Scaffolding public liability insurance

In case someone is injured or their property gets damaged, because of your scaffolding business.

What’s typically covered by public liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• damage to someone’s property, caused by your work
• injuries caused by your business activities
• accidental damage or injury caused by your employees, if you have any

For example:

• while erecting a customer’s scaffolding, you accidentally damage a window which will need to be removed and reinstalled
• you leave some equipment out while on lunch, causing a customer to trip and cut their head – they’ll need stitches and a day off work with mild concussion

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

In case an employee gets sick or injured while working for you.

What’s typically covered by employers’ liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

• an employee, including a contractor or casual labourer, suing you after falling ill because of working for your scaffolding business, or
• making a claim for an injury they’ve had while working for you

**Employers’ liability insurance is required by law if you have people working for you. Without it, you could be fined up to £2,500 a day for each employee.**

For example:

• your apprentice falls off a ladder while working with you – he fractures his elbow and needs six weeks off work
• a contractor working for you drops heavy equipment on their foot, breaking two bones

Business and office equipment insurance

In case things like your laptop or phone are lost, stolen, or damaged.

What’s typically covered by business and office equipment insurance?

• theft, flood, fire, or accidental damage to the equipment you use to run your scaffolding business
• operational equipment like your laptop, rather than the trade tools you take out and about

For example:

• your employee drops your laptop while getting into your van, and it develops a fault
• a flood in your home office damages some equipment you’ve just installed, including an expensive alarm system

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Tools insurance

In case your scaffolding tools are lost, stolen, or damaged.

What’s typically covered by tools insurance?

• loss, damage, or theft of your hand tools, power tools, and specialist scaffolder equipment

For example:

• tools you’ve just bought in for a larger job are stolen from your garage during a break-in
• a flood in your site static unit causes damage to the three wrenches you’ve just ordered, which will need replacing

What you’ll need additional cover for

• larger plant items you use to carry out your scaffolding – you’ll need to add our specific plant cover for these

Read more about tools insurance

Stock insurance

In case something happens to the scaffolding stock you keep in supply.

What’s typically covered by stock insurance?

• loss, damage, or theft of your work materials, or items you’re planning to sell

For example:

• you’re keeping materials in the back of your van for next week’s job, but these get lost when your employee empties it at the dump
• the materials you’ve ordered for a new contract are stolen from your client’s site

Read more about stock insurance

Hired-in plant insurance

In case your rented plant machinery, like a tower, is lost, stolen, or damaged.

What’s typically covered by hired-in plant insurance?

• loss, damage, or theft of things like mobile towers which you’ve hired in

For example:

• the lift machine you’ve hired for a big housing development contract is damaged by vandals
• a scaffolding tower you’ve hired is stolen from your works site over the weekend

What you’ll need additional cover for

• tools and plant machinery which you own yourself – you’ll need to add our specific own plant insurance or tools cover for this

Read more about hired-in plant insurance

Own plant insurance

In case your own plant machinery, like a scaffold tower, is lost, stolen, or damaged.

What’s typically covered by own plant insurance?

• loss, damage, or theft of things like your own scaffold tower

For example:

• your tower is damaged in transit by an employee and needs a new part, delaying the contract by over a week
• all six of your mobile towers are stolen during an overnight site break-in

What you’ll need additional cover for

• plant machinery you’ve rented – you’ll need to add our specific hired-in plant cover for this

Read more about own plant insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you’re faced with legal costs from running your scaffolding business.

What’s typically covered by legal expenses insurance?

• legal costs attributed to your scaffolding business
• property damage, nuisance, or trespass – specifically, the associated legal claims and compensation payouts
• tax and compliance disputes and investigations you need help with
• includes a tax advice helpline, a 24/7 confidential legal helpline, and crisis support to help you protect your reputation as a trusted trade professional

For example:

• your client is disputing their contract with you, and you need pay for legal services
• an apprentice sues you for unfair dismissal, and you begin to incur legal costs which need to be recovered

Read more about legal expenses insurance

Personal accident insurance

In case anyone you’ve covered is accidentally injured, at or away from work.

What’s typically covered by personal accident insurance?

• accidental injury or death at work or elsewhere, for anyone covered on the policy
• lost income, medical costs, and hospitalisation benefit

For example:

• you fall off your ladder and dislocate your shoulder, keeping you off active work for three weeks
• your employee breaks their arm while playing rugby and needs a month off work

Read more about personal accident insurance

Is public liability enough for third party property damage?

In some situations you may need more than public liability to cover certain kinds of property damage. Learn about tools insurance and own plant insurance.

Can I just cover my most expensive tools?

Make sure you cover the total cost of replacing all your tools or you’ll only get a proportion of your claim paid out if something happens to them. Learn about tool cover.

Which type of workers do I need insurance for?

Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ people.

If you have people working for you, including bona fide subcontractors (BFSC), labour-only subcontractors (LOSC), part-timers, or full-time staff, employers’ liability insurance is required by law.

Read on for our simplified guide to the difference between labour-only subcontractors and bona fide subcontractors.

Will tools insurance cover all my equipment?

Depending on what you use to do your work, you may need other covers.

You may need more than tools insurance – for example, business equipment insurance if you have a work laptop, plant insurance if you use machinery.

Does scaffolders insurance cover my work correctly?

Make sure you’re picking the right cover to protect you properly. It’s important to know that if you have another trade or job, you’ll need additional cover. For example, do you need to consider groundworkers insurance or builders insurance?

Do I need cover for other types of work?

If you provide other services, make sure you’re covered:

• Bricklayers insurance
• Handyman insurance
• Bathroom fitter insurance
• Glazier insurance
• Carpet fitter insurance
• Flooring contractors insurance
• Plasterers insurance
• Plumbers insurance

Other types of insurance

• Limited company insurance
• Self-employed insurance
• Freelance insurance
• Consultant insurance
• Contractors insurance
• Sole trader insurance

Which public liability cover limit should I choose?

Think about the maximum possible loss your business could face in the event of a claim, and make sure you take legal fees and damages into consideration. You can choose from three levels of coverage – £1 million, £2 million, or up to £5 million.