UK Tradesman Insurance Quotes
Tradesman Insurance
Business insurance for tradespeople, covering your public and employers’ liability, your tools and equipment, and optional extras built around on-site risk.
Compare tradesman insurance quotes
- Public liability, employers’ liability and tools in one policy
- For builders, electricians, plumbers and all trades
What is tradesman insurance?
Tradesman insurance is a business package for tradespeople that brings the covers a trade needs into one policy, built around the risk of working on other people's property. It combines public liability for injury to the public or damage to their property, employers' liability where you have staff, and tools and equipment cover for theft or damage in the van, on site or at home. Optional extras include professional indemnity, contract works, personal accident, legal expenses and business interruption, and more than one trade can go on a single policy. Cover is arranged around your trade, turnover and the way you work. For most self-employed tradespeople and small contracting firms it is the single policy that keeps the work going when something goes wrong.
Tradesman insurance covers a wide range of trades because the risk itself varies so much. A builder, a plumber, an electrician, a painter and decorator and a roofer all sit within tradesman insurance, but each carries a different underwriting picture. Insurer appetite varies by trade, turnover and the type of work, which is why specialist broker placement matters more than a mainstream off-the-shelf quote.
Policies are usually built up from the covers each trade needs. Public liability, employers' liability where you have staff, and tools and equipment cover form the core, then the optional extras are added on top. Every tradesperson working on other people's property should hold public liability for injury to the public or damage to their property, commonly at £1m, £2m or £5m, and employers' liability is a legal requirement the moment you take on staff. The exact mix is priced against the real business rather than treating every trade the same way.
Brokers on our panel underwrite trade risks every day. They understand why the trade and annual turnover drive the premium, how the number of employees and your claims history change the price, why tool cover limits and van security matter, and the tighter appetite for higher-risk work such as hot works, working at height and structural alterations. They price the policy against how you actually work rather than a fixed online figure.
Related trade cover
What tradesman insurance covers
A tradesman policy bundles the covers you need on site into one place. Three core covers do the heavy lifting, and you add optional extras to match your trade and the jobs you take on. Multiple trades can sit on one policy.
The three covers most trades build a policy around
These sit at the heart of a tradesman policy and are what clients, councils and main contractors ask to see before they let you on site.
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Public liability
Pays out if you injure a member of the public or damage their property, for example a customer trips over your toolbox. Commonly arranged at £1m, £2m or £5m.
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Employers' liability
A legal requirement the moment you employ staff, at £5m minimum and usually £10m. It covers claims from workers injured or made ill through the job.
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Tools and equipment
Covers theft or damage to your tools in the van, on site or at home. Default limits are often only £1,000 to £2,000, so check the sum matches what you carry.
Add the cover your jobs call for
Layer these on top of your core cover to match the way you work and the contracts you take on.
- Professional indemnityFinancial loss from your design, advice or specification.
- Contract worksMaterials and work in progress against fire, theft, flood, vandalism and storm.
- Personal accidentA payout if an injury stops you working for a while.
- Legal expensesSupport with the legal costs of a dispute tied to your work.
- Business interruptionLost income if an insured event stops you trading.
What tradesman insurance does not cover
A tradesman policy is built around the trades you declare, the cover levels you choose and the security you keep for your tools. Once a loss falls outside those declared limits, the policy stops paying out. Knowing where the cover ends matters as much as knowing what it includes, because undeclared work, low tool limits and optional covers left off the policy are among the most common reasons a trade claim is reduced or declined.
Wear, tear and faulty workmanship
Wear and tear, gradual deterioration and faulty workmanship fall outside the cover. The cost of putting right poor work you have done is not met unless professional indemnity is added. Tradesman insurance covers sudden and unforeseen events, not the slow results of age or the cost of redoing a job.
Tools left in an unsecured van
Overnight tool theft usually needs a locked van with no tools on view. Tools left in an unsecured or visible van overnight are commonly excluded, and a claim can be turned down where the van was not locked or the tools were on show. Remove tools where you can, and lock them out of sight.
Undeclared trades or work
Cover applies to the trades and work you declare. Any trade or activity not listed on the policy, or work outside the scope you gave at quote stage, is usually excluded. Add every trade you carry out to one policy and tell your broker before you take on work of a different kind.
Tools above the policy limit
Tool cover default limits are often only £1,000 to £2,000, which can be too low for a full kit. Tools worth more than the sum insured are not met in full, so a large loss can leave a gap. Check the limit matches what you carry and increase it where you need to.
Work at height not declared
Working at height that you have not declared can lead to a rejected claim. Roof work, scaffolding, ladders and access platforms raise the risk, so insurers ask about them at quote stage. If your work takes you off the ground, declare it rather than assuming the standard policy covers it.
