UK Bouncy Castle Insurance

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Guide To UK Bouncy Castle Insurance

Last Update March  2024 by MultiQuoteTime Editorial Team

A bouncy castle insurance policy is designed to be there for anyone having a child’s party and an unforeseen accident occurs involving one of these entertainment devices. At this time, there is no legal requirement in the UK for any renter of one of these ultra fun inflatable playhouses to have insurance covering it, but it is advisable. If you operate as a self-employed sole trader or provide a nationwide service, public liability insurance should be included as a cost within your business plan.  

bouncy castle insurance uk

What is Bouncy Castle Public Liability Insurance?

Bouncy castle public liability insurance provides cover for claims of property damage or personal injury from third parties. This is the most common insurance to cover an event where a bouncy castle will be used is public liability. This is financial protection if anyone is injured due to their interaction with the bouncy castle and decide to seek financial compensation for the injury. When it comes to public liability insurance, make sure your cover is sufficient and take advice from your insurance provider. Accidents that involve Inflatables can and often do result in serious injury or injuries.  This can result expensive compensation claims, especially if more than one person is hurt.

Each public lability policy will have a limit to indemnity built into it. The most common upper limits the policy will pay out are from £1M to £5M.

Who Needs Bouncy Castle Insurance?

Bouncy Castle Public liability insurance may be required and in some cases may be a stipulated as a requirement for those that

  • Hire out inflatables including bouncy castles  
  • If you are organising an event such as a school fair or children garden party where inflatable toys will be used . 

Inflatables like bouncy castles are great fun for kids, but they also pose real dangers, back in 2012 10,000 accidents were recorded and more recently it was found that many providers of inflatables failed to maintain them to the required safety standard. 

Do you Need Insurance to Hire a Bouncy Castle?

No, a good, reputable hire company will have a good level of public liability insurance. If you will be hiring soft play equipment, ask the hire company to show proof that they have a good level of public liability insurance. They will be sued to such request, and they may provide proof without you having to ask. For additional safety, It is also worth asking if they will man the soft play equipment during the event

Will I need Public Liability Insurance to Hire out Bouncy Castles?

If you are hiring out this type of soft play equipment, you will most always be asked to show proof of insurance, without it, you will not get business. 

How much is Bouncy Castle Insurance?

The cost will be based on the size of your business. For a small business expect to pay a few hundred pounds for a larger inflatable hire business it may be in the thousands of pounds per year. The amount of liability cover that you select will also play an important factor in determining the final policy cost. Check with your local council, as many councils impose a minimum amount of cover to participate in local events. For example, Burnley require 10 million public liability insurance, others 5 million public liability insurance.

Is Soft Play Insurance Available?

If you are opening or operating a mobile play centre, taking out public liability insurance may not be a legal requirement, but any event manager will most certainly insist that you have a soft play insurance policy with public liability  before being accepting to participate in such events. 

What kind of Insurance Claims Involve Bouncy Castles?

The most common type of incident involving a bouncy castle is a child being hurt. This can be caused in many ways, including;

  • Children colliding inside the castle or while using an inflatable device.
  • High wind conditions send the castle or other inflatable tumbling out of control driven by the wind.
  • The castle or inflatable deflates causing a child to land on a hard surface causing the injury.
  • Poor anchorage of the castle or inflatable causing it to overturn when children are using it causing an injury.
  • Ropes used for anchoring the castle or inflatable are tripped over by either a child or an adult.
  • Bouncing out of the castle or off the inflatable causing the child to hit a hard surface on the exterior of the device.

In 2018 the BBC estimated that 23 million use an inflatable every year and in their report are numerous accidents and even one fatality. The Telegraph reported that more than 10,000 injuries were reported in the year 2012 involving an inflatable device.

Examples of Apparatus Cover Available Include:

  • Inflatable Slides Insurance
  • Bouncy Boxing Insurance
  • Assault courses Insurance
  • Gladiator Joist Insurance
  • Inflatable Bar Fly Insurance
  • Inflatable Bungee Run Insurance
  • Velcro Olympics Insurance
  • Rodeo Bull Insurance (Both with and without dead man's handle)
  • Penalty Shoot Out Insurance
  • Assault courses Insurance
  • Pole Joust Insurance
  • Rodeo Bulls (For both adults and children)
  • Unclimbable Ladder Insurance
  • My Apparatus is not listed: The list would be too long, rest assured insurance quotes are available If you can bounce on it

Tips to reduce accidents

  • There are many rules and suggestions that should be followed. One way to help reduce a child from being hurt while in a bouncy castle or other inflatable is to only permit one child at a time to play in or on it. Since that is almost unrealistic at a party, the number of children playing in a castle should be limited to 3 or 4. They should also be close to the same size and weight.
  • All children must remove their shoes, eyeglasses and any object that are hard or have sharp surfaces like jewellery.
  • Children under the age of 6 and over the age of 12 should not be permitted in a bouncy castle or on an inflatable device.
  • Most or all the parents of the children inside or using an inflatable should be keeping a close eye on their child or children when they are using one. They should also be ready to take action if a dangerous situation begins to occur involving the inflatable device.

Compare Bouncy Castle Insurance 

  • Leisure Equipment Cover for a Bouncy Castle Business
  • Pay in instalments via Direct Debit
  • Business Interruption Cover
  • Choose Level of Public Liability Cover
  • Compare & see if you can save today!
bouncy castle insurance uk

Boucy Castle Insurance United Kingdom FAQ's


Is cover provided for my Leisure Equipment, example the Bouncy Castle? 

Professional bouncy castles are expensive (£1,000 -£3,000), and equipment cover should be considered to safeguard your investment. The cover should protect you against theft of equipment and accidental damage to your equipment

Do you need public liability insurance for bouncy castles?

Any business that has contact with the public should understand that they can be made financially liable for claims against their business, example injury or loss of property. If you are found liable, you will likely suffer serious financial consequences, especially for injury claims. Public liability insurance will provide you with financial protection in the event of a successful claim against your inflatable hire business

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