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Keep your business and reputation safe as houses with tradesmen insurance. It's the tool you need when a job doesn't go to plan.
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for physical damage and injuries caused by your business
Big jobs or small ones, you're a helping hand. You build things, fix faults, fit systems or clean and sort your client's home or garden.
But as handy as you are, accidents happen. A customer could trip over your toolbox and injure themself. One of your employees might fall off a ladder and need physiotherapy. Or an expensive set of tools could be stolen from your locked van.
There’s a whole list of things that can go wrong when you’re using your tricks of the trade. So it makes sense to be prepared. Find yourself in a fix and tradesmen insurance can help. Job done.
Insurance is the perfect fit for all kinds of tradesmen. Whether you’re self-employed, run a limited company, or you’re a contractor working for someone else.
For self-employed tradesmen, tradesmen insurance will give you peace of mind that your valuable equipment is covered if it’s lost, stolen, or damaged. And you’ll be protected against expensive legal battles if a member of the public gets hurt or their property is damaged on-site, and it’s your fault.
If you run a limited company and employ others, you’ll also need the protection that employers’ liability insurance provides. Plus, it’s required by law.
For contractors, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re covered under the insurance of whoever’s hired you. But that’s not always the case.
Their employers’ liability insurance might cover you, but you should certainly have your own tools & equipment insurance. And your own public liability, just in case. If you’re unsure, double-check what insurance your employer has and what it covers.
We cover a wide variety of different trades. More than we could list here. Here’s just some of the trades we can cover:
If you don’t see your trade on the list, that doesn’t mean we don’t cover it. The best way to find out if we do is to get a quote.
The types of tradesmen insurance you’ll need will depend on the nature of your business and what kind of trade you do.
In general, though, there are several kinds of tradesmen insurance you should consider:
Tools & equipment insurance is important for any tradesman that relies on their kit to get the job done. It’s difficult to put a general price tag on it, though.
The cost of it depends on a few different factors:
The most important thing when it comes to tools & equipment insurance is to base it on the cost of replacing all your kit. Otherwise, if a disaster happens, you won’t have enough cover to replace everything. Which means you’ll be out of pocket.
The best way to find out how much your insurance will cost is to tot up the current value of all your kit and get a quick quote.
Subcontractors can be the perfect solution when you need a backup or extra workforce. But the type of insurance you need depends on the type of subcontractor you hire.
A labour-only subcontractor means you dictate their hours. You supervise them, they use your tools and materials, and you probably pay them a salary.
A labour-only subcontractor works almost as an employee. If you have a workforce already, they should be covered by your existing employers' liability and public liability insurance.
However, it's worth letting your insurance company or broker know you've hired extra staff. If you're usually a one-man band, you'll need to get employers' liability (EL). It's a legal requirement if you employ anyone – even if they're temporary.
Or, you might employ a bona fide subcontractor. They'll invoice you for their time, bring their own tools, work their own hours. You'll need to check they have their own public liability insurance and, if they have their own staff, that they're insured too. You don't need EL for these subcontractors.
A bona fide subcontractor will need to sign a contract with you, holding them accountable for their work and deadlines. Legal expenses cover can help if you have a dispute with these contractors.
We're business insurance specialists who know that time is money and isn't always on your side.
Because we're digital, you can get a quote in minutes and your insurance in just a few clicks. And your documents are delivered straight to your inbox.
You can also call us. Our experts are real people in a real office, ready and waiting to help. We don't have a call centre or a phone menu either. We like to keep things simple.
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