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Zoo, wildlife park and farm attraction insurance is a programme covering visitor and staff liability, animals, buildings, rides and income for sites that exhibit animals to the public. It matters because animal escapes, injuries and illness can bring strict liability claims and closures.
Part of: Commercial insurance
In short
Zoos, wildlife parks and farm attractions usually need high public liability limits, employers' liability of at least £5 million, property cover for enclosures and buildings, cover for animals where available, and business interruption. The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 requires a local authority licence where wild animals are exhibited on seven or more days in 12 months, and licences may require liability insurance. The Animals Act 1971 makes keepers of dangerous species strictly liable. HSE guidance says hand gel is not a substitute for hand washing at animal contact areas.
Insurance for a zoo, wildlife park or farm attraction usually combines public liability for visitors and neighbours, employers' liability for keepers and staff, property cover for buildings, enclosures and equipment, cover for the animals themselves where available, and business interruption for periods when the site cannot open. Many sites also run cafes, shops, play areas, rides and events, each of which adds its own exposure.
The animals change the risk. A visitor bitten in a petting barn, an escape onto a road, or an outbreak of illness linked to animal contact can all lead to serious claims and closures. Apex's visitor attraction insurance page covers the wider sector, farm and agricultural insurance covers working farms, and a full insurance programme review brings the pieces together.
Under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 it is unlawful to operate a zoo to which the Act applies except under a licence from the local authority. A zoo is an establishment where wild animals are kept for exhibition to the public, other than in a pet shop or (in England) for a circus, and the Act applies where the public has access, with or without charge, on seven days or more in any 12 consecutive months. Licences must carry conditions requiring the conservation measures in section 1A, which include preventing escapes. Section 5(3)(c) lists insurance against liability for damage caused by animals as a condition the authority may attach.
| Rule | What it says | Why it matters for insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Zoo Licensing Act 1981, s1 | Licence needed where wild animals are exhibited to the public on 7 or more days in 12 months | Licence conditions may require liability insurance |
| Zoo Licensing Act 1981, s1A | Conservation measures include escape prevention and record keeping | Escape protocols and records support claim defence |
| Animals Act 1971, s2(1) | A keeper of an animal of a dangerous species is liable for damage it causes, except as the Act provides | Strict liability; fault does not need to be proved |
| Animals Act 1971, s2(2) | For other species, liability turns on likely or severe damage, abnormal characteristics and the keeper's knowledge | Relevant to farm animals, petting stock and dogs |
| Occupiers' Liability Act 1957, s2 | Reasonable care for visitors; be prepared for children to be less careful than adults | Central to visitor injury claims |
In England and Wales the Animals Act 1971 sets strict liability for dangerous species, which is a significant reason public liability limits for zoos are commonly set high. See the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and insurance and the Occupiers' Liability Acts.
HSE guidance on preventing ill health from animal contact at visitor attractions explains that animals naturally carry microorganisms that can pass to people, naming E. coli O157 and Cryptosporidium parvum, and that young children and the elderly are at greatest risk. The guidance points operators to an industry code of practice and sets out key controls:
Illness claims linked to animal contact may fall under public liability, subject to the policy terms, but some wordings restrict cover for disease or pollution related losses. Following the guidance and recording it is also important evidence. See open farm animal contact liability.
These examples are illustrative only and do not describe any real site, animal or claim.
A large animal breaches a fence after a storm and causes a collision on a nearby road. The keeper may face strict liability if the animal belongs to a dangerous species. Public liability, escape protocols and fence inspection records would all be central.
Several children fall ill after a school trip to a petting farm. The site's hand washing provision, supervision and signage will be examined against HSE guidance. Defence costs and damages may fall under public liability, subject to any disease restrictions in the wording.
A site closes for three weeks following an authority restriction with no physical damage. Unless the policy has a specific disease or closure extension that responds, the lost income may be uninsured.
Apex arranges insurance for zoos, wildlife parks and farm attractions; a broker reads every enquiry.
Under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 it is unlawful to operate a zoo to which the Act applies without a licence from the local authority. The Act applies to establishments where wild animals are exhibited to the public on seven days or more in any 12 consecutive months, excluding pet shops and, in England, circuses.
It can be. Section 5(3)(c) of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 lists insurance against liability for damage caused by animals as a condition a licensing authority may attach. Check your own licence conditions, which may specify the type or level of cover required.
Under the Animals Act 1971, the keeper of an animal belonging to a dangerous species is liable for damage it causes, except as the Act provides, without the need to prove fault. Other species follow a different test. Claims are usually handled under public liability, subject to the policy terms.
No. HSE guidance says alcohol gels and wipes are not a substitute for hand washing on farms. Operators should provide running water, ideally warm, with soap and paper towels, supervise washing, and keep eating areas away from places where animals can be touched.
Not automatically. Standard business interruption usually needs physical damage. Some policies add extensions for notifiable disease or authority closure, often limited to listed diseases and with sub-limits. Check the wording carefully, as cover for non damage closures varies widely.
Send us your current schedules or renewal pack and we will review the whole programme and tell you plainly what to keep and what to change. No fee and no obligation. Or call 0117 325 0027.
Book a programme review Get a quoteApex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.
