Public liability insurance. Options?

[Grandad Gaz]

Hi, I'm a self employed plumber / pipe fitter who works only on the commercial side.

I have been winding down for a couple of years now, mainly due to the lack of work in the industry I am in, which has given me time to renovate our current home.

Currently doing one day a week maximum, which suits me fine. Problem is, my Public Liability insurance is almost 1k a year. Couple that with running a van and it barely makes it worth while.

I don't really want to jack it in completely as I do enjoy the work. Can anyone suggest any options?
Thanks.

[kiethton]

Could you approach a company to go onto their books as a 0 hour contractor - they contact you when they have work on and you can pick and chose what you do, you being covered under their liability insurance as a staff member?

[Insurancejon]

sounds on the high side, even allowing for it being commercial plumbing.

happy to have a look at it for you though

[megaphone]

Do you have insurance because the companies you sub to demand it, so they can tick a box? OR because you actually want to be fully covered? You should be able to get some very basic insurance for a few hundred £.

[Grandad Gaz]

Thanks for the replies folks. Much appreciated!

kiethton - that's something I will probably end up doing later this year. I'll probably get cover until the end of this financial year and see where we are at then.

Insurancejon - thanks for the offer and the email. I'll dig out the documents tomorrow and get in touch.

Megaphone - the companies I work for insist on it being high.It started off when we used to do work in the Sainsbury's stores many years ago. I think it's something like £10 million cover. I could do a lot of damage in a big factory! Never made a claim in all of the 35 years I have been self employed, though (touch wood)

[billythekid001]

Have a look at Hiscox. You can get a tailored quote and then buy online in about 15 mins. Policies are emailed through more or less straight away as I recall. I've used them for about 4 years now and have found them to be significantly cheaper than Axa and other online quotes I gathered. I pay £113 per year for £2m public and products liability cover. My business is web development so maybe it varies a lot from one industry to another, but hopefully it will be a similar price for you.

[Insurancejon]

billythekid001 said:

Have a look at Hiscox. You can get a tailored quote and then buy online in about 15 mins. Policies are emailed through more or less straight away as I recall. I've used them for about 4 years now and have found them to be significantly cheaper than Axa and other online quotes I gathered. I pay £113 per year for £2m public and products liability cover. My business is web development so maybe it varies a lot from one industry to another, but hopefully it will be a similar price for you.

Hiscox don't do manual trades, especially heavy exposure ones like the OP's.

This is why people need brokers. its likely the AXA and hiscox websites will offer quotes, but will be full of endorsements excluding work in a lot of commercial premises.

[bristolracer]

Insurancejon said:

This is why people need brokers.

Exactly

I asked one company for a quote (my profession is aerial erection) and was offered cover with an exclusion for works over 5 metres

[dalenorth]

I can highly recommend Jon, he looks after many of our clients.

[hast2]

bristolracer said:

Exactly

I asked one company for a quote (my profession is aerial erection) and was offered cover with an exclusion for works over 5 metres

I was looking for quotes for a mobile mechanic, and one quote excluded working at the roadside!!!