Professional advice and design
If part of your trade is design, advice or specification, financial loss arising from that work is not met by public liability. A design that fails or advice that proves wrong sits under professional indemnity, which is a separate cover arranged alongside where your trade needs it.
How much is excluded differs widely from one insurer to the next and from one trade to another. Always check the policy wording carefully on tool limits, van security, declared trades and optional covers before buying. For cover against claims from the public injured by your work, see our public liability insurance guide.
Trades we cover
Cover is built around the way you work on site, so it fits the risk of your trade. These are the trades a tradesman policy is arranged for every day.
Plus many more trades. Several trades can sit on one policy, so mixed and multi-skilled work is covered too.
What affects tradesman insurance costs
A sole trader with basic cover often pays about £150 to £400 a year, rising to £300 to £700 with employers' liability and professional indemnity, and £800 to £2,000 or more for a larger firm with staff. These six factors move the figure.
The trade and its risk
Higher-risk trades carry a higher rate. The work you do sets the base price.
Turnover
Cover rates on your annual turnover, so higher takings lift the premium.
Cover level
£2m suits most domestic work; £5m or £10m for larger commercial contracts.
Number of employees
Employers' liability is a legal requirement with staff, and more people raise the exposure.
Claims history
Past claims load the price. A clean record over recent years keeps it down.
Higher-risk work
Hot works, working at height and structural alterations all push the rate up.
How much does tradesman insurance cost?
There is no fixed online price for tradesman insurance. What you pay depends on your trade, and a specialist prices it against the risk. The table below shows the main factors that move a trade premium up or down.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Trade and its risk | Higher-risk trades cost more to insure. |
| Number of employees | More staff raises employers' liability exposure. |
| Turnover | A higher turnover raises the premium. |
| Cover level | £2m, £5m or £10m limits change the price. |
| Higher-risk work | Hot works, height and structural work cost more. |
| Claims history | Past claims raise the price. |
A rough guide: a sole trader with basic cover pays about £150 to £400 a year, about £300 to £700 with employers' liability and professional indemnity, and a larger firm with staff £800 to £2,000 or more. There is no fixed online price, it is quoted by a specialist against your own trade and cover.
How tradesman insurance works
Getting covered takes three steps. Tell us about your trade, compare quotes from specialist trade brokers, then pick your cover level and get on site.
Tell us about your trade, turnover and tools
Share your trade, yearly turnover, number of staff and the tools you carry. Add more than one trade if you cover several.
Compare specialist trade quotes
We match you with FCA-authorised brokers who price cover against your trade and its risk, so you can weigh up quotes side by side.
Choose your cover level and get on site
Pick the liability limit and extras that fit the jobs you take on, from £2m for domestic work up to £5m or £10m for larger contracts.
Public liability, employers' liability and tools cover explained
Some parts of a tradesman policy are a legal duty and others simply protect the business you have built. This section sets out the main covers a tradesperson needs, from public and employers' liability to tools, professional indemnity and lost income, and shows where the law sets the rules rather than leaving the choice to you. Open any section below to see what each cover does and when it applies.
Employers' liability: a legal requirement
Employers' liability becomes a legal requirement the moment you take on staff, whether they are full time, part time, seasonal or a labourer taken on for a job. The Employers' Liability Act 1969 sets a minimum of £5m of cover, and most trade policies arrange £10m as standard. It pays compensation and legal costs if a worker is injured or made ill because of the work they do for you.
The duty applies even to a single part-time labourer. Work without valid cover and you can be fined up to £2,500 for each day you are uninsured, and the certificate has to be available to your staff. See our tradesman insurance guide for how staff cover fits into a trade policy.
Public liability for the public and clients
Public liability covers claims from members of the public who are injured, or whose property is damaged, because of your work. A customer tripping over your toolbox or a dropped tool damaging a floor is the classic example. Cover is commonly arranged at £1m, £2m or £5m, and a client, council or main contractor will often ask for a set limit.
It is not required by law, but few tradespeople work without it, and clients, councils and main contractors expect it before they let you on site. The right limit depends on where you work and the value of the contracts you take on.
Tools and equipment cover
Tools and equipment cover pays to repair or replace your tools if they are stolen or damaged, whether they are in the van, on site or at home. For most tradespeople the kit is the means of earning a living, so a theft or a fire can stop work until it is replaced.
Default limits are often only £1,000 to £2,000, which can be too low for a full kit, so check the sum insured matches what you carry. Keeping a list of your tools with serial numbers helps settle a claim quickly if one is ever made.
