Do I legally need it if I'm self-employed?

No, the law does not require it for sole traders, but going without leaves you personally exposed to claims.

Will clients check that I have it?

Many ask for a certificate or other proof of cover before work starts, especially on commercial sites.

What if I only do small domestic jobs?

It is still not legally required, but even small jobs can cause costly damage, so many tradespeople choose to be covered.

Trades

Is public liability insurance a legal requirement?

Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement in the UK, but many clients, contractors and trade schemes expect tradespeople to hold it.

No, public liability insurance is not a legal requirement in the UK. In practice, though, many clients, contractors and trade schemes will not hire you without it, so most tradespeople treat it as essential.

What public liability covers

Public liability insurance covers claims made against you by members of the public, including your customers, if they are injured or their property is damaged because of your work. It can pay compensation and the legal costs of defending a claim. For example, it may respond if a client trips over your tools, or if you accidentally flood a bathroom while fitting a new suite.

Not the law, but often essential

There is no UK law forcing a tradesperson to hold public liability cover. It is different from employers' liability, which is generally compulsory once you take on staff. However, public liability is frequently demanded as a contractual requirement by:

Main contractors, before they will let you on site
Local authorities and commercial clients tendering for work
Trade bodies and approved installer schemes

It also protects you financially. A single claim for injury or damage to a client's property can be expensive, and without cover you would have to meet it yourself.

How much cover do people hold?

Policies commonly offer limits from £1 million up to £10 million, and larger commercial or public sector jobs often ask for a higher limit. The level you need is usually set by the contracts you take on, so check each contract's wording before you quote for the work.

Getting a quote

If you are thinking about public liability as part of a wider tradesman policy, you can fill in a short form with Kompare and a specialist FCA-authorised broker from our panel will contact you about quotes. See our tradesman insurance page or read how we work.