Heating and gas engineer public liability insurance

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Page written by Chris Godfrey. Last reviewed on April 24, 2024. Next review due April 6, 2025.

Heating and gas engineer public liability insurance protects your business if someone is injured, or their property is damaged because of the services that you or your business provides. This essential cover, also known as PL or liability insurance, is designed to protect your heating and engineering business against compensation claims for injuries or property damage from a customer, passer-by, or a visitor to your business premises – whether you’re at fault or not.

Gas fitters public liability insurance is essential for:

Sole traders, partnerships, limited companies and limited liability partnerships
Self-employed engineers and SMEs who provide commercial and residential heating and gas engineering installation and maintenance services

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Why do heating & gas engineers need insurance?

No matter if you’re working in a commercial, residential or public space, the important work you do as a heating and gas engineer puts you and your business at significant risk. Simple accidents, errors and omissions that cause personal injury or property damage to the general public, your customers, or your suppliers could generate compensation claims in the tens of even hundreds of thousands of pounds.

In 2023, the average UK public liability claim was £13,500 plus defendant’s legal expenses. Even a sum like this could drive many heating and gas engineers into insolvency. Public liability insurance is the only way to ensure your business is not at risk from events beyond your control.

Protect yourself from common incidents like these:

A customer trips on the materials you’ve brought on site, falling and breaking their arm. They make a large claim for medical treatment, rehabilitation costs and lost income.
You accidentally reverse your van into a customer’s garden wall, bringing it down. They sue you for the costs to rebuild the wall.
You inadvertently fail to fit a replacement part to a commercial heating system. It fails over the weekend causing catastrophic flooding. The company makes a claim against you for property damage, loss of income and loss of business records.

What cover is included in insurance for gas and heating engineers?

As well as public liability protection, other important insurance for heating and gas engineers includes:

Employers’ liability insurance

Employer’s liability (EL) insurance protects you and your employees, (including those who no longer work for you and some contract workers), should they be injured or become unwell as a result of working for your business. Under the Employers Liability Act of 1969, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement for most UK employers. Your policy must cover you for at least £5 million and come from an authorised insurer. Your business can be fined up to £2,500 for every day you are not properly insured.

Product liability insurance:

Product liability insurance (PL) can protect your business from financial loss in the event that someone is harmed, or property is damaged due to the products that you supply. Be aware that you don’t have to make the faulty products to be at risk. You could be held liable for personal injury or property damage caused by products, parts and accessories manufactured by other businesses. You may also be at risk even if you only repaired or refurbished a faulty product that caused an accident.

Portable equipment insurance

Portable equipment insurance, also known as tools Insurance or business equipment insurance, covers the cost of replacing your valuable tools and equipment if they’re lost, damaged, or stolen.

Van insurance

Commercial van insurance covers your work van(s) and any personal contents you are carrying, such as your professional tools, from accident, fire or theft. Van insurance can also cover any goods or materials that you are transporting and protect you when you’re travelling to multiple places on business as well as your daily commute.

For an extra charge, most insurers will offer other insurance options, such as courtesy van hire and breakdown service and recovery. This can minimise the impact on your business if your van is off the road due to an accident.

What does gas engineer insurance cost?

Gas engineer insurance can start at less than £30 per month. However, the price you pay will depend on the level of cover you choose, your business location, your turnover, the types of work you do and a host of other business factors that make every quote unique.

How Swoop can help

All business involves risk, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer the consequences if things go wrong. Don’t let a simple accident or mistake become a catastrophe for your business. Contact Swoop today to compare top-quality gas engineer insurance from a range of providers and to discuss all your business insurance needs.

Written by

Chris Godfrey

Chris is a freelance copywriter and content creator. He has been active in the marketing, advertising, and publishing industries for more than twenty-five years. Writing for Barclays Bank, Metro Bank, Wells Fargo, ABN Amro, Quidco, Legal and General, Inshur Zego, AIG, Met Life, State Farm, Direct Line, insurers and pension funds, his words have appeared online and in print to inform, entertain and explain the complex world of consumer and business finance and insurance.

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