Insurance overview
Trade businesses face various risks – from accidental injury to customers, employees and workers or the public, or for damage to their property, tools and the environment. Tradesman Insurance can help to protect you from these risks.
Our policy provides cover for a variety of trade businesses - from builders and plumbers, to carpenters and electricians. It's also flexible so you can choose optional covers to meet your needs now and in the future.
What's included as standard:
- Public Liability - damages arising from injury to the public or damage to their property. Our normal cover is £2.5 million but you can choose higher limits.
- Product Liability - damages arising from injury to the public or damage to their property, caused by your products. Our normal cover is £2.5 million but you can choose higher limits.
- Environmental Liability - damages arising from injury to the public or damage to their property caused by pollution, including the cost of cleaning your own premises, up to £1 million.
Additional covers you can choose:
- Employers' Liability - damages arising from injury and illness to employees, up to £10 million as standard.
- Goods in Transit - protection of your goods while they’re in transit in your vehicles or with a third party carrier.
- Group Personal Accident - protecting yourself and employees aged 16 to 65 against the financial impact of death or disability following an accident or illness.
- Contents and Stock - cover against damage caused by common risks such as fire, flood, storm or escape of water. Includes customer's goods if you're responsible for them.
- Buildings - cover against damage caused by common risks such as fire, flood, storm or escape of water. Includes accidental breakage of fixed glass and sanitary ware.
- Contractors' All Risks - damage to contract works and materials while you’re at or travelling to or from the contract site, including machinery you own or hire.
- Commercial Legal Expenses - the cost of legal representation to defend your legal rights, and any agreed compensation awards, up to £250,000.
- Business Interruption - loss of income due to damage to property used by you at the premises, up to £1.5 million.
- Money and Malicious Attack - your money is protected against loss or theft at your premises and whilst you take it to the bank, including unauthorised use of any credit, cheque, bank or cash card, up to £10,000.
- Engineering Insurance - accidental damage or breakdown of machinery and plant.
- Engineering Inspection Services provided by Vulcan Inspection Services - plant and equipment inspections and certification to prevent injury or business interruption, and to meet your regulatory obligations.
- Terrorism - protection against property damage and loss of income caused by acts of terrorism.
- Business Travel - cover for you and your employees who travel abroad on business including access to a dedicated 24/7 helpline.
This is not an exhaustive list, more information can be found in the important documents section.
The cover you choose will depend on your circumstances and your local NFU Mutual agency office will take the time to understand these needs and explain the full details, including any limits and exclusions that may apply, to help ensure it‘s right for you.
The cover you choose will depend on your circumstances and your local NFU Mutual agency office will take the time to understand these needs and explain the full details, including any limits and exclusions that may apply, to help ensure it‘s right for you.
Important documents
Frequently asked questions
Tradesman insurance includes public liability, product liability and environmental liability cover as standard. This protects you from claims made involving damages or injury to the public and their property but you may need additional cover like business interruption and contents cover for example.
Public liability insurance for tradesmen is recommended both to protect your business and give you peace of mind. A lot of trade associations will also ask for this, but essentially it protects you and your business against claims made by the public if they suffer injury, loss or damage to themselves or their property through negligence on your part.
Tradesmen insurance is a collection of different covers, but public liability cover is usually at its core and is highly recommended for tradesmen.
As a self-employed tradesman, you’ll need insurance. Depending on your business, you may need to add different levels of cover to what’s included in standard policies, like employers’ liability insurance if you work with contractors or temporary workers.
Like all tradesmen, gardeners are covered by our policy with the option of adding cover for tools, employees and goods in transit.
No, any insurance paid within the UK is exempt from VAT however will be subject to IPT (Insurance Premium Tax).