Scaffolding insurance
Join over 900k UK customers – we offer public liability cover for scaffolders like you
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For 80% of settled claims
Why is scaffolders insurance important?
From the equipment you rely on to any employees you have on site, scaffolding work comes with specific risks. Erecting and checking, or a site assessment with potential customers – people rely on you for the highest level of care and attention. Choose from public liability cover, employers’ liability insurance, and tool protection, plus personal accident insurance for your own injuries.
- scaffolding contractors’ insurance options including your own kit or hired plant
- public liability insurance, scaffolding risks covered from £1 million to £10 million
- optional personal accident cover, in case an incident stops you working
What does scaffold insurance cover?
We’ll start with options for scaffolders’ public liability insurance, designed to cover third-party accidental injuries and property damage. Our policies provide between £1 million and £10 million public liability cover, and you can add equipment and plant machinery protection too, plus employers’ liability insurance for your team – it’s usually a legal requirement.
This content has been created for general information purposes. Make sure you have the right level of business insurance by checking your policy documentation for details. Read our full Terms and Conditions
How much does scaffolder insurance cost?
Find out how much you’ll pay by comparing prices from a range of trusted insurers. You choose what goes into your policy, so you only pay for what you need.
Prices start from £4.74 per month
Get your quotes in 7 minutes – prices are guaranteed for 30 days.
Get your tailored quotes in 7 minutes
The price is for up to £2 million of public liability insurance – 10% of customers paid £56.82 or less annually between 1st Jan – 31st May 2024. Equivalent to £4.74 a month (and excludes the extra costs for paying monthly). 76% of customers have a £1 million limit and 24% £2 million. If you complete a quote, more types of cover will be available. These all have additional costs.
Example scaffolding insurance quotes, real prices
![](https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk//wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/maltings.webp?w=100)
£120.43 /month
£1,070.45 /year
A self-employed scaffolder working in the local area – with full health and safety risk assessments carried out at site
- 1-2 years’ experience
- Sole trader
- No employees
- Based in Coventry
Public liability
£1,000,000
Employers’ liability
Not included
Tools
Not included
![](https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk//wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/maltings.webp?w=100)
£605.48 /month
£5,382.08 /year
A scaffolding ltd company working on residential locations – with full health and safety risk assessments carried out at site
- 5+ years’ experience
- Limited company
- 1 employee
- Based in Southampton
Public liability
£2,000,000
Employers’ liability
£10,000,000
Tools
£4,000
How we work out example quotes These examples are real quotes from our online system (created 09/06/2021). They’re based on a range of factors, like employees and location. Your own quote will be based on what you tell us about your business. Prices may go up or down from day to day, so the prices you’re quoted may differ to the ones you see here.
What kind of excess should I expect?
An excess is an amount you pay towards any claim you make on your insurance. For example, if your excess is £250 and you make a claim worth £1000, your payout will be a maximum of £750.
Insurance cover | Lowest excess | Highest excess |
---|---|---|
Public liability | £100 | £2500 |
Employers’ liability | No excess | No excess |
Tools | £60 | £500 |
Stock | £100 | £500 |
Business and office equipment | £50 | £750 |
The figures above are for guidance only and any excess applying to your quote may differ. You’ll get a breakdown of the excesses for each quote when you compare with us.
How it works
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How do I choose insurance?
Making sure you have the right type and level of business insurance can be the difference between getting a claim paid and having to cover the cost of an expensive accident yourself. Read our tips for guidance on what to consider when buying a policy.
Talk to an expert
Our team of UK-based insurance experts are here to help, Mon 09.00am – 05.30pm, Tues 09.00am – 05.30pm, Weds 09.00am – 05.30pm, Thurs 09.30am – 05.30pm, Fri 09.00am – 05.30pm, Sat 09.00am – 02.00pm
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How do claims work?
Unlike price comparison websites, we take the hassle out of claims for you. We know how important it is to get your business back on track quickly – and with a minimum of fuss. That’s why you get access to your dedicated claims any time, day or night. Call them on 0333 207 0560 or claim online. They’ll do their best to be fair and supportive.
£51 million in claims paid out in 2023
83% of claims were settled in 2023.
The figure above is rounded across our range of products. “Settled” covers paid, declined or withdrawn. Our claims process may vary for different products and operates on a ‘claim by claim’ basis. Our specialist partner Sedgwick will pay the claims on behalf of the insurer. Reviewed on 24/04/2024.
Example claim
Having scaffolding insurance through Simply Business has saved trade professionals thousands of pounds when the unexpected happened.
Ian saved more than £121,400
Ian (not his real name) slipped and fell from a height while subcontracting, suffering multiple fractures to his collarbone and shoulder. He needs surgery and significant time off work. The personal accident cover in his scaffolders’ insurance policy covered Ian’s medical costs and lost income.
Insurance payout
£121,412.78
Covering the cost of personal accident
Insurance payout
Covering the cost of personal accident
Covering the cost of personal accident
Chosen by nearly 1 million small businesses and landlords
We started out as a team of five back in 2005. We’ve grown since then, with nearly 1 million customers across 1,500 trades now trusting us to provide their business insurance.
Scaffolding insurance FAQ
Whether you’re new to buying business insurance or you’ve been trading for a while, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about scaffolders’ liability insurance and other key covers. You can also check out our business insurance FAQs.
Yes. It’s important to make sure you have the right type and level of insurance for the different types of work you do. For example, if you’re a plumber, you may also do building work on certain jobs – you’ll need additional cover for this, but you can have it all on the one policy.
When you start your quote, you’ll have the option to add another trade or profession to your policy. If you need to add a third trade, give us a call on 0333 043 8527 and one of our insurance experts will help you set up your policy in minutes.
Each insurer looks at CCJs and IVAs differently – some apply stricter rules than others, but having a CCJ or IVA doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be able to buy insurance.
You can choose the payment type that suits your business and cash flow best. Some customers prefer to pay in one go, while others prefer to pay a regular monthly amount, like you do with lots of other bills. Simply Business offer three ways to pay for your policy:
- one-off credit or debit card payment
- BACS payment
- Direct Debit
If you choose to pay by Direct Debit, our credit provider, Premium Credit, pays Simply Business the full amount for your policy up front. You then repay Premium Credit in 10 monthly instalments.
If you change your business legal structure from sole trader to limited company mid-way through your policy, give us a call straight away on 0333 043 8527. It’ll only take us a few minutes to cancel your existing policy and replace it with one that correctly covers your new legal structure. It’s worth bearing in mind that your insurer and premium amount may need to change.
This will depend on whether you have employers’ liability insurance in place. Public liability insurance is designed to protect your business against the consequences of legal action brought by members of the public for injuries or damage to their belongings. But when it comes to your employees causing injury or damage, this protection only activates if you also have employers’ liability insurance.
If you employ people, you’re required by law to have employers’ liability insurance.
There’s one exception here. Family businesses that aren’t incorporated as a limited company are not legally required to have employers’ liability insurance. The government defines a “family business” as one where all your employees are closely related to you (as a spouse, civil partner, sibling, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, step-parent, stepchild or half-sibling). So if you run an unincorporated family business and you choose not to get employers’ liability insurance, it’s important to know that your public liability insurance wouldn’t cover you against damage or injury caused by your team.
We create this content for general information purposes and it should not be taken as advice. Always check policy documentation for details and seek professional advice. Read our full Terms and Conditions