Electrician Insurance Quote

What is electrician insurance?

Electrician insurance is an umbrella term for the range of different cover you may need as an electrician.

Public liability insurance covers you if a member of the public is injured because of your work – for example, if a client got an electric shock from an exposed wire. It also covers you for damage caused to someone else’s property by you or your employees.

Although electricians don’t legally need to have public liability insurance, you should consider whether you would be able to afford any legal costs and compensation if someone did make a claim against you.

Some clients may also request that you have public liability insurance as a condition of hiring you. Similarly, if you want to join an electricians’ association, you may need to prove that you have a minimum level of insurance before you are allowed to become a member.

» COMPARE: Public liability insurance

If a client accused you of being negligent or of giving poor advice, professional indemnity insurance could protect you. It may cover any legal fees and compensation if your client suffered financial losses as a result of your work – for example, if they had to hire another electrician to fix a mistake made by you or an employee.

Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ someone outside your family who lives in the UK. This can cover the costs of medical fees and compensation if an employee gets injured or becomes ill as a result of their work. As an employer, not having this insurance is illegal, and you could be fined £2,500 for each day you do not have it.

» COMPARE: Employers’ liability insurance

Personal accident insurance could cover medical fees if you get injured, or die, as a result of an accident either at work or elsewhere. For example, if you injure yourself while installing new wiring in a client’s house and your injury prevents you from working, you may get a lump sum or a weekly payment to cover your lost income.

If your tools are stolen, replacing them could be an unexpected expense with a potentially significant impact on your business’s finances. Tools and equipment insurance could cover the cost of replacements if yours are stolen.

Similarly, if your materials are stolen or damaged while you’re at a job, stock insurance could pay out so you could replace them. For example, if a fire ruined the wiring you were yet to install at a client’s house.

Whether you use your own plant or hire from someone else, you may want to consider plant insurance. It could cover the repair or replacement costs of plant you own or plant you’ve hired if it’s accidentally damaged while you’re responsible for it.

Some projects may take a while to complete. If there was a flood or fire halfway through, you could be left out of pocket. Contract works insurance, also called Contractors All Risk insurance, could pay out to cover the cost of the materials and labour needed to get your project back on track.

What does electrician insurance cover?

Electrician insurance covers a range of policies that may be relevant to your business. An electrician insurance package can often be adapted to fit your specific needs, so you only pay for the cover you want.

Below, we look at what can usually be included in electrician insurance and what may be excluded or available to purchase separately.

What is usually included in electrician insurance?

Electrician insurance usually includes some or all of:

• public liability insurance
• professional indemnity insurance
• tools and equipment insurance
• stock and materials insurance
• plant insurance – either your own or hired
• personal accident insurance
• employers’ liability insurance (if necessary)
• contract works insurance

If you are considering taking out a set package, you should check that the policies included are suitable for your business. You may be able to add extra policies or increased levels of cover to suit your needs.

Otherwise, you can work with an insurer to create a tailored set of policies for your business.

What isn’t usually included in electrician insurance?

As you can choose what is included in your electrician insurance, it is generally up to you what is and is not included. You should think about whether you would be able to pay for costs up front if you did not cover them through your insurance.

For example, if you did not take out public liability insurance, you would have to pay compensation out of your own pocket if a member of the public was injured while you were working.

As with all insurance policies, there are exceptions and limits to what is covered. There is usually a maximum claim limit, whether that is for the cost of your tools or the cost of labour and materials to recover your work after a flood.

You should be honest with your insurer when initially getting a quote. If you underestimate the level of cover you need, you could end up underinsured – and your insurer may not pay out as much as you expect in the event of a claim.

If you use a vehicle for work,you may need specific business use cover rather than relying on standard personal car insurance. Business van insurance is usually available as a standalone policy.

» MORE: Do I need business insurance?

How much does electrician insurance cost?

The cost of electrician insurance may go up or down depending on which policies you choose to include. The price can also change based on factors such as:

• the type of work you do
• how many people you employ
• the level of cover you want
• where your business is located