12 Mar 2026
Business Insurance FAQs
1. My business premises were inside the affected building. What should I do first?
If your business has been affected by the fire, the first step is to let your insurer or insurance broker know as soon as possible. Most insurers have 24‑hour helplines and will be ready to help you with your claim.
This is a fast-evolving situation, and it’s really important you follow all Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council guidance. Don’t attempt to access the site until authorities confirm it’s safe.
2. Will my insurance cover fire damage to my property or stock?
Commercial property insurance covers the cost of repairing or rebuilding your business premises or replacing your stock or equipment in case of perils such as fire.
It’s split into buildings insurance (the responsibility of the property owner) and contents insurance (the responsibility of the tenant if the building is leased).
What your insurance covers will depend on the policy and cover you’ve purchased. So the first step is to get in touch with your insurer or broker and they will be able to advise.
3. What support is available if my business can’t trade at the moment?
Check whether your insurance policy includes business interruption cover. This can help cover lost income and other costs if you cannot carry out business as usual because your property or equipment has been physically damaged in the fire.
Policies differ and business interruption insurance can either be included in business insurance packages or offered as an optional extra.
So it’s important to review your policy documents and speak to your insurer if you’re unsure.
4. What if I can’t access my business because it’s within the exclusion area, but it hasn’t been damaged?
Some insurance policies may include cover for denial of access, which cover financial losses when authorities (such as the police or government) or incidents (e.g., nearby damage) restrict entry to your business premises.
This may be known as 'restricted access' cover or 'non-damage business interruption' cover and is usually an add on to a standard policy.
5. My business leases a section of the property. Who should I contact?
Buildings insurance is usually the responsibility of the property owner, not the tenants, so in the first instance you should speak to your landlord about their policy.
If you have your own contents or business interruption insurance, you should talk to your provider as well.
6. How are insurers responding?
Insurance exists to protect people and businesses during moments like this, and insurers are ready to support their customers. Once you’ve contacted your insurer, they will begin the claims process by working closely with you to assess the damage and support you throughout. Handling claims for a building that may involve multiple owners and insurers can be a complex process, and so early information is important. Business owners should get in touch with their insurance providers as soon as possible and give them as much information as they can about their situation. Insurers can then start the claims process including evaluating the damage and liaising with other insurers where appropriate. Once the site is safe, insurers can begin to send in loss adjusters to inspect the site and assess the damage so that the claims process can be initiated. The timing of this will depend on when it’s safe to access the site, which will depend on advice from the fire and rescue services.
7. How long will it take to settle a claim?
Insurers’ priority is to help businesses recover as quickly as possible, but the time taken to resolve a claim can vary significantly depending on the situation and the damage that has occurred. As part of the claims process insurers will work with you to fully assess the damage and losses sustained, including stock and equipment. This may require access to the site, which will only be possible once fire and rescue services have deemed it safe to do so. Your insurer can guide you through this process and you can contact them for advice at any stage.
8. I don’t have insurance, what can I do?
If you don’t have insurance, you should check guidance from Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council for any business support schemes or grants that may be announced as the recovery progresses.
These FAQ's have been complied by the Association of British Insurers.
