The Role of a Handyman in the UK

What is a handyman? It’s a word that has been around since at least the 1800s to describe a man who is capable of turning his hand to all sorts of work. A handyman’s work is usually done in and around people’s homes. 

Now, we know that handymen can be women, too. A handyman or handywoman is someone who has a set of skills that can be applied to a huge variety of repairs, alterations and ‘odd jobs’. The handyman is the ‘jack of all trades’, who is just as likely to be found fixing a leaky tap, painting a door or fitting a home security alarm. 

Some handymen or handywomen specialise in an area such as carpentry or painting, but to be considered a true handyperson, they should have a wide range of skills which can be applied to many areas. 

For more intensive specialised work, people may call on a plumber, electrician, a carpenter or a builder. But for minor work in any of these areas (and hundreds more), they’d call a multi-skilled handyman or handywoman.

Here are just some of the tasks a good handyperson may be able to complete:

• Painting doors, stair banisters and skirting 
• Fixing curtain rails, shelves and pictures
• Repairing a running tap or toilet
• Replacing a lightbulb or light switch plate
• Assembling flat-pack furniture
• Gardening work, e.g., clearing leaves, lawnmowing
• Changing doors on kitchen units

In recent years there’s been an increase in people in the UK setting up as self-employed handymen and handywomen. A self-employed handyman or woman can earn upwards of £30,000 per year. However, being self-employed means that if the demand is there, are customers are willing to pay what you’re asking, then you can make uncapped income. 

The Essence of Handyman Insurance

Every handyman and handywoman needs insurance. Nobody in their right mind would take a risk in a trade like this, where every job is different and there are hazards lurking around every corner. But what is Handyman Insurance and what does it consist of?

Handyman Public Liability Insurance 

Public Liability Insurance is the king of all trade insurance policies that no handyman should be without. It’s not a legal requirement, but Public Liability Insurance will protect you in the event that you cause harm or damage to a person or their property while you’re carrying out your work. 

Rhino Trade Insurance (with decades in the game and thousands of 5-star reviews under our belts) are your partners in UK tradesman handyman insurance. We insure hundreds of the UK’S handymen and women every year, making sure that if the worst happens while they’re on the job, they don’t need to panic that they’re about to lose their livelihood. Instead, they call us and together we get it sorted.

Why Does a Handyman Need Insurance?

Working as a handyman or handywoman comes with plenty of opportunity to cause accidental harm or damage to your customers, or members of the public.

Think of a dropped tin of paint, a ladder left out on the pavement for a passer-by to walk into, or a vacuum wire which trips your customer sending them toppling down the stairs. These types of accidents befall those in the trade industry every single day in the UK, and you know the old saying, ‘where there’s a blame, there’s a claim’.

Accidents and damage like this are considered your fault. But no handyman wants to pay out of their own pocket to settle insurance claims for third-party injury or damage. This is where Handyman Insurance comes in. It will step in and cover the cost of compensation claims, including legal fees and payouts to third parties.

Other types of Handyman Insurance can pay out for things like personal injuries (which leave you temporarily unable to work), legal expenses if you face prosecution or contractual disputes, and cover for your all-important tools and gadgets.

Building Your Own Insurance With Rhino

As mentioned, the absolute daddy of Handyman Insurance policies is Public Liability Insurance. This is what’s going to protect you financially when those unfortunate accidents happen while you’re carrying out your handyman duties and it’s our best-seller for a reason.

But it’s not all about Public Liability Insurance. There are other policies you should consider as a handyman or handywoman. Public Liability Insurance may protect you when it comes to third party liabilities, but you may need additional coverage to mitigate risk in other areas, too.

With Rhino, your Handyman Insurance is fully customisable to you. You can add policies to suit your business and adjust the level of coverage according to the size of your handyman business.

Here are some of the other policies which your average handyperson may need to keep their business protected from the huge cost of compensation claims. They can all be purchased as low-cost add-ons to your core Public Liability Insurance cover:

Employers Liability Insurance – a legal requirement if you have any employees. Most handymen and women are lone wolves, but in cases where you’ve brought an apprentice or employee on board, you need to add this policy to your bundle.

Professional Indemnity Insurance – this insurance protects self-employed professionals when they have given professional advice, plans or instructions that have caused the customer to lose out financially. This policy won’t be every handyman’s cup of tea, but it will certainly come in handy if you’re accused of professional negligence. 

Legal Expenses Insurance – who knows when legal problems might rear their ugly heads? If you find yourself in the middle of a legal dispute, this policy will cover solicitor’s fees and the cost of going to court and give you access to ongoing legal assistance and advice.

Tools in Transit Insurance – any handyman or woman worth their salt has an extensive set of tools with which to repair, tinker, assemble and install during the myriad jobs that come their way. Theft, loss of damage to these tools will cost a pretty penny to put right, which is why smart handyfolk insure them with an add-on Tools policy.

Gadget & Mobile Phone Insurance – this policy does what it says on the tin. If you use a tablet or mobile to book jobs and manage your work, you’ll be in a spot of bother if they’re lost, stolen or damaged. This add-on policy offers peace of mind at a very low cost.

Tax Enquiry Insurance – you may think you’re doing your taxes right, but will the taxman? Protect yourself from the cost of an HMRC tax enquiry, which may include paying for a solicitor and paying a backdated tax bill in an incorrect ruling.

Personal Accident Insurance – you’re a handyman, not Superman. If you are injured (whether at work or not) and cannot work, this policy will swoop in with a regular payout to cover your living expenses while you recover. 

Extra Advantages of Being Insured as a Handyman

Handymen and handywomen are in high demand in the UK at the moment. But that doesn’t mean that customers are desperate. When someone hires a professional to carry out their small jobs, customers know there’s always a possibility of things going wrong. This is why most people prefer a handyman who is insured. 

Having business insurance as a handyman – which is to say, Public Liability Insurance at the very least – is hugely important when building a good reputation and keeping clients happy. In the competitive trade industries, reputation is everything and most people won’t touch an uninsured worker with a bargepole.

Ultimately, having UK tradesman handyman insurance offers peace of mind for both you, and your customers.

Get your Handyman Insurance from Rhino Trade Insurance – the best provider in the UK of comprehensive handyman coverage. Try our quick quote generator or give the team a call directly on 0116 243 7904.