Bouncy castle insurance: key facts
- Public liability is not a legal requirement for a self-employed bouncy castle hirer working alone, but councils, schools, venues and event organisers almost always ask for it, usually at £5 million.
- Bouncy castle insurance for a small operator costs roughly £200 to £550 a year for public liability only (rough guide figures, including 12% Insurance Premium Tax).
- Injuries to children are the main claim risk, so insurers ask whether you hire supervised or dry hire.
- Most insurers expect every inflatable to have a current PIPA inspection (an annual test with a numbered tag), or an equivalent inspection, and to be built to BS EN 14960.
- Inflatables should not be used above the manufacturer's wind speed limit, commonly around 24 mph (Beaufort force 5). Check the limit for each unit.
- Employers' liability is a legal requirement once you employ anyone, including weekend attendants, with at least £5 million of cover. Fines can reach £2,500 a day.
- Adult inflatables, rodeo bulls, assault courses, foam machines and water slides usually need declaring and cost more to insure.
What does bouncy castle insurance cover?
Bouncy castle insurance is built around public liability, which pays compensation and legal costs if someone is injured on, or their property is damaged by, your inflatables. Most hirers add inflatable equipment insurance for theft and damage, and employers' liability once they take on staff.
| Cover | What it protects | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability | Injury or damage claims from children, parents or the public, such as a child breaking an arm. | Every bouncy castle and inflatable hire business. |
| Product liability | Claims caused by a faulty inflatable or blower you sold. | Hirers who also sell inflatables or second-hand stock. |
| Inflatable equipment insurance | Castles, slides, soft play and blowers against theft, vandalism, fire and accidental damage. | Anyone whose kit would be expensive to replace. |
| Employers' liability | Claims from staff injured at work, such as a back injury lifting a castle. | A legal requirement once you employ anyone, including casual helpers. |
| Business interruption | Lost income if a fire or theft stops you filling bookings. | Hirers who rely on summer weekends. |
| Van insurance with business use | The van or trailer you deliver with. Separate from hire insurance. | Everyone who drives to bookings. |
Inflatable hire insurance is sold as a package: you pick the liability limit, list every inflatable and extra, and add the covers you need. Soft play hire insurance works the same way.
Is bouncy castle insurance a legal requirement?
No law requires a self-employed bouncy castle hirer working alone to hold public liability insurance. As soon as you employ anyone, employers' liability insurance is compulsory, with at least £5 million of cover.
In practice, it is very hard to run an inflatable hire business without public liability insurance for bouncy castle hire:
- Councils and parks require it before you can set up at a fun day, fete or public event, usually at £5 million.
- Schools, halls and venues often ask for your certificate, PIPA tag numbers and a risk assessment. Large events may ask for £10 million.
- Children's injuries can be costly. A serious head or neck injury could lead to a very large claim.
The duty to hold employers' liability comes from the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969. You must hold at least £5 million of cover, and you can be fined up to £2,500 for each day you are uninsured. Northern Ireland has its own, very similar, legislation.
How much does bouncy castle insurance cost?
For a small bouncy castle operator, public liability only costs roughly £200 to £550 a year. Equipment cover or staff raise the price. These are rough guide figures; check with the insurer.
| Typical set-up | Rough guide price per year |
|---|---|
| Small operator, public liability only (supervised or dry hire) | £200 to £550 |
| Adding inflatables and equipment cover | £400 to £1,100 |
| Hire business with staff (adds employers' liability) | £900 to £2,500 |
Rough guide price per year for each set-up in the table above
Bouncy castle insurance costs more than many trades because your users are mostly young children, and child injury claims can be made years later. What affects your price:
- Dry hire or supervised. Insurers treat these differently, so ask how each one prices your mix.
- Number and type of inflatables. Many policies price per unit, and toddler castles cost less than tall slides, adult castles, rodeo bulls or water slides.
- Your liability limit. Moving from £5 million to £10 million adds to the cost.
- Turnover, claims history, staff, storage security and your excess.