Cover levels: £2m, £5m and £10m
Public liability is set at a chosen limit, commonly £2m, £5m or £10m. Cover of £2m is the usual minimum for domestic and small commercial work, while £5m or £10m is asked for on larger commercial contracts. The difference between £2m and £5m is often only £30 to £60 a year.
Employers' liability sits at £5m by law and is usually arranged at £10m. Check the limit a client or main contractor asks for before you start. See our tradesman insurance guide for how cover levels are set.
Professional indemnity for your advice
Professional indemnity covers financial loss that follows from your design, advice or specification, rather than physical injury or damage. A heating layout that does not perform or a specification that proves wrong is the kind of claim it responds to.
It is an optional cover rather than part of the core policy, and it matters most where a client relies on what you tell them. Trades that design, plan or advise as well as fit are the ones most likely to need it.
Contract works and materials on site
Contract works cover, also called contractors all risks, protects the materials and work in progress on a job against fire, theft, flood, vandalism and storm. It applies to the part-built work and the materials on site before the job is handed over.
It is an optional cover that suits longer jobs and new-build or refurbishment work. Where you are responsible for the works until completion, it fills a gap that public liability and tools cover do not.
Business interruption for lost income
Business interruption replaces the income you lose when you cannot work after an insured event such as a fire, flood or theft of tools. It covers lost earnings and the extra costs of getting back to work over an agreed indemnity period.
The indemnity period should be long enough to replace tools, replace a van and pick work back up. It is an optional cover that matters most where a single event could stop you earning for weeks.
Van security and tool limits
Insurers set conditions on how tools are kept in return for cover. Overnight tool theft usually needs a locked van with no tools on view, and higher tool sums can call for extra security or storage away from the vehicle.
Meeting these conditions can reduce the premium, but they are also warranties: if the van was not locked or tools were left on show, a theft claim can be refused. Honest disclosure of how you store your tools at quote stage is essential, since the Insurance Act 2015 makes undisclosed material facts grounds for a claim to be reduced or avoided.
Each cover meets a different need, and some are set by law rather than left to choice. Compare tradesman insurance quotes to see how liability, tools and income cover are arranged for your trade across the MyMoneyComparison.com broker panel.
Who needs tradesman insurance?
Almost any tradesperson working on other people's property needs tradesman insurance, but the policy looks different depending on the trade, the work and how many staff you employ. A single package can bring together public liability, employers' liability, tools and equipment and optional extras, built around on-site risk. Employers' liability becomes a legal requirement the moment you take on staff.
Builders and general contractors
Bricklayers, groundworkers and general builders on domestic and small commercial sites. Public liability is the cover clients and main contractors ask for first, with tools and plant close behind.
Electricians and plumbers
Electricians, plumbers and heating engineers working in customers' homes and business premises. Public liability for accidental damage on site, plus tools cover for the kit carried in the van.
Carpenters and joiners
Carpenters, joiners and kitchen and bathroom fitters moving hand and power tools between jobs. Cover centres on public liability and on tools and equipment against theft or damage.
Painters, decorators and plasterers
Painters, decorators, plasterers and tilers finishing other people's property. Public liability covers accidental damage to a client's home, with tools cover for the equipment you bring on site.
Roofers and landscapers
Roofers, landscapers and groundworkers doing higher-risk work, often at height. Cover level and declared work matter, with public liability the minimum most sites require before you start.
Trades employing staff
Any trade taking on staff, labourers or apprentices. Employers' liability becomes a legal requirement the moment you employ someone, alongside public liability and tools cover.
Whatever your trade, cover should reflect the work you actually do. Compare tradesman insurance quotes to match the policy to your trade, tools and risk profile.
Tradesman insurance vs separate policies
A tradesman package bundles public liability, employers' liability, tools and optional extras into one policy, built around the way you work on site. Buying each cover on its own means separate policies, often from different insurers, with different renewal dates and more admin. A package is usually cheaper and simpler to manage, and it makes it clearer what is and is not covered, so you are less likely to leave a gap.
