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Builders’ insurance protects you against the cost of accidents and mistakes at work. While you can’t stop them from happening, you can make sure you’re covered. Whether it’s just you or you have others working with you, it’s protection for your business and your customers.
You understand your business best – that’s why we put you in control. Whether you want to cover yourself for accidents on site, legal disputes with clients or the tools you need to run your business, you pick what goes into your policy.
Public liability insurance
In case you or your employee injure someone or damage their property.
Employers’ liability insurance
In case an employee gets sick or injured while working for you.
Tools insurance
In case your tools are lost, stolen or damaged.
Stock insurance
In case materials you're responsible for, like bricks, are lost, stolen, or damaged.
Business and office equipment insurance
In case things like laptops or office filing cabinets are lost, stolen, or damaged.
Hired-in plant insurance
In case plant machinery, like excavators, you've hired in is lost, stolen, or damaged.
Own plant insurance
In case plant machinery, like excavators, you own is lost, stolen, or damaged.
Contract works insurance
In case your building work in progress is damaged by something like a fire, flood or vandalism.
Legal expenses insurance
In case you’re faced with legal costs from running your business.
Personal accident insurance
In case anyone you’ve covered is accidentally injured, at or outside of work.
Professional indemnity insurance
In case a client loses money because of your advice, services or designs.
In case you or your employee injure someone or damage their property.
What’s typically covered by public liability insurance?
For example:
What you’ll need additional cover for
Read more about public liability insurance
In case an employee gets sick or injured while working for you.
What’s typically covered by employers’ liability insurance?
**Employers’ liability insurance is required by law if you have people working for you. Without it, you could be fined up to £2,500 a day for each employee.**
For example:
In case your tools are lost, stolen or damaged.
What’s typically covered by tools insurance?
For example:
What you’ll need additional cover for
Read more about tools insurance
In case materials you're responsible for, like bricks, are lost, stolen, or damaged.
What’s typically covered by stock insurance?
For example:
Read more about stock insurance
In case things like laptops or office filing cabinets are lost, stolen, or damaged.
What’s typically covered by business and office equipment insurance?
For example:
What you’ll need additional cover for
Read more about business and office equipment insurance
In case plant machinery, like excavators, you've hired in is lost, stolen, or damaged.
What’s typically covered by hired-in plant insurance?
For example:
What you’ll need additional cover for
Read more about hired-in plant insurance
In case plant machinery, like excavators, you own is lost, stolen, or damaged.
What’s typically covered by own plant insurance?
For example:
What you’ll need additional cover for
Read more about own plant insurance
In case your building work in progress is damaged by something like a fire, flood or vandalism.
What’s typically covered by contract works insurance?
For example:
What you’ll need additional cover for
Read more about contract works insurance
In case you’re faced with legal costs from running your business.
What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?
For example:
Read more about legal expenses insurance
In case anyone you’ve covered is accidentally injured, at or outside of work.
What’s typically covered by personal accident insurance?
For example:
Read more about personal accident insurance
In case a client loses money because of your advice, services or designs.
What’s typically covered by professional indemnity insurance?
For example:
Read more about professional indemnity insurance
Find out how much you’ll pay by comparing prices from a range of trusted insurers. You choose what goes into your policy, so you only pay for what you need.
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How we work out example prices We take the highest price from the bottom 10 per cent of all our customers paying in monthly instalments (based on data from 1 October 2019 - 31 March 2020). Most customers pay more than this but some pay less.
£9.47 /month
£96.59 /year
A builder working on residential alterations, conversions and extensions
Public liability
£1,000,000
Employers' liability
Not included
Tools
Not included
£121.28 /month
£1,237.05 /year
A builder working on commercial new builds, alterations, conversions and extensions
Public liability
£5,000,000
Employers' liability
£10,000,000
Tools
£9,000
How we work out example quotes These examples are real quotes from our online system (created 13 May 2020). They’re based on a range of factors, like employees and location. Your own quote will be based on what you tell us about your business. Prices may go up or down from day to day, so the prices you’re quoted may differ to the ones you see here.
