business’s general trading name.
Compare proposals against a representative product allegation in a destination market. Ask about accepted territories, relevant exclusions and the distinction between compensation and withdrawing goods. Supplier indemnities and insurance evidence belong in the review, but should not be assumed to provide a complete substitute for the importer’s own arrangement.
Include overseas work or sales in the UK business’s enquiry and confirm the accepted territories and jurisdictions.
A mistake to avoid
Assuming a supplier’s certificate necessarily protects the importer against claims in every sales territory.
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 product liability replace quality control?
No; records of product checks and supplier arrangements support both risk management and an accurate insurance enquiry.
Does a supplier’s certificate establish cover for the importer?
Check the insured parties, goods and territorial terms. A document concerning the supplier does not automatically establish how the importer’s own responsibilities will be addressed.
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.