You’re a tradesman. You know how to use tools and fix things, but do you know what it takes to keep yourself protected on the job? If not, read on to learn how tradesman insurance can protect your business and personal assets from unexpected losses or damages that may occur while you are working.

Public liability

Public Liability Insurance is a type of commercial insurance that covers you in the event that someone gets injured on your property or while they’re visiting. It also covers you if an employee causes damage to someone else’s property.

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What Does Public Liability Insurance Cover?

Public liability insurance will protect you against claims made by anyone who has been injured or suffered loss because of something that occurred on your premises, or during an activity which you were responsible for organizing or carrying out (for example, running a charity event).

How Much Public Liability Insurance Should You Have?

You should have enough public liability insurance to cover any losses incurred as a result of accidents involving members of the public taking place on your premises.

Read more about public liability insurance here.

Contract works

Contract works insurance covers you if you are contracted to carry out work on another person’s property. It is commonly called ‘contractors’ all risk insurance and often requires public liability insurance as well. Contract works can also cover you if you are contracted to carry out work on your own property, but this isn’t required in most cases.

Read more about contract works insurance here.

Van Insurance

Van insurance is a type of auto insurance that covers the risks related to your vehicle, including liability, collision damage and comprehensive coverage.

Most people choose to purchase van insurance because it also includes physical damage protection (PDP), which is otherwise known as comprehensive coverage. Unlike other types of auto insurance policies, this type will pay for damages not caused by an accident such as hailstorms or other unexpected weather events like tornadoes or hurricanes.

Plumbers standing next to van

If you don’t have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) but use your vehicle for work purposes, then it may be considered a commercial vehicle and require different types of insurance coverage than standard personal vehicles do. In some cases, this can include adding collision coverage onto their existing policy in addition to PDP and liability coverage.

Read more on our motor vehicle policies here.

Tools and Equipment Insurance

Tools and equipment insurance covers you if your tools are stolen or damaged, so you don’t have to worry about replacing them. It also covers you if there’s a malfunction with the equipment itself which requires the services of a technician. You can hire someone to repair your tools, or even purchase replacements for high-end equipment that would normally cost thousands of dollars out-of-pocket.

Man with clipboard taking inventory of tools.
Evaluate your tools and equipment regularly.

When purchasing tools and equipment insurance for tradesmen and construction workers, it’s important to understand how much coverage is needed based on your specific business needs.

Workers compensation

Workers compensation insurance is also known as general liability insurance. It protects you against lawsuits if one of your employees gets injured on the job and makes a claim against the company. Workers compensation insurance covers:

  • Payments to injured workers
  • Medical expenses
  • Rehabilitation costs
  • Legal costs

Find out more here:

Workers compensation facts you need to know
In the event of an accident, workers’ compensation policies protect both you and your employees.

Income protection and personal accident insurance

  • Income protection insurance: This insurance covers your income if you’re unable to work because of an accident. It will pay out a percentage of your gross salary and can be used as a lump sum or in regular payments, depending on the policy you choose.
  • Personal accident insurance: This type of coverage helps protect against medical expenses related to accidents and injuries sustained outside of work.

Income protection and personal accident policies are available from $500 annually for individual coverages up to $250,000 for families with multiple members needing coverages. In general, the cost will depend on how much coverage you need, so it’s best to talk with an agent before purchasing a policy so they can help guide you through the process.

Read more on income protection insurance.

Contact us for more information on policies that can cover you and your business

If you’re interested in finding out more about tradesman insurance, get in touch with us. We can help you find the right policy for your business and make sure that it’s properly covered.

If you’ve decided to start your own business or take on some freelance work, it’s important that you have the right insurance to protect yourself and your assets. We can help you find tradesman insurance options that suit your needs and budget.