Tradesman Insurance

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What is Included/Excluded with Tradesman Insurance?

Basic tradesman insurance policies are designed to meet your public and employer liability obligations and normal trading risks. This is so that you're protected against claims for injury to other people, damage to property and accident or ill health among staff.

Other options you may want to bundle in, include: motor vehicles and vans, buildings and contents, tools, goods in transit, plant and plant hire, engineering, key person, efficacy, contract works, business interruption, products, personal accident and Sickness, income protection, professional indemnity, money, books debt, trade credit, glass and sign, legal expenses, directors & officers, employee travel, contract/performance bond, latent defects. For more information on these options see do I need it?

Tradesman insurance varies from trade to trade. You can buy public liability on its own or a combined policy for public and employers liability policy. Some insurers won't sell employers liability on its own; you have to buy it alongside your employer liability insurance, ie a combined liability policy. The important thing is that all the different trades you do are covered..

Exclusions / Additions

• Activities that are often excluded by insurers or result in higher premiums include work involving:
  • Welding or flame cutting equipment
  • Work offshore
  • Asbestos or silica
  • Toxic waste
  • Woodworking machinery
  • Underwater work
  • Industrial oil, gas, petrochemical or chemical plants or storage depots
  • Docks, harbours, canals, watercourse or boatyards
  • Aircraft, hovercraft or powered watercraft
  • Mines or quarries
  • Underground work
  • Use of acids, chemicals or gases
  • Nuclear installation or nuclear materials
  • Railways including trackside and airports
  • Mechanical and electrical building services
  • Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
  • Bridges dams or tunnels
  • Water or sewerage schemes
  • Working at height
  • Noise levels over 90dB (A)

• Contract works loss or damage at contract sites to building works, materials, plant and equipment are usually excluded
• Work outside the UK Some insurers will only cover you for work inside mainland UK and won't insure work in the European Union or elsewhere. Look out for geographical limits in the policy if you're likely to work abroad.
• Asbestos Handling or working with asbestos is a common exclusion.
• Foreign workers Employees whose main residence isn't ordinarily in the UK are often excluded from employers liability cover by insurers. Check the small print if you hire foreign labour only workers.
• Migrant workers You can be fined a civil penalty of up to £10,000 or more for each illegal migrant worker you hire. Bosses who knowingly hire illegal migrant workers can face a two year prison sentence.
  Make sure you have the proper document checks in place to avoid this happening to you. For more information visit the Home Office Border and Immigration Agency's website www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk.
• Offshore Working on an offshore rig or platform often isn't covered under general tradesman insurance. You need to find a specialist insurer.
• Excess Pay close attention to the excess you have to pay if you make a claim. Say you claim £2,000 for loss of tools and the excess is £500. You'll have to pay the first £500 and your insurer pays the balance.
  Is the excess is too high? Maybe you get a better deal elsewhere? Or maybe you could save more by having a higher excess as this could make your premium cheaper.
• Work at height Most trade insurers want to know the height you work at, and in particular if it's higher than 10 metres above ground level. Some will only insure work up to a maximum of 15 metres. Make sure you're aware of any height restrictions before you buy.
• Work underground Some place a limit on the depth you can work at. Excavation work in deeper than 2 metres is often excluded.
• Multi trades Many tradesmen are multi-skilled and carry out different trades, e.g. plumbing, electrical, plastering, etc. Tell your insurer everything you do so that you're covered for all activities.
• Exclusions Check policy documents for exclusions - Some insurers put a limit not only on the height but on the depth you can work at, others exclude working with heat, tunnelling, work involving lifting equipment and scaffolding that hasn't been erected by a specialist company.
• Payroll size Your policy should be flexible enough to provide temporary cover for extra tradesmen you hire. If you take on - or lay off - staff you need to adjust cover levels. Let your insurer know. Some employers liability policies automatically provide cover for up to 50 free man days.