Public Liability Insurance – 5 Key Things to Consider

Public Liability Insurance is vital for anyone operating self-employed in the trades and gives you the peace of mind that if you were to cause damage, death or injury to members of the public or their property, then your business would be covered.

The value of public liability insurance lies in the policy details, and it is these details that tradespeople must consider when choosing the right insurance for them. An alarming number of self-employed professionals go to work every day unknowingly under-insured, and we want to make sure that anyone thinking of purchasing their liability cover is aware of their requirements.

We have compiled 5 key factors to consider when choosing PL insurance

Height Limit – All liability insurances have a height limit that should be considered when taking out a policy. If you know that the majority of your work is at height, then this is a massive factor that may determine whether a payment request is accepted or not should you need to make a claim. Always ask your prospective insurer what the height limit is on the insurance policy you are taking out.

Depth Limit – Liability Insurances have a minimum depth limit that the policy is valid for. Knowing the depth limit on your policy will inform you when making decisions at work. If you are aware that you will be working at a certain depth, then you will need to make sure that your liability insurance will still cover you. Knowing the depth limit on a policy should be an important factor when deciding to commit with an insurance provider.

Use of Heat – The use of heat is common for anyone working in the plumbing and heating industry, and any gas fitters working on boilers. Blow torches, heat lamps and soldering is common when working on hot works and boilers, so it is very important that public liability insurance for plumbers and heating engineers will still cover you when the use of heat is applied.

Commercial / Domestic Use – It does not matter if you are an electrician or a builder, any tradesman may be required to work in both commercial and domestic environments in order to carry out their work. Always check that the insurance you are choosing for your business covers both commercial and domestic work to ensure that regardless of where your business operates, you will still be eligible for cover.

Policy Excess – Having insurance in place is all well and good, but should you ever need to make a claim, knowing your policy excess is important in planning your finances. How much policy excess public liability insurance has is something that all tradespeople should be aware of before committing to purchasing their liability cover.

For anyone looking at taking out Public Liability Insurance for the first time, or even for anyone looking to renew their cover, understanding the cover is important in getting the right insurance for you. At Rhino we strive to ensure that our policies are clear and information is presented for all potential customers to see and understand. If you are looking at taking out Liability Cover and would like to understand the policy some more, you can take a look at our frequently asked question guide here. If you would like to purchase an insurance policy today, you can do so easily via our online insurance shop or by calling 0116 243 7904.