Do Construction Workers really need Public Liability Insurance?

Public liability insurance is there to give you and your customers peace of mind while working on-site each day. And for some clients, having it in place could be the difference between choosing to work with you or not.

As business owners, this type of insurance protects you if you're taken to court for accidentally damaging a client’s property, or injuring a member of the public. Your public liability insurance will be there to cover the costs and help keep your business on track.

Is public liability a legal requirement?

While it’s compulsory to have employers liability cover if your business has one or more employees*, public liability insurance isn’t a legal requirement. However, not having it in place could put your business at risk if something goes wrong.

You could be liable to pay up if a claim is made against you. But even before that, you might lose out on contracts if you don’t have a public liability insurance policy.

What does public liability insurance cover?

Getting insured with us gives you comprehensive cover if a claim is made against you. Here’s what we’ll handle so you don’t have to:

- The repair costs to fix damage to property

- Compensation costs to the client or third-party

- Legal expenses if this type of proceeding takes place

Does public liability cover employees?

No, public liability insurance isn’t designed to cover employees. It protects you from third-party claims made by customers, clients, or a member of the public.

This is where employers liability insurance comes in. Employers liability cover protects you against legal expenses and compensation costs that could arise if an employee becomes ill or injured as a result of work they've completed for your business.

If this is a worry for you, you could think about adding employers liability onto your public liability insurance to make sure you're fully covered. To know more about how you can do this, click here.

What is proof of public liability insurance?

Some clients might ask you to provide proof of public liability insurance. This is usually so they feel confident that you have suitable cover for the type of work you’ll be carrying out. You can use your policy schedule as proof, which we’ll send you when you’ve purchased.

Getting your public liability insurance sorted

Our cover provides comprehensive insurance which you can pay for monthly, with no additional fee. Why not get a personalised public liability quote online today. Click here to get started.

*Information taken from GOV.UK, correct as of May 2022.

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