Bricklayers’ Insurance
If you work as a bricklayer and run your own business, then it’s probably time to get on top of your business insurance. Our guide to the policies on offer for bricklayers can help.
You’ve built a strong, stable and successful career as a bricklayer, but the whole thing could come tumbling down if an accident at work leaves you with a hefty legal and compensation bill.
Even the most careful bricklayers face daily risks. You could drop a brick on a client’s car, your tools or stock could be stolen, or you or an employee could be injured by heavy machinery.
Whatever happens, the best protection you can have is bricklayers’ insurance, which could provide cover against the cost of legal fees and compensation claims for personal injury or lost, stolen or damaged property.
On this page, we explain which types of cover should be included in your bricklayers’ insurance policy, how to decide how much cover you need, and how to find the right policy.
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What is bricklayers’ insurance?
Bricklayers’ insurance isn’t one specific type of insurance but rather a package of products that can provide financial protection for your business.
A good bricklayers’ insurance package can protect you in the event of accidents that cause injury either to yourself, employees or to members of the public, as well as loss or damage to other people’s property. You should also be covered against theft, loss or damage to your materials and equipment.
Public liability insurance should form the foundation of your bricklayers’ insurance policy. This covers your legal and compensation costs if a third party is injured or killed, or if their property is damaged or lost, as a result of your bricklaying activities.
You are also legally required to have employers’ liability insurance if you employ anyone based in the UK and outside your immediate family. Your policy must provide cover of at least £5 million and can provide compensation in the event that an employee is injured or becomes ill as a result of their work for you.
You might also consider the benefits of having building tools insurance in your policy, which provides compensation so you can replace your tools if they’re lost, stolen, or damaged, and stock insurance to protect your bricks and other materials. However, you need to make sure that tools and materials are securely locked away when not in use or your claim may be rejected.
However, larger machinery – such as a cement mixer or mortar-maker – likely won’t be covered by your tool insurance. For that you’ll need either hired-in plant insurance (for rented equipment) or own plant insurance (for machinery you own outright).
You may want to consider contract works insurance in case a disaster, such as a fire, a flood or vandalism, destroys or interrupts your bricklaying work. In the event of a disaster, contract works insurance will provide financial support for repairs or replacements you may need.
Finally, it may be worth considering personal accident insurance to provide cover if an injury prevents you from working for a period of time, or to provide compensation to dependants in the event of your death. This will often cover you whether you are injured while out on a job or elsewhere.
Do I need bricklayers’ insurance?
Other than being legally required to have employers’ liability insurance if you employ staff, you don’t need bricklayers’ insurance. However, using heavy materials and large machinery comes with plenty of risks that you should consider being insured against.
If you drop a brick and it damages a car or injures a person, or your machinery is stolen, the resulting legal fees and compensation costs could be high. A comprehensive bricklayers’ insurance will help to provide cover against these eventualities.
» MORE: Work out whether you need business insurance
What is usually included in bricklayers’ insurance?
Bricklayer’s insurance often includes:
- public liability insurance
- employers’ liability insurance
- tools insurance
- stock insurance
- hired-in or own plant insurance
- contract works insurance
- personal accident insurance
These products may not all be included in the package you choose and you may need to consider additional, or fewer, options depending on the way you run your business.
Vehicle insurance, for instance, will usually need to be taken out separately.
What isn’t usually included in bricklayers’ insurance?
Bricklayers’ insurance packages don’t usually include any kind of vehicle insurance as standard. If you have a van that you use to drive to jobs and transport your materials and equipment then you will need to insure it (and its contents) against loss, theft or damage.
You’ll most likely need commercial van insurance in addition to any business insurance policy, which is designed specifically to cover you if your van is used to transport materials.
» MORE: All you need to know about business liability insurance
How much does bricklayers’ insurance cost?
Everything from the type of work you do to the cost of the equipment you own or rent, your claims history and the number of employees you have will affect your bricklayers’ insurance premium.
You should add up the value of your tools, stock, and other equipment to ensure you’re covered for an adequate amount. Ultimately, nobody knows your business better than you, and only you can decide on which cover your bricklaying business needs – and how much you need to be covered for.
Bricklayers’ Insurance FAQs
A bricklayer should consider public liability insurance, tool insurance, stock insurance, hired-in plant insurance (for rented equipment), own plant insurance (for equipment you own), contract works insurance, and personal accident insurance.
Aside from employer’s liability insurance, which you are legally required to have if you employ staff outside of your immediate family and in the UK, it’s not a legal requirement to take out insurance. However, the risk of running any business, let alone a business with inherent risks, means it’s worth considering your insurance needs to prevent running into trouble.
What is bricklayers’ public liability insurance?
Bricklayer’s public liability insurance covers you if you or an employee injures or kills somebody or damages or loses their property while working. For example, if you drop a brick on a client’s foot or smash the window of their house, public liability insurance could cover the cost of compensation.
Bricklayers’ insurance is worth considering because, even if you’re very careful, all manner of things can go wrong while bricklaying. For example, you could injure yourself or a member of the public, or someone could steal your van, materials or equipment. Insurance will help to provide financial support in any of these events.
If you drive a van to construction sites, you should consider the benefits of taking out commercial van insurance to protect your van and its contents against loss, theft or damage. Personal vehicle insurance won’t cover you for business use.
You can take out van insurance as a standalone policy through a car insurer as it won’t generally be included in a bricklayer’s insurance policy.
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