Electricians insurance

Electricians insurance is a package of liability and business covers which provide the specific cover electricians and related tradesmen need.

It can cover you for most types of electricians' work including:

• Large public contracts and private jobs

• Laying new electrics or repairing old ones

• Surveying and quoting

• And even if you diversify in your business and do other work like plumbing or repairing you can be covered for these too.

The job of your insurer or broker is to have enough experience to understand both your business and the risks of your industry. They should be able to tailor or source you a policy which provides the best cover in the areas you need.

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Yes. Your policy covers you for all Phase 3 work you may undertake.

Public liability protects the public from an accident or injury as a result of your business. Electricians can face the risk of legal action in respect of their liability for personal injury or property damage arising from their work, or as a consequence of their work. In cases like this the insurance will pay compensation if a valid claim were to be brought against you.

Some customers require proof of cover before signing a contract or allowing site access. The potential awards as a result of a successful claim can be substantial but even the legal costs of defending the most spurious claim can cause severe financial hardship. Electricians public liability insurance covers you against these risks.

Some general policies may contain inadequacies that may leave your business uninsured in the event of a major loss. Therefore, protect your company with an industry-specific policy from Everywhen.

Tools cover can be included if you need it. Your premium is based on the amount your tools cost, so you won’t pay extra for cover you don’t need. If you use hired in equipment you may still be liable to insure these and this can be included in your policy too. It’s a blanket sum, and is called ‘hired plant’ cover.

Contract works cover is to insure the value of your building contract. This means that if an insured event such as fire or a storm damages a project or holds it up you can claim the costs on your policy.

Yes, we can cover labour only sub-contractors, as well as PAYE staff for the same risks under your EL(Employers’ Liability) cover. it is very important to declare how your workforce are employed as this will affect how your risks are calculated.

Yes. Our incidental efficacy cover protects you against legal liability as a result of a product or service you provided, which failed to perform as and when intended, up to £100,000.

The cover is subject to no more than 15% of the business turnover being directly attributed to the design, advice, installation, maintenance and repair of theft or fire protection devices. Higher limits without restrictions on the percentage of turnover are available for an additional premium.

It is an important factor and we only use insurers with A-ratings. It is a globally recognised measure of an insurer's financial situation and provides confidence on their ability to meet on-going policy obligations.

Also, there are a number of main contractors that will not subcontract works to any companies not insured with a minimum of an A- financial rating (as determined by companies such as Standard & Poor’s, A M Best, Moody’s or Fitch Ratings). By not having a policy backed by a financially secure insurer could potentially place restrictions on your business and the main contractors or contracts you take on.

Professional indemnity covers you for giving out advice as a professional service. If your advice turned out to be negligent or caused a loss to the receiver, they may want to raise a claim against you. Many of the other features are optional on a policy of this kind so you won’t have to pay for extras you don’t need.

To help you spread the cost of your premiums, we offer a quick and easy direct debit scheme for spreading payment over ten months. Please visit our dedicated Direct Debit page to find out more.

If you would like to know more about our monthly payment option, please visit our dedicated Direct Debit page.

You should discuss coverage limits with your insurance adviser based on project size, industry standards and contractual requirements.

Whilst electricians’ activities are similar, the types of property, height and location you are working on can vary from new build, conversion, repair maintenance of domestic properties offices, shops and commercial work up 4 storeys to work on large commercial and industrial sites at height and at high risk or hazardous locations. It is therefore very important for you to provide full details of the type of work and properties worked upon, so we can tailor cover for you.

Electrician insurance cover can be arranged to include a number of insurance cover types, including public liability, employers liability, personal accident, tools insurance and commercial legal expenses.

Tool insurance covers you for loss, theft, or accidental damage to essential tools and equipment, ensuring minimal disruption to projects (excluding normal wear and tear).

Overnight theft is excluded from vehicles unless locked in a secure building, and tool insurance also excludes damage caused while the tool is in use.

This pays for legal costs in disputes, contract issues or regulatory investigations.

This covers accountant or legal fees if HMRC audits or investigates your taxes.

If you employ any staff in the UK, it is a legal requirement to take out employers' liability cover as part of your electricians insurance. This protects you against claims from employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses for which you are responsible.

While it is not a legal requirement to have other covers such as public liability insurance, if you do not have adequate electricians insurance you are unlikely to be able to gain any contracts due to their regulatory requirements. Also, in most cases employers liability is only available if arranged in conjunction with public liability insurance.

Professional indemnity cover provides legal defence costs from the outset of a claim made against you for professional mistakes such as negligent services, faulty advice or faulty designs you have given a client while working as an electrician, if that negligence or poor advice leads to losses or damage for your client. It will ultimately pay compensation awarded against you if the claimant is successful and you are adjudged to be at fault.

Professional indemnity cover is a valuable insurance as it his covers errors and omissions that may be excluded under public liability insurance.

Projects under construction are always vulnerable to accidents and damage, so contract works insurance covers your business financially if the work gets destroyed or you lose your materials following incidents such as fire, flood, theft and accidental losses. You can restore the work in progress to its pre-damage status, and safeguard against additional losses.

If you suffer an injury which prevents you from working as an electrician, personal accident insurance can help with medical treatment bills and provide a steady stream of income while you recover.

Personal accident insurance provides you or your family with lump-sum benefits in specific circumstances you suffer which prevent you from working as a builder, such as loss of limbs. These can help with medical treatment bills and provide a steady stream of income while you recover.

The weekly benefits will be at a level selected by the policyholder for up to 2 years.

If you’re unable to work because of illness, an income protection policy pays out a proportion of your monthly income, offering peace of mind and security against lost earnings until you were able to work again.

Before you arrange cover, it’s important to understand what type of sub‑contractor you are and the duties you perform.

Labour‑only sub‑contractor (LOSC)

You work under the main contractor’s supervision, using their tools and materials, and are paid by the hour or day.

• You’re often covered by the main contractor’s employers’ liability (EL) and public liability (PL) insurance — but never assume this. Always get written confirmation before starting work.

• We recommend arranging your own cover anyway. If you’re at fault for an incident, the main contractor or their insurer may try to recover costs from you.

Bona fide sub‑contractor (BFSC)

You work independently, set your own hours, supply your own tools and materials, and invoice for the job.

• You need your own public liability insurance (typically £1 million – £5 million or higher).

• If you employ anyone, you must have employers liability insurance by law.

If you do both

Many electricians switch between roles as bona fide and labour only sub-contractors. If you ever work independently, you need your own public liability cover, and employers liability insurance if you employ anyone.

 Even when acting as a LOSC, don’t assume you’re fully protected — always confirm in writing and consider your arranging your own electricians insurance for peace of mind.

Some general public liability policies may not cover you in the event of a specific incident connected to your work as an electrical sub-contractor. It is therefore wise to arrange specialist and tailored cover for the activities you are undertaking and very important to check the requirements of any business contracts and the national electrical contracting accreditation body that you may be a member of.