Tax and insurance

SoA members are entitled to exclusive access to member-only insurance schemes and discounted rates on other policies, as well as free tax advice from HW FIsher.

Already a member? Sign in to the member area to access exclusive discount codes and details.


Public Liability Insurance – upgrade to Membership PLUS

Membership PLUS brings you all the benefits of standard SoA Membership plus £10 million of public liability insurance – all for just £10 more than our regular subscription. Available to all Members who are UK residents.

Designed for authors who perform, visit schools, run workshops, or take part in other public-facing work, the policy is provided by Hencilla, who run similar plans for the Musician’s Union, Equity, BECTU and the Incorporated Society of Musicians.


Benenden Health – private healthcare

We have teamed up with healthcare provider Benenden Health to offer you healthcare with services that will support you when you need it most, for a low monthly cost of £11.90.

Society of Authors members who join the scheme will receive a £25 Marks & Spencer gift card as a thank you.


Tax Protection Insurance

Member-only group scheme to protect you against the professional costs of dealing with a tax inspection by the Inland Revenue. The scheme runs from 1 May to 30 April.

The annual cost is £12 if you sign up between 1 March and 30 April. Joining the scheme mid-term will incur a £15 administration from our brokers.

The scheme is underwritten by DAS Legal Expenses Insurance through the brokers Baxters.

Please note that this insurance is not available if you are trading as a limited company.


Professional Indemnity Insurance

Authors understandably worry about the warranties and indemnities that they are required to give publishers. In practice, publishers seldom invoke indemnity clauses when problems arise, so long as the author has acted professionally and responsibly. Nevertheless, if you can afford it, insurance – a legitimate business expense for tax purposes – may well be comforting and reassuring.

Jensten Insurance (Financial and Professional Risks Division) offer a bespoke insurance product, Writesure, which provides cover specific to the needs of authors and writing professionals. In addition to comprehensive cover bespoke to their needs Members and Associates of the SoA can also benefit from preferential scheme rates. Although the premiums are not cheap, they seem reasonable to us in relation to lawyers’ charges.

Writesure provides professional and freelance writers with protection against allegations of libel and slander, unintentional infringement of copyright, breach of contract, unintended breach of confidentiality and negligence in regards to their work and publications. Limits are available from £100,000 – £1m.


Quoteline Direct

Members and Associates are eligible for Gold Club status. Negotiated with over 35 of the UK’s largest insurers, the scheme offers top quality cover and service with savings of up to 35% on motor, home, travel, van, motorcycle insurance and vehicle breakdown cover, plus many other optional benefits.


Free Tax Helpline

The SoA is always pleased to give Members and Associates routine advice on tax queries – particularly over the tax treatment of professional authors, VAT or limited companies. In addition, HW Fisher & Company, a firm of accountants specialising in the tax affairs of writers, provides a free tax helpline for our membership.

The Authors and Journalists Team at HW Fisher are dedicated to ensuring the financial security and prosperity of authors and journalists, and have many years’ experience of helping clients to minimise their tax liability.