Homeless Shelter Insurance
Organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness provide essential care.
Whether you run an emergency shelter, drop-in centre, supported housing or outreach work, your service faces a unique set of risks. Your organisation is likely already very conscious of unpredictable behaviour, particularly where working with people in recovery from alcohol or drug addictions. It is essential that your insurer understands your vetting processes and the spectrum of issues presented by the people you are helping in your hostel or homeless shelter.
At Access Insurance, we arrange tailored cover for homeless shelters, hostels and charities tackling housing insecurity, helping you manage risks and meet legal obligations while staying focused on those who need your help most.
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Why should we insure our homeless shelter?
Homelessness services often involve vulnerable individuals, overnight stays, food provision, and a range of support activities, each carrying its own risks.
Your organisation could be held liable for injuries, safeguarding issues, property damage or allegations of negligence. Having the correct cover for allegations of abuse is also an important consideration working with vulnerable people in a residential setting.
Many funders, local authorities and property providers require you to hold suitable insurance before working with them.
What your homeless shelter insurance can include:
- Employers’ Liability Insurance – defends you if employees or volunteers make claims for work-related injuries or illnesses.
- Public Liability Insurance – protects the organisation against allegations brought against you by third parties that you have caused injury, illness or damaged their property
- Abuse cover – for claims or allegations of abuse (Normally an extension to the liability insurance section of your homeless shelter insurance policy)
- Professional Indemnity Insurance – for advice, counselling, advocacy or case work
- Buildings & Contents Insurance – for shelters, offices and equipment
- Business Interruption cover – to protect income and operations during disruption
- Legal Expenses Insurance – for disputes, tribunals or other costs associated with legal action
We take time to understand your services, from supported accommodation and night shelters to food banks and outreach, ensuring your cover reflects the complex, sensitive nature of your work.
Trusted by thousands of UK charities and support organisations
Access Insurance works with over 18,000 not-for-profits across the UK, including homelessness charities, housing projects and frontline services.
We understand the operational, reputational and safeguarding risks involved, and we’ll help you find the right level of protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s recommended.
If anyone volunteers with your group, we recommend Public Liability Insurance to cover claims as a result of accidental injury or property damage cause by a volunteer.
As part of your duty of care, you should also consider Employers’ Liability insurance.
We have helped a number of church groups that have a need for insurance for a temporary homeless shelter.
This might be a project for a limited period of time in a non bespoke building.
This can present additional challenges as many insurance providers for churches will not simply extend cover to include the specialist temporary supported housing insurance needs you have.
Yes, Public Liability Insurance covers injury or property damage suffered by service users or visitors while on your premises or participating in your activities.
This is an essential area to disclose to your insurer and at Access we will make sure that the cover arranged is appropriate for your shelter or hostel.
Some insurers have very strict boundaries as to the nature of service users they are happy for a group to house.
At the hardest end of the spectrum, it is very hard to obtain insurance for a shelter accommodating service users with a history of arson or sexual offences.
Many homeless accommodation providers will naturally work with people who have, or have a history of, addiction issues.
Typically, it is easier if you are working with those in active recovery.
Whatever the profile of those people you help, we will discuss the vetting processes that you undertake to make sure that an insurer understands your activities and your policy protects you when you need it most.
Yes.
We offer specialist cover that protects the organisation in the event of allegations of abuse involving vulnerable people.
This is an important consideration for homelessness services.
No problem.
We can arrange insurance cover for all your homeless shelter locations under one policy, whether you run night shelters, supported flats, day centres or outreach hubs.
If your team offers advice, casework, housing support or counselling, we can include Professional Indemnity Insurance to protect your organisation against claims arising from those services.
It depends.
If you’re responsible for insuring the property under your lease, building insurance is essential. Otherwise, contents, fixtures, and equipment cover is usually still needed.