Business insurance · United Kingdom · Head-to-head
AXA Business UK vs Simply Business UK
Two United Kingdom business insurance options, compared side by side for United Kingdom trades.
Which should you choose?
AXA Business UK and Simply Business UK 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 United Kingdom-specific notes below against your trade and region.
AXA Business UK
Tier A · ListedAXA's UK business insurance for tradespeople, bought online: pick the covers you need, from £7 a month
AXA Insurance UK plc, part of the AXA group, sells business insurance to UK tradespeople through an online quote. You choose from public liability (£1 million to £10 million depending on occupation), employers' liability, professional indemnity and business contents, with add-ons such as tools, hired-in plant, contract works, business interruption, legal expenses and cyber. AXA says it protects over 867,000 businesses.
Pros
- + Choose only the covers you need
- + Business insurance from £7 a month, by AXA's own figure
- + Trade add-ons including tools, hired-in plant, contract works and legal expenses
- + AXA says it protects over 867,000 businesses
Cons
- − AXA's £7 figure is what 10% of its customers paid or less in April-June 2026
- − Public liability limits depend on your occupation
- − No per-trade prices published; your premium comes from a quote
United Kingdom note
AXA notes that employers' liability is a legal requirement if you have any staff; it is one of the covers you select, with a £10 million limit. AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA (firm reference 202312).
Simply Business UK
Tier A · ListedOnline insurance broker owned by Travelers: compare tradesman cover from several insurers in one form
Simply Business is an online business insurance broker founded in 2005 and owned by Travelers since 2017; its UK business is run by Xbridge Limited in London. You answer one set of questions and compare quotes from insurers such as Allianz, AIG, AXA, Churchill, Covea, Hiscox and Zurich. Simply Business says it covers 1,500 trades and more than 250,000 tradespeople, and has over one million small business customers.
Pros
- + Compare quotes from several named insurers in one online form
- + Tradesman cover from £5.40 a month, Simply Business says
- + Add-ons include tools, contract works, plant, stock and legal expenses
- + Owned by Travelers since 2017
Cons
- − Policy wording differs by insurer, so compare cover as well as price
- − Employers' liability is an add-on; include it if you employ anyone
- − The £5.40 starting price has no stated basis; your premium comes from a quote
United Kingdom note
UK tradesman cover includes public liability with limits from £1 million to £10 million, optional employers' liability (which Simply Business notes is usually required by law if you employ anyone), and tools, contract works, plant, stock, legal expenses and personal accident cover. The policy is issued by the insurer whose quote you choose.
More United Kingdom options
See all United Kingdom business insurance vendors and the rest of the United Kingdom directory.