The figures include Insurance Premium Tax at 12%. Van insurance is separate.
Inflatable hire insurance: what to check before you buy
Bouncy castle policies often carry conditions that, if broken, could let the insurer refuse a claim. Check these points, and make sure you can follow every condition at a real booking.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Dry hire is covered | Some policies only cover supervised hire. If you drop castles off and leave, make sure the policy says so. |
| Operating instructions condition | Many policies require written safety instructions for the hirer, sometimes signed. Keep a copy. |
| Inspection condition | An expired PIPA (or equivalent) inspection could put a claim at risk. |
| Wind and weather | Policies often require you to follow the manufacturer's wind limit. |
| Anchoring and surfaces | Look for conditions on stakes, ballast, safety mats and hard surfaces. |
| Every item is declared | Adult castles, rodeo bulls, foam machines and water slides are often excluded unless listed. |
| Equipment cover in transit and storage | Check theft from an unattended van is covered, and the security required. |
| Damage to customers' property | Make sure damage to lawns and hall floors is not excluded. |
PIPA testing, wind limits and other rules for bouncy castle hire
Inflatable hire businesses must run equipment safely under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. In practice that means an annual PIPA test for each inflatable, units built to BS EN 14960, following manufacturer limits, and safe electrics.
- PIPA testing. PIPA (Pertaining to Inflatable Play Accommodation) is the main UK inspection scheme for inflatables. Each unit is inspected by a registered inspector and given a numbered tag, renewed every year.
- BS EN 14960. This is the British and European standard for the design and manufacture of inflatable play equipment. Cheap imports may not meet it or pass a PIPA inspection, so check before you buy.
- HSE guidance. The Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on the safe use of inflatables, covering inspection, anchoring, supervision and wind. Read it before your first booking.
- Wind speed. Every inflatable has a manufacturer's wind limit. It is commonly around 24 mph (Beaufort force 5), sometimes lower for tall slides. Many operators carry an anemometer. Always go by the manufacturer's figure.
- Anchoring. Use every anchor point the manufacturer provides, with stakes on grass or ballast weights on hard ground and indoors. Ask where pipes and cables run before staking, to avoid buried services.
- Electrics. Blowers should be plugged in through an RCD, and cables routed away from users or covered. No law requires yearly PAT testing, but equipment must be kept safe, and most insurers and venues expect a recent PAT test on every blower.
- Supervision and user limits. Follow the manufacturer's maximum users and heights, keep big and small children apart, and lay safety mats at the entrance. On dry hire, give written instructions and explain an adult must supervise at all times.
- Risk assessments. Councils and schools commonly ask to see one.
The 1974 Act covers England, Wales and Scotland; Northern Ireland has the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978. If you sell inflatables, the Consumer Protection Act 1987 can make you liable for defective products.
Common bouncy castle insurance claims
The most common claims involve children hurt while bouncing, such as broken arms and ankles from collisions or falls. Others come from inflatables lifting in wind, cable trips, damage to venues, and theft of the inflatables.
- A collision on a dry hire. At a birthday party, older and younger children bounce together and a five-year-old breaks a leg. The parents say your instructions were unclear.
- An inflatable lifts in a gust. A slide on a school field is not fully staked and lifts, injuring two children.
- A fall onto a hard surface. A child tumbles out of the entrance onto a patio where no safety mat was laid.
- A stake hits a pipe. You drive an anchor stake into a customer's lawn and puncture a water pipe, flooding part of the garden.
- Theft from your unit. Thieves take four castles and blowers from your storage unit in July.
Inflatable equipment insurance, extras and your van
Public liability does not cover your own inflatables. To protect the castles, blowers and soft play against theft, vandalism and accidental damage, add inflatable equipment insurance. Your delivery van needs separate motor insurance with business use.
- Insure for replacement value, including blowers. Underinsuring can reduce a payout.
- Accidental damage. Rips and burst seams may need accidental damage cover. Wear and tear is usually excluded.
