How to display your Employers' Liability insurance certificate

You are legally required to display your Employers’ Liability (EL) insurance certificate so that all your employees can easily read it. This can be a physical copy on a noticeboard or a digital version on a shared drive. Getting this wrong can lead to a fine, so it’s a simple but important task to get right.

Why this is a legal requirement

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can inspect your premises and issue a fine of up to £1,000 if the certificate is not displayed correctly. Displaying it also acts as an important reassurance to your staff, showing them that you have the proper cover in place to protect them in case of a workplace illness or injury.

How to display your certificate

Physical Display

If you have a physical workplace, the most common method is to pin the certificate up in an area that all staff use. Good examples include:

• A staff noticeboard
• The wall in a communal kitchen or break room
• A shared office or workshop area

The key is to place it where people will see it as part of their normal working day, not in a locked office or a dusty folder.

Digital Display

If your team is remote or hybrid, displaying a digital copy is often more practical. You must ensure every employee can easily access it. You could save the certificate (usually a PDF) in:

• A shared company network drive (e.g., in a folder called 'Company Policies')
• Your business intranet site
• A dedicated channel on a team messaging app like Slack or Microsoft Teams

Make sure you let all staff know exactly where to find the digital certificate when you first share it.

Stay up to date

Your EL insurance is renewed annually. When you receive your new policy documents, make sure you replace the old certificate immediately. This ensures you remain compliant year after year.