Business insurance · Australia · Head-to-head
Smart Business Insurance vs Upcover
Two Australia business insurance options, compared side by side for Australia trades.
Which should you choose?
Smart Business Insurance and Upcover are both Tier A, which every business insurance entry without a reputation warning receives, so the tier does not separate them. Weigh the pros, cons, pricing and Australia-specific notes below against your trade and region.
Smart Business Insurance
Tier A · ListedVictorian insurance broker arranging business insurance for small businesses, including tradies
Smart Business Insurance Pty Ltd is a Victorian insurance broking business whose ABN has been active since January 2013. As a broker it seeks quotes from the insurers it deals with regularly and places cover on the client's behalf, rather than selling one insurer's policy. Its financial services guide lists business packages, public and products liability, construction and plant insurance among the covers it arranges.
Pros
- + Advised broker that seeks quotes from several insurers on the client's behalf
- + Arranges a broad range of business covers, including public and products liability, construction and plant
- + Premium funding can be arranged to pay by instalments
- + In business since at least 2013 (ABN active from January 2013)
Cons
- − No confirmed public prices; premiums are quoted per client
- − Premium funding for instalments charges interest
- − Advice usually covers only the insurers it deals with regularly, not the whole market
- − Not a trades-only broker
Australia note
Smart Business Insurance Pty Ltd (ABN 88 162 162 576) holds authorised representative number 437328 and acts under another firm's Australian financial services licence; ask for its current financial services guide to see which licensee is responsible and how it is paid.
Upcover
Tier A · ListedSydney online insurance platform: tradie public liability and tools cover, quoted and bought online
upcover is a Sydney-based online insurance platform that arranges business insurance with selected insurers and underwriters; it says it has more than 80 insurance partners and more than 70,000 small-business customers. Its trades and construction page offers public and products liability, tools of trade, commercial motor and fleet, and tax audit cover, quoted online. Business News Australia reported in February 2025 that it raised a $19m Series A in debt and equity.
Pros
- + Quotes and purchase online; upcover says quotes take minutes
- + Tools of trade cover for theft, damage or loss of tools and equipment, including power tools and machinery
- + Proof of insurance can be sent as soon as the policy is bought, upcover says
- + Monthly instalment option
Cons
- − No public prices; a quote is needed
- − Monthly instalments carry an instalment administration charge (a flat percentage of the total cost), per its terms
- − Service fee of $0 to $300 (ex GST) per policy on top of the premium, per its terms
- − Acts as agent of the insurer, not the customer, when it effects a policy
Australia note
upcover Pty Ltd (ABN 17 628 197 437) is a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR 1299211) of Experience Insurance Services Pty Ltd, AFSL 539078. Its terms say it acts as agent of the insurer, not the customer, when it effects a policy, and its site says it does not compare all insurers in the market.
More Australia options
See all Australia business insurance vendors and the rest of the Australia directory.