- Storage. Insurers usually want a locked building. Tell them if you use a garage or container.
- Extras. Rodeo bulls, gladiator duels, assault courses, foam machines and water slides usually need declaring and cost more. Soft play and ball pools are often cheaper to add.
- Your van. Driving to bookings needs business use on your van insurance.
Starting a bouncy castle hire business: checklist
Before your first hire, get each inflatable PIPA inspected, write operating instructions and a risk assessment, PAT test blowers, and arrange public liability, equipment cover and van business use.
- Register as self-employed with HMRC, or set up a limited company.
- Buy inflatables built to BS EN 14960, with the manual and wind limits.
- Get every inflatable PIPA inspected
- PAT test your blowers and buy RCDs, cable covers, safety mats, stakes and ballast weights.
- Write written operating instructions for dry hire customers, with a signature box.
- Write a risk assessment you can adapt for gardens, halls and public events.
- Get public liability insurance, usually at £5 million, and declare every inflatable and extra you hire out.
- Add inflatable equipment insurance for theft, vandalism and accidental damage, and tell the insurer where kit is stored.
- Insure your van with business use.
- Before you take on helpers, add employers' liability and train them in set-up and supervision.
Bouncy castle insurance: broker or buy online?
Buying online can work for a single operator with a few standard castles. A broker is more useful when you dry hire, run adult inflatables or water slides, need £10 million, or employ staff.
A broker who arranges cover for inflatable hire businesses can check that dry hire is covered, that every unit and extra is declared, and that the policy conditions are ones you can follow.
For a wider guide to every type of business cover, see our small business insurance guide.
Related guides
Bouncy castle insurance: frequently asked questions
Do I need insurance to hire out bouncy castles?
There is no law that says a self-employed bouncy castle hirer working alone must have public liability insurance. In practice, almost every council, school and venue will ask for it. Employers' liability is compulsory once you employ anyone.
How much is bouncy castle insurance?
As a rough guide, public liability only for a small operator costs about £200 to £550 a year. Adding inflatable equipment cover takes it to roughly £400 to £1,100, and a business with staff may pay £900 to £2,500.
How much public liability do I need for bouncy castle hire?
£5 million is the most common limit asked for by councils, schools and event organisers. Some large public events ask for £10 million.
Does my insurance cover dry hire?
Not always. Some policies only cover hires where you or your staff supervise the inflatable. If you set up and leave, check dry hire is covered and follow its conditions.
What is a PIPA test?
PIPA (Pertaining to Inflatable Play Accommodation) is a UK inspection scheme for inflatables. A registered inspector checks each unit and issues a numbered tag, renewed yearly. Most insurers and councils expect a current tag.
Can I use a bouncy castle in wind?
Only up to the manufacturer's wind speed limit, which is commonly around 24 mph, or Beaufort force 5, but can be lower for tall units. Near the limit, stop use and deflate.
Do I need to PAT test my blowers?
No law says you must PAT test every year, but you must keep electrical equipment safe. Most insurers and venues expect a recent PAT test, and you should use an RCD at every set-up.
Is soft play hire insurance different?
Soft play hire is usually insured in the same way as bouncy castles. You need public liability for injuries and equipment cover for the sets, all declared to the insurer.
Does bouncy castle insurance cover adult inflatables and rodeo bulls?
Usually only if you declare them. These are higher risk, so insurers often price them separately or exclude them unless listed.
Am I covered if I damage a customer's lawn or pipes?
Accidental damage to a customer's property, such as a stake through a water pipe or ruts in a lawn, is normally a public liability claim. Check it is not excluded.
Do I need product liability insurance?
If you sell inflatables or blowers, yes, because the Consumer Protection Act 1987 can make you liable for injuries caused by a defective product. Many policies include it; check yours does.
Do weekend helpers need employers' liability?
Very likely, yes. Paying someone to help usually makes them your employee, even cash in hand. You need at least £5 million of cover, and fines can reach £2,500 a day.