A market stall is a temporary structure holding stock, put up by one person, standing in the weather next to the public. The claims follow from that, and market operators ask for the certificate because they have seen them.
The structure, the wind and the public
The recurring claim is a gazebo, canopy or A frame that moves in a gust and hits somebody or something. Public liability answers for it, and the sensible precautions, weights on every leg, taking the canopy down in forecast wind, not relying on pegs on tarmac, are the kind of thing an insurer will ask about afterwards. Injuries from trestle collapse, boxes stacked too high and trailing leads from a generator make up most of the rest.
What the market operator requires
Local authority markets, farmers markets, Christmas markets and private operators almost all require public liability at a stated limit and a certificate before a pitch is allocated, often in advance of the season. Street trading consents are separate and sit with the local authority. The operator's own insurance covers the market, not the traders, which is exactly why the certificate is asked for.
Stock, equipment and the van
Stock at a market is away from any premises, so it needs cover that travels with it, as does the gazebo, the trestles, the display and any refrigeration. Cover written to a home address does not follow a stall. The van carrying it all raises the class of use question if the goods are carried for a business, and theft of a loaded van the night before a market is a loss that takes out stock, equipment and the trading day at once.
What you sell, and the liability that follows it
Products liability answers for harm done by what you sold after the customer takes it away, which matters for food, cosmetics, candles, children's items and anything electrical. Selling food at a market brings registration and allergen information duties with it. Traders who sell a mixture of bought in and self made goods should declare both, because a maker and a reseller are rated differently.
Questions people ask about market stall insurance
What do market operators require?
Public liability at a stated limit with a certificate, usually before the pitch is allocated. Street trading consent from the local authority is a separate requirement.
Is my stock covered at the market?
Only with cover that travels. A policy written to a home address does not follow stock, a gazebo or display equipment to a pitch.
Do I need products liability as well?
If you sell goods, yes, particularly food, cosmetics, candles, children's items or anything electrical. It answers for harm after the customer leaves.