Subcontractor insurance

Subcontractors’ insurance can cover everything from a sprained ankle or a scraped vehicle, to a major fire or total loss. Depending on the industry you work in and the work you do, you should purchase essential cover and then add optional extras according to your circumstances:

Essential subcontractor cover

• Public liability – covers you in the event your work causes personal injury or property damage to a member of the general public, your clients, customers or suppliers.
• Accidental death – provides compensation in the event that an employee is killed whilst working for you.
• Employer’s liability – protects you and your employees should they be injured or become unwell as a result of working for your business.
• Tools and equipment – protects your vital tools and equipment from damage, fire, flood, or theft.
• Legal expenses – pays for legal advice and representation in the event of any claim or business dispute.

Optional subcontractor cover

• Product liability – covers you from claim in the event that products or materials you have supplied are faulty. (You don’t have to make the products or materials to be at risk, simply distributing or providing them can make you liable for claims of personal injury or property damage).
• Professional indemnity – essential for subcontractors who provide expert advice, information and skills – such as designers, architects and chartered surveyors. This policy covers you in the event that erroneous information you have provided creates a financial loss for a client or customer.
• Owned-plant insurance – covers the caravans, site huts, light and heavy machinery that you own from damage, theft, fire and flood.
• Hired-in plant insurance – similar cover to above, except this policy protects the machinery and plant that you have rented or leased from a supplier.
• Stock and inventory – protects you from loss if the unsold goods and raw materials you hold in stock are stolen, damaged, or lost to fire or flood.
• Contents insurance – pays out in the event the contents of your business premises (including construction sites and site offices), are stolen, damaged, or lost to fire and flood. This is essential cover if you operate a workshop or office. Protect your equipment, computers, furniture and more.
• Van and truck – it is illegal to drive an uninsured vehicle on UK roads – including commercial vehicles. Protect your vans and trucks and their contents from fire, theft and accident.
• Goods in transit – covers your raw materials and finished goods as they travel from A to B. This applies to shipping in your own vehicles as well as those of third-party couriers.
• Cyber-insurance – protect your technology from cyber criminals with a policy that covers malicious malware, hacking, phishing, ransomware and more.