| Comparison | Tradesman package One combined policy | Separate policies Bought cover by cover |
|---|---|---|
| How cover is arranged | Public liability, employers' liability, tools and optional extras sit in one policy, with one renewal date and one insurer to deal with | Each cover bought as its own policy, often from different insurers, with different renewal dates to keep track of |
| Cost | Bundling the covers together is usually cheaper than buying each one on its own, and the whole policy renews in one go | Paying for standalone policies separately tends to cost more overall, with each one priced on its own terms |
| Admin and renewals | One document, one payment and one point of contact if you need to make a claim across any of the covers | Several documents and payments to track, and it is easy for a cover to lapse or be missed at renewal |
| Public liability | Included as the core cover, commonly £1m, £2m or £5m for injury to the public or damage to their property | Bought as a standalone public liability policy, with no tools or employers' cover attached to it |
| Employers' liability | Added when you employ staff, meeting the legal requirement of £5m minimum, usually set at £10m | A separate employers' liability policy is needed the moment you take on staff, arranged on its own |
| Tools and equipment | Tools cover for theft or damage in the van, on site or at home can be built into the same policy | Tool cover has to be arranged on its own, or is left uncovered if it gets overlooked |
| Gaps in cover | Covers are arranged together against one trade and turnover, so it is clearer what is and is not included | Cover bought piece by piece can leave gaps or overlaps between policies, which only show up at claim time |
Important: Cover detail shown is indicative of how UK tradesman policies are typically structured. It is illustrative only and does not constitute a quotation or offer of insurance. Specific policy wording, sums insured, limits and exclusions vary by insurer and individual circumstances. MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FCA registration number 916241.
A tradesman package usually costs less and is simpler to run than buying each cover on its own. Public liability insurance, employers' liability and tools cover are arranged together to match how you work.
Specialist Tradesman Insurance
Specialist tradesman insurance comparison since 2013
Since 2013, MyMoneyComparison.com has helped UK tradespeople find cover without the runaround. Whether you work as a builder, electrician, plumber or carpenter, or run a larger contracting firm, our specialist broker panel underwrites trade businesses every day. Compare specialist tradesman insurance from a panel that understands public liability, employers' liability, tools and equipment, professional indemnity, contract works and the full range of UK on-site risks.
Compare tradesman insurance quotes from some of the UK's top providers, including:
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Tradesman Insurance Questions Answered
Detailed answers to help you understand more about tradesman insurance.
What is tradesman insurance?
Tradesman insurance is a business insurance package for tradespeople and small contracting firms. It brings the covers you need on site into one policy: public liability, employers’ liability if you have staff, tools and equipment cover, and optional extras such as professional indemnity and contract works.
Is tradesman insurance a legal requirement?
The package as a whole is not compulsory, but employers’ liability is a legal requirement the moment you employ staff. Public liability is not required by law, yet most clients, councils, housing associations and main contractors will not let you on site without it.
What does tradesman insurance cover?
The core is public liability for injury to the public or damage to their property, employers’ liability for your staff, and tools and equipment cover. You can add professional indemnity, contract works, personal accident, legal expenses and business interruption to match how you work.
How much public liability cover do I need?
£2 million is the usual minimum for domestic and small commercial work, while £5 million or £10 million is often asked for on larger commercial contracts. The difference in premium between £2 million and £5 million is often only £30 to £60, so check what your contracts require.
Does it cover my tools?
Tools and equipment cover pays for theft or damage to your tools in the van, on site or at home. Default limits are often only £1,000 to £2,000, which can be too low, and overnight cover usually needs a locked van with no tools on view, so set the limit to match your kit.
Do I need employers' liability?
If you employ anyone, including casual, temporary or labour-only subcontractors under your control, employers’ liability is a legal requirement at £5 million minimum (£10 million is usually provided). The HSE can fine a business up to £2,500 for each day it trades without it.
What is contract works cover?
Contract works, sometimes called contractors all risks, covers the materials and work in progress on a job against fire, theft, flood, vandalism and storm. It protects the value of the work you have done and the materials on site until the job is handed over.
Which trades can be covered?
Builders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and joiners, painters and decorators, roofers, plasterers, tilers, bricklayers, landscapers, handymen, heating engineers and many more. If you carry out more than one trade, they can usually be added to a single policy.
Does it cover faulty workmanship?
Standard public liability does not pay to redo poor work, and wear and tear is excluded. Claims about your design, advice or specification causing a financial loss are covered by professional indemnity, which you can add to the package where your work involves that risk.
How much does tradesman insurance cost?
There is no fixed price. A sole trader with basic cover is often about £150 to £400 a year, adding employers’ liability and professional indemnity around £300 to £700, and a larger contracting business with employees £800 to £2,000 or more, depending on the trade and cover level.
Can I put more than one trade on the policy?
Yes. Many tradespeople carry out several trades, and specialist insurers can add them to one policy. Declare every trade and any higher-risk work such as hot works or working at height, because undeclared work can lead to a rejected claim.
Why use a specialist tradesman insurance broker?
Specialist brokers rate trade risks every day and understand how the trade, turnover, cover level and claims history drive the price. They match your work to insurers with the right appetite, and the difference between providers on the same trade can be hundreds of pounds.
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