What insurance do you need as a bricklayer?

If you’re a bricklayer, you will need to consider your insurance requirements, whether you run a small bricklaying and building business or you are a self-employed labourer.

Do you work with anyone else?

If you work with someone else this may mean you need employers’ liability insurance.

Employers’ liability insurance protects you and your business in the event a current or former employee suffers injury or illness as a result of working for you.

Having employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ anyone, including trainees. It may also apply if you work with sub-contractors.

If you are in any doubt, you should check with an experienced insurance company. You can be fined £2,500 for every day that you don’t have it.

Do you encounter clients or members of the public while on the job?

If you’re a bricklayer, there is every chance a member of the public will walk past your site, or a client will make a site visit. This means you might need to consider public liability insurance.

Public liability insurance is designed to protect you in the event you or your business cause damage to someone’s property or injure them.

A claim for damages, even for a small incident, can quickly amount to many thousands of pounds. Without insurance, you or your business will have to pay this. You will also have to deal with the stress and cost of any legal proceedings.

You may find that your contracts require you to have public liability insurance of a certain amount. Failure to have cover when requested means you either won’t win the work or will be in breach of contract.

Do you ever give professional advice?

If you ever give advice to clients as part of your work, you might need professional indemnity insurance. This could be relevant if you give advice or instructions about the treatment of bricks, the mortar used, the bonding pattern, or any other kind of technique or operation.

Professional indemnity insurance is designed to protect you in the event the advice you give is incorrect, leading to the client suffering a financial loss.

Have you insured your tools?

If your tools are lost or damaged, your business may be stopped in its tracks until you can replace them. Insuring tools will mean they will be replaced ASAP, so that you can carry on working.

Will insurance be expensive?

The cost will depend on several factors, including the type of work you do, the size of your business and how your business is legally set up.

Being insured provides peace of mind and the protection you will need in the event something goes wrong, and can make a critical difference to your financial survival or that of your business.

It also adds to your credibility and professional reputation if you can prove that you are properly insured.