Short answer — what’s legally required vs what you should buy:

• Legally required (if you employ people)

  • Employers’ Liability insurance: mandatory as soon as you employ anyone who is not a close family member; minimum cover normally required is at least £5 million. You must be able to show your Employers’ Liability certificate and your insurer must be authorised. Failure to hold it can lead to daily fines. (gov.uk)

• Not legally required but strongly recommended (and often expected by landlords/clients/suppliers)

  • Public Liability insurance — covers injury to customers or damage to third‑party property (typical limits for retail businesses are £1m–£5m; some contracts or councils will require £5m+). (lloydsbank.com)
  • Product Liability insurance — very important for vape shops (e‑liquids, faulty devices, battery defects). Specialist schemes for vape/e‑cigarette businesses commonly provide products cover and, for wholesalers, limits up to £10m. (insyncinsurance.co.uk)
  • Contents / Stock / Buildings / Glass / Business Interruption — to protect physical shop stock (including expensive devices and e‑liquids), fixtures & fittings and to cover lost income after an insured event (fire, flood, theft). Specialist policies often include stock deterioration/transport options. (insyncinsurance.co.uk)

Vape‑specific risks insurers will look at or ask you to control

• Lithium battery / device fire risk: disposable and rechargeable devices can present a fire risk if stored or disposed incorrectly — insurers will expect safe storage, segregation of suspect stock, fire precautions and may limit cover or charge higher premiums for battery‑heavy stock. (This risk has also been a driver of recent regulatory change on disposables.) (gov.uk)
• Product standards and traceability: insurers prefer evidence that products are compliant, tested and sourced from reputable suppliers (manufacturer data, CE/UKCA markings where applicable, test reports, supplier details). (insyncinsurance.co.uk)
• Regulatory/consumer obligations: recent UK rules (including the single‑use vape ban and WEEE take‑back requirements) affect what you can sell and how you must handle waste/returns — non‑compliance can affect claims and cover. Retailers must follow WEEE takeback rules for electrical items and the government guidance on disposables. (gov.uk)

Typical cover levels & what to consider

• Employers’ Liability: statutory requirement (normally ≥£5m). (gov.uk)
• Public Liability: most small retail shops choose £1m–£5m; consider £5m if you have significant public footfall, council contracts or if requested by your landlord. (lloydsbank.com)
• Products Liability: limits vary; wholesalers and manufacturers often take higher limits (some schemes up to £10m). Ask for combined public & products liability. (insyncinsurance.co.uk)
• Contents/stock/business interruption: insure stock at replacement value and consider cover for deterioration (especially for e‑liquid stock) and business interruption sums to cover fixed costs.

Practical steps when buying cover

• Use a broker or insurer experienced with vape/e‑cigarette businesses (many high‑street insurers avoid this niche; specialist brokers can place product cover). (insyncinsurance.co.uk)
• Prepare: up‑to‑date stock lists and values; supplier details and test/certification documents; Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for e‑liquids; written age‑verification and staff training procedures; fire safety measures and storage arrangements for batteries.
• Check policy wording: confirm products liability wording covers e‑liquids, batteries and imported stock; clarify whether “health hazard” or product exclusions apply; check excesses and any aggregate limits.
• Confirm insurer is authorised / reputable (FCA register, BIBA brokers, A‑rated underwriters) and get certificate(s) in writing. (gov.uk)
• Review WEEE and single‑use vape rules and make sure your stock/stock disposal practices comply, because regulatory breaches can affect claims. (gov.uk)

If you want, I can:

• Draft a short checklist you can give to brokers when requesting quotes (stock list example, questions to ask insurers, sample cover limits), or
• Look up specialist UK brokers/insurers that currently publish vape shop schemes and provide contact/quote links.

Which of those would you prefer?