Save money on public liability insurance for plumbers
- What is public liability insurance for plumbers?
- Why do plumbers need public liability insurance?
- How much does public liability insurance cost for plumbers?
- Example of a public liability claim for a plumber
- How do plumbers get public liability insurance?
- Public liability insurance for plumbers estimated cost per month
What is public liability insurance for plumbers?
Public liability insurance covers you and your plumbing business against injury or property damage caused to third parties, including clients and members of the public. This includes injury or damage caused by the products you supply.
This type of insurance does not cover injury or damage to yourself and tools or materials you are about to use. For those things you will need additional insurance cover for plumbers.
Public liability cover for electricians starts from £1m up to £10m and the amount of coverage you need depends on the environment you work in and what you are working with. The riskier the work the higher the premium you will have to pay.
Why do plumbers need public liability insurance?
Even the most experienced plumber will occasionally make a mistake or something unforseen will go wrong. Water damage, gas leaks and electrocution are just some of the reasons why you should take public liability insurance if you are a gas safe plumber. Customers sharing your workspace are at risk, and so is their property, so you need to make sure they know that you have them covered.
Public liability insurance is not mandatory in the UK for plumbers but you might be taken to court by customers if your work has caused them to have an accident or you have damaged their property. This type of insurance will also help to pay for legal fees and damages.
Reputable plumbing trade bodies in the UK will not register a new member unless they have the required public liability insurance.
How much does public liability insurance cost for plumbers?
Public liability insurance for plumbers is relatively cheap, costing from as little as £6 a month depending on the amount of coverage you want to insure for (ie. £1m to £10m), the size of your business and the risk associated with your work.
If you have secondary trades like building or electrical work the premium will probably be higher because you are using more tools and creating more risk.
Insurance companies can offer plumbers “insurance bundles” which will also cover other types of insurance including:
- Employers liability insurance - A legal requirement if you have employees
- Tools and business equipment insurance - cover damaged, lost and stolen tools
- Personal accident cover - Insure yourself or you employees against injury or death
- Stock cover - insure your stock against theft and damage
- Contract insurance - making sure you are covered in project based contract work where control is sometimes out of your hands.
Example of a public liability claim for a plumber
A plumber was called to a top floor flat to plumb in a washing machine using the cold water pipe for the bathroom while the owner was away on holiday.
A connector used to plumb into the cold water feed was incorrectly fitted and failed when the plumber left the property. The leak resulted in extensive flood of the top floor flat and two other flats below.
The resulting damage cost over £200,000 including legal fees. The plumber only paid the excess on his insurance policy.
How do plumbers get public liability insurance?
You can quickly protect your plumbing business and your homeowners from injury and damage by completing an online form to get instant quotes from UK insurers. You will be asked;
- Are you trading as a plumber?
- What are your secondary trades, if any?
- What types of environments do you work in?
- Do you work in residential, commercial or both?
- What part of the UK do you work in?
- Are you a sole trader, partnership or Ltd?
- How many years experience do you have running a plumbing?
From this basic information our partners at Quotezone will be able to find the cheapest and most comprehensive public liability insurance quotes for electricians in your area.
*The estimations provided on this webpage are independently provided by HaMuch Ltd. Prices are not guaranteed and quotes may vary when using the comparison system based on individual circumstances.
Disclaimer: This information is intended for editorial purposes only and not intended as a recommendation or financial advice.