Skip to main content
contact us login

Private Road Liability Insurance

Owning or being responsible for a private or unadopted road comes with legal responsibilities and potential risks, particularly when the road is accessed by residents, visitors, tradespeople, or the general public. Even if the road is rarely used or minimally maintained, you could still be held legally liable if someone is injured or their property is damaged while using it.

At Quote Monkey, our Private Road Liability Insurance is designed to protect you from unexpected claims and financial loss. The policy covers compensation payouts, medical expenses, and legal defence costs if an incident occurs — giving you peace of mind to manage your road safely and confidently.

We include £2 million public liability cover as standard, with the option to increase to £5 million, depending on the road’s location, usage, and risk profile. If you employ contractors, groundskeepers, or volunteers to carry out maintenance, you can also add employers’ liability insurance to help meet your legal requirements.

Cover for unoccupied buildings and structures adjacent to the road — such as sheds, gates, barriers, drainage systems, or culverts — is included as standard. This ensures you’re protected if a claim arises due to injury or damage involving these elements.

Annual premiums start from just £144, with pro-rata refunds available if the policy is cancelled early and no claims have been made. Our streamlined online quote system and same-day documentation make it quick and easy to arrange cover and get protected without delay.

Why Choose Quote Monkey for Private Road Liability Insurance?

Quote Monkey has been trusted by private road owners and residents' associations across the UK since 2011.
We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Ref: 563348), so you can have confidence in the protection we provide.
Our policies are designed specifically for private roads, shared driveways, and unadopted lanes.
We offer £2 million public liability insurance as standard, with the flexibility to increase this to £5 million if required.
Employers’ liability cover is available to protect those carrying out maintenance or repair work on your behalf.
Cover for unoccupied structures such as gates, barriers, culverts, or drainage systems next to your road is automatically included.
You’ll receive instant online quotes and same-day documentation to keep things fast and simple.
Our policies are clear, competitively priced, and free from hidden fees or complicated terms.

Private Road Liability Insurance

Owning or maintaining a private road involves legal responsibilities and potential risks — even if the road is only accessed occasionally or used by a small number of households. Whether the road provides access to homes, garages, land, or shared facilities, you could be held legally liable if someone is injured or their property is damaged while using it.

At Quote Monkey, our **Private Road Liability Insurance** is designed to protect you from unexpected compensation claims and financial losses. This specialist cover helps you manage your legal obligations as a landowner, covering legal defence costs, medical expenses, and settlement payments if an incident occurs on your road.

Private Road Liability Insurance — Possible example claims include:

A visitor trips over a pothole while walking along the road and claims for injury and lost earnings.
A delivery van damages its suspension on an uneven road surface and the courier seeks compensation.
A cyclist hits a raised drain cover and suffers injuries, leading to a medical and damages claim.
A contractor slips on loose gravel while attending a property and files an injury claim.
A parked vehicle is damaged by a falling tree branch from land adjoining the road.

Private access road leading to residential properties in the UK, protected by public liability insurance from Quote Monkey

Key benefits of Private Road Liability Insurance:

Provides cover for injury or property damage claims on private roads
Includes legal costs, medical expenses, and compensation payments
Peace of mind for individual owners, management companies, or residents' groups
Flexible cover levels based on usage, surface type, and traffic flow
Covers roads used privately, by invitation, or occasionally by the public
Helps you meet legal responsibilities and protect against unexpected liabilities

At Quote Monkey, we offer straightforward, specialist insurance for private road owners across the UK. Our policies are easy to arrange online, competitively priced, and designed with your specific risks in mind.

Employers’ Liability Insurance for Road Maintenance

If you employ contractors or workers to carry out maintenance on your private road — such as resurfacing, tree trimming, or clearing drains — you are legally required to have employers’ liability insurance in place.

This cover protects you if a worker is injured or becomes ill while working under your instruction.

Contractors resurfacing a gravel private road, insured with employers' liability cover

Employers’ Liability Insurance — Possible example claims include:

A groundskeeper injures their back while clearing overgrown hedging and claims for damages.
A hired contractor falls from machinery while laying gravel and files for compensation.
A temporary labourer suffers heatstroke while working on road repairs in hot weather.
A tree surgeon is injured while removing debris after a storm and makes a legal claim.

Key benefits of Employers’ Liability Insurance:

Meets legal requirements for employing staff, contractors, or volunteers
Protects against potentially costly injury or illness claims
Covers legal defence costs, medical expenses, and settlements
Helps you manage your obligations safely and responsibly
Flexible limits tailored to your road and workforce setup

At Quote Monkey, we make it easy to meet your legal responsibilities with affordable and compliant employers’ liability cover for private road maintenance projects.

Shared Use and Public Access on Private Roads

Many private roads are used by residents, visitors, delivery drivers, and tradespeople. If your road is shared or occasionally accessed by the public, the risk of injury or property damage increases — and so does your liability exposure.

Quote Monkey’s tailored insurance ensures you’re protected if an incident occurs during general use, deliveries, or shared access situations.

Shared residential road in the UK with liability cover for public access

Possible example claims include:

A resident’s guest is injured after tripping on uneven tarmac while visiting.
A plumber’s van is damaged by an exposed pipe cover while accessing a home.
A neighbour’s visitor slips on ice during winter and files a personal injury claim.