An excess is an amount you pay towards any claim you make on your insurance. For example, if your excess is £250 and you make a claim worth £1000, your payout will be a maximum of £750.
Insurance cover | Lowest excess | Highest excess |
---|---|---|
Public liability | £100 | £2500 |
Employers' liability | No excess | No excess |
Tools | £60 | £500 |
Stock | £100 | £500 |
Business and office equipment | £50 | £750 |
You'll get a complete breakdown of the excesses for each quote when you compare with us. The figures above are for guidance only and any excess applying to your quote may differ. You’ll get a breakdown of the excesses for each quote when you compare with us.
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We handle claims, so you can get on with business
Making sure you have the right type and level of business insurance can be the difference between getting a claim paid and having to cover the cost of an expensive accident yourself. Read our tips for guidance on what to consider when buying a policy.
Is public liability enough for third party property damage?
Can I just cover my most expensive tools?
Which type of workers do I need insurance for?
Will tools insurance cover all my equipment?
Does builders’ insurance cover my work correctly?
Do I need cover for other types of work?
Which public liability cover limit should I choose?
In some situations you may need more than public liability to cover certain kinds of property damage. Learn about hired-in plant and contract works insurance.
Make sure you cover the total cost of replacing all your tools or you’ll only get a proportion of your claim paid out if something happens to them. Learn about tools insurance.
Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ people
If you have people working for you, including bona fide subcontractors (BFSC), labour-only subcontractors (LOSC), part-timers, or full-time staff, employers’ liability insurance is required by law.
Read on for our simplified guide to the difference between labour-only subcontractors and bona fide subcontractors.
Depending on what you use to do your work, you may need other covers
You may need more than tools insurance – for example, business equipment insurance if you have a work laptop, plant insurance if you use machinery.
Make sure you're picking the right cover to protect you properly. It’s important to know that if you have another trade or job, you'll need additional cover. For example, do you need to consider roofer insurance or bricklayer insurance?
If you provide these services alongside building work, make sure you’re covered
Think about the maximum possible loss your business could face in the event of a claim, and make sure you take legal fees and damages into consideration. You can choose from three levels of coverage – £1 million, £2 million, or up to £5 million.
Our team of UK-based insurance experts are here to help, Mon 09.00am - 05.30pm, Tues 09.00am - 05.30pm, Weds 09.00am - 05.30pm, Thurs 09.30am - 05.30pm, Fri 09.00am - 05.30pm, Sat 09.00am - 02.00pm
Call our team for free
Unlike price comparison websites, we take the hassle out of claims for you. We know how important it is to get your business back on track quickly – and with a minimum of fuss. That’s why you get access to your dedicated claims team any time, day or night. Call them on 0333 207 0560 or claim online. They’ll do their best to be fair and supportive. The figure below is rounded across our range of products. Our claims process may vary for different products and operates on a ‘claim by claim’ basis.
Paying 80% of settled claims within 24 hours in 2019
Having builders’ insurance through Simply Business has saved builders thousands of pounds when the unexpected happened.
Andy (not his real name) was working on a loft conversion for a customer when his ladder fell onto someone else’s car. It damaged the bonnet, roof and windscreen. Luckily Andy’s insurance covered the cost of the repairs.
£4,335.00
Covering the cost of the damage to third party property
£100
The excess amount stated in Andy’s policy terms
We started out as a team of 5 back in 2005. We’ve grown since then with 750,000 customers across 1,500 trades now trusting us to provide their insurance.
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Whether you’re new to buying business insurance or you’ve been trading for a while, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about builders’ insurance.
We create this content for general information purposes and it should not be taken as advice. Always take professional advice. Read our full disclaimer
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© Copyright 2021 Simply Business. All Rights Reserved. Simply Business is a trading name of Xbridge Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Registration No: 313348). Xbridge Limited (No: 3967717) has its registered office at 6th Floor, 99 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7NG.