Trades and contractors

Trades & Contractors Insurance

Liability, contract works, tools and professional cover for specialist trades and contracting businesses.

Start with the exposure

Understand the exposure before comparing terms.

Contractors often combine labour, products, plant, subcontractors and occasional design responsibility. We identify how the work is delivered before recommending the covers to consider.

OAK VIEW

Accurate activity descriptions prevent a generic policy from becoming an expensive misunderstanding.

Cover to consider

Built from the risk outwards.

Availability and scope depend on insurer acceptance and the terms offered for your business.

01

Public and employers' liability

Core protection for covered injury and property-damage allegations arising from declared work.

02

Products and completed work

Relevant for goods supplied, installed, repaired or maintained after the work has left your control.

03

Contract works, tools and plant

Physical work, hired-in plant, owned plant and tools can be considered to match the business's contracts.

04

Professional indemnity

Important where the contractor designs, specifies, surveys, advises or assumes a professional duty.

Practical buying guidance

Your working methods can matter more than your trade name

A contractor's exposure changes with the work location, height, depth, use of heat and the property being worked on. Explain specialist operations and subcontracted work in addition to the principal trade. A broad business description should not conceal higher-risk tasks.

Employers' liability, public liability, tools and contract works serve different purposes. A liability section is not generally a way to recover the cost of correcting your own defective work. Contract works arrangements also depend on who bears responsibility under the contract.

Check the distinction between labour-only and bona-fide subcontractors with the broker and the insurer's wording. Verify the records and evidence insurers require rather than assuming all subcontracted work falls outside your responsibility.

Compare the wording, not just the premium

Compare activity restrictions, defective-work exclusions, tools security requirements and contract-works limits. Disclose specialist work before accepting a project.

Common questions

Useful answers before you approach the market.

Why are turnover and wage splits needed?+

They help insurers understand the balance of activities, labour, subcontracting and product exposure.

Will work at height or depth be covered?+

Policies may impose height, depth, location or activity restrictions. Your maximum exposures must be declared.

What contracts should be disclosed?+

Tell us about unusual indemnities, collateral warranties, design responsibility and contracts materially larger than your normal work.

Speak directly to Oak

Talk to Oak about trades & contractors insurance.

Tell us what you do, what needs protecting and when the policy renews. We'll take it from there.