Key benefits of Liability Cover for Shared Use:

Protects against third-party injury and damage claims related to shared access
Covers compensation, legal fees, and medical costs
Helps meet mortgage and legal compliance requirements
Peace of mind for management committees or road maintenance groups
Tailored cover based on usage level and surface condition

Whether your road serves a handful of properties or a larger community, Quote Monkey provides flexible cover that protects you from liability risks linked to public or shared use.

Cover for Structures and Hazards Along the Road

Private roads often include or run alongside features like garages, retaining walls, fences, gates, or drainage structures. Even if unused or in poor repair, these structures can present liability risks if they cause injury or damage.

Our cover includes liability protection for these adjoining or incidental structures — helping you stay protected even when they’re unoccupied or rarely maintained.

Possible example claims include:

A delivery driver is injured when a rotted gatepost collapses.
A child trips on an exposed drain cover near the edge of the road.
A visitor is struck by falling debris from a disused outbuilding at the roadside.

Key benefits of Liability Cover for Roadside Structures:

Covers injury and property damage caused by features along or near your private road
Includes legal expenses, compensation, and medical fees
Protects you even if the structure is unoccupied or unmanaged
Helps you meet your duty of care under UK law
Applies to garages, gates, culverts, retaining walls, and similar installations

Private road in the UK with gatepost and stone wall, insured for adjoining structure liability

Quote Monkey’s comprehensive private road liability insurance ensures you're protected from a wide range of real-world risks — from uneven surfaces and shared use to unoccupied structures and hired maintenance work. Arrange cover online in minutes and manage your responsibilities with confidence.

Other Land Insurance Options Available

Explore our specialist insurance options for landowners, leisure parks, and site operators across the UK:

Frequently Asked Questions – Urban Landowners Insurance

Urban landowners' liability insurance protects you if someone is injured or their property is damaged while on land you own in a town or city. This includes vacant plots, private access roads, derelict areas, communal spaces, and privately owned pathways or alleyways. It covers legal defence costs, compensation, and medical expenses resulting from third-party claims.
Public liability insurance covers third-party injury or property damage that occurs on your land. Examples include someone tripping over uneven paving on your private access road, a branch falling from a tree on your boundary onto a car, or a visitor being injured by debris on your vacant land. Our policies include £2 million cover as standard, with options up to £5 million available.
Typical claims include slips, trips, or falls on overgrown, poorly maintained, or uneven land; damage caused by trees, walls, or fences; and injuries caused by debris or hazards on vacant plots. Our insurance helps protect you financially by covering legal costs and compensation payouts in these situations.
Employers' liability insurance covers you if someone working on your urban land — such as a contractor, cleaner, caretaker, or maintenance worker — is injured or becomes ill as a result of their work. This insurance is required by law in the UK if you employ staff or volunteers, and it includes legal defence costs and compensation payments.
If you employ anyone to carry out tasks on your land — including part-time, seasonal, or volunteer workers — you’re legally required to hold employers' liability insurance. This applies to anyone maintaining or improving urban plots, such as grounds staff, litter pickers, or repair contractors.
Yes. We can provide liability cover for land that includes public footpaths, alleyways, or informal access routes. If a member of the public is injured while crossing your land or accessing a property, you may be held liable — our cover helps protect you from related claims.
Yes. We offer liability cover for urban land that includes unoccupied structures such as garages, sheds, or old commercial units. This protects you if someone is injured due to unsafe or deteriorating buildings, even if the building isn’t in use.
No. Our liability policies are intended for land and unoccupied buildings only. If you have occupied structures or active business premises on your land, you will need a separate buildings or commercial property insurance policy.
We do not currently offer buildings insurance. Our policies are focused on public liability for landowners, particularly where there are unoccupied or unused structures present. If you require buildings cover, you would need a separate policy.
Yes. Our urban landowners' liability insurance can cover claims where a tree, fence, or wall on your land causes injury or property damage — for example, if a tree falls onto a neighbouring property or a wall collapses onto a public footpath.
No. Urban landowners' insurance does not cover organised events by default. Any events held on your land should be covered by separate public liability insurance taken out by the event organiser. We can help with this through our Events Insurance options.
Yes. You can take out the policy in your own name, the name of your business, or a registered charity or trust. This allows you to align the policy with how your land is legally owned and managed.
Yes. You can add interested parties to your policy, such as mortgage lenders, local authorities, or investment partners. This ensures they are noted on your insurance documentation as having a financial interest in the land.
Quote Monkey is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 563348. This means our products meet strict UK regulatory standards.
Yes. If you cancel your policy early and no claims have been made, we offer a pro-rata refund for the unused portion of your policy. This provides fair value and flexibility.
This policy can be used for urban and suburban plots such as vacant development land, derelict commercial plots, disused service areas, communal land for flats or housing associations, access roads, parking areas, and green space not maintained by the council. It is designed to be flexible and fit for a variety of non-rural urban uses.
Covered activities may include general land ownership, access rights, occasional maintenance, conservation projects, storage of non-hazardous items, and informal recreation. If your land is used for commercial, residential, or specialist purposes, please contact us to confirm suitability.
You’ll receive proof of cover instantly via email as soon as your policy is arranged and payment is completed. This includes your certificate and full documentation, which can be used for compliance or regulatory purposes.
Yes. Quote Monkey is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA number 563348) and has provided liability insurance to landowners and property owners across the UK since 2011.
No. All our policies are offered on an annual basis and must be paid in full at the time of purchase. This helps us keep our premiums low and avoids additional interest or fees.