What is builders' insurance?
Builders' insurance is specialised business insurance for those who work in the construction industry.
You can buy different types of builders business insurance:
Employers liability insurance - covers costs if employees are harmed
Public liability insurance - covers costs if members of the public are harmed
Tool insurance - covers costs if tools are lost, damaged or stolen
Do I need to be insured?
🚩 Employers liability insurance is a legal requirement if you have staff
🚩 Clients may insist you have public liability insurance
Whether you own a construction business or are a self-employed builder, insurance can financially protect you if something goes wrong at work.
Without insurance you could end up paying some very high costs if your employee is injured while working, your van is broken into, or you are sued by a member of the public.
Do I need public liability insurance as a builder?
No, public liability insurance is not a legal requirement for builders in the UK, but it's highly recommended, as it protects you from accidental injury and property damage claims caused by your work.
Many clients, including public sector organisations and large firms, will only award contracts to builders that have public liability insurance.
Why should I get builders insurance?
Clients are more likely to hire you: People are often wary about hiring builders without insurance, especially if you're a commercial builder. Government contracts, for example, will usually insist you have a builder public liability insurance policy of at least £5-£10 million
Protection for stolen or damaged tools: Tool cover can offer similar protection for tools. The risk of some types of equipment losses is growing. London saw tool theft from vans increase by 60% between 2020 and 2023
Avoid a £2,500 fine: If you are a UK business and you have any non-family members working for you then by law you must have employers liability insurance. Without it, you can be fined up to £2,500 for every day you're not insured. This will also cover you against staff injuries
Helps cover legal costs: From breaking a window to damaging a wall, your insurance can help cover the costs of accidental damage, whether it's a client, supplier, or member of the public
Did you know?
£68 million in insurance claims ^
That's how much was paid out in 2024. Without business insurance, those customers would have faced paying that bill themselves.
What insurance types might a builder need?
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Public liability
Public liability insurance protects you if your work harms members of the public.
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Employers' liability
Employers’ liability insurance protects you if your staff become ill or injured at work.
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Professional indemnity
Professional indemnity insurance protects you if you are accused of negligence.
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Tool insurance
Tool insurance protects tools from loss, damage, or theft.
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Business interruption
Business interruption insurance protects against disruption from events like fires.
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Personal accident insurance
Personal accident insurance protects you if you're injured.
How much does builders' insurance cost?
(Per Year) | Cheapest | Average |
|---|---|---|
Bricklayers | £63.66^ | £83.37^ |
Builders | £96.21^ | £168.24^ |
The table shows the average prices paid by our customers for builders' insurance.
Average price means 51% of customers paid this amount or less. Cheapest price means 10% of customers paid this price or less.
What’s the cheapest price I could pay for builders insurance?
£5
.31^ a month
According to our latest data, 10% of customers paid this when taking out an annual bricklayer insurance policy.
How much is the average business insurance claim?
£3,377^
The cost of fixing insurable problems yourself is usually significantly more expensive than taking out insurance.
Will my insurance pay out?
88% of Simply Business claims^
Almost 9 in 10 of business insurance claims made by MoneySuperMarket customers were accepted last year.
All insurance has conditions and exceptions, so you should read your policy documents carefully to make sure you know what is and isn't covered.
When it comes to business insurance, the cheapest option may not be the best option for you. Sometimes it is worth paying a little more to get a better level of cover.
What is and isn't included in builders' insurance?
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Covered
Your tools and equipment: Cover to repair and replace any of your tools and equipment that are damaged or stolen
Financial loss: Compensation payouts to third parties that had their person or property harmed by your work
Your van: Standard motor insurance policies won't usually cover vehicles such as vans that are used for work
Personal accident insurance: Offers a lump sum payment if you or an employee are hurt and no longer able to work
Accidental death: Offers a lump sum should you or an employee die as a result of an unforeseen incident
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Not covered
Intentional harm or damage: Either by yourself or an employee
Poor workmanship: Most insurance policies won't cover you for events that are caused by incompetence
Drugs or alcohol: If you or your employees were under the influence when the event you want to claim for occurred
Wear and tear: Insurance won't pay out for damage or breaking of tools or equipment that are the result of general wear and tear
Breach of contract: Some types of insurance will exclude cover for costs arising from you breaching a contract
Our expert says…
Working in construction has always carried a number of risks, even for the most skilled builder. But the sector is now being beset by a newer problem: cyber crime. 6% of construction companies were victims of a cyber fraud in 2023/4 financial year
^ almost double the rate for businesses as a whole.To protect yourself and your clients, look at installing strong anti-virus protection, frequently backing up your data, and getting a good business insurance policy to protect you from the financial costs of cybercrime. The average cost of a cyber breach is £10,830 for medium and large businesses
^ .With our builders insurance starting from just £96.21
^ a year, your policy could save you a lot of money should the worst happen.
Jake Edmonds Travel & Commercial Insurance Expert
What other trades could I get insurance for?
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Plumbers
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Plasterers
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Painters / decorators
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Electricians
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Contractors
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Tradesmen
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Gardeners
Why compare plumbers insurance with MoneySuperMarket?
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Quick and easy
Give us a few details and we'll show you multiple quotes in minutes, saving you time and effort.
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Save money
Our mission is to save you money. We've helped thousands of customers insure their business for less.
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Rated 4.9/5 on Feefo
We're also the UK's most recommended price comparison website
^ .
Trusted Service Awards Winners
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
Does public liability insurance cover faulty workmanship?
No. Most standard public liability insurance policies won't cover you for performing faulty work. Similarly, most professional indemnity insurance policies won't cover you for defective workmanship either.
These insurance policies are designed to protect you where issues are caused by genuine mistakes and not irresponsible practices. Professional indemnity insurance, for example, will usually cover measurement miscalculations in your blueprints.
Do I need to insure subcontractors working for my business?
Yes, if they are labour-only subcontractors you will need employers' liability insurance. It is a legal requirement that you take out this insurance to cover any accidents or illnesses that happen to your staff at work.
A subcontractor is labour-only if your business supervises their work and provides them with the tools and materials they use for the job.
If you only work with bona fide subcontractors you probably do not need to insure them, and they are likely to have their own contractor liability insurance in place.
Bona fide subcontractors work independently from you and provide all their own tools, materials and equipment.
What influences the cost of builders' insurance?
The cost of insurance for builders' will depend on:
The type of insurance
The level of cover and any optional extras you add to your policy
The number of employees you have
Your insurance claims history
Your legal history
Your annual turnover
Your excess
For a better look at how much a policy will cost to insure your business, why not compare quotes with us? It's quick, easy, and accurate.
Do I need to insure my business van?
Yes, you need to insure any vans or vehicles you use for your business. Standard van insurance policies do not cover business use.
Business van insurance will ensure that your van is properly protected both on and off the road while you're using it, and some policies can even protect tools and equipment that you store in your van.
If you own several vans you can also take out fleet van insurance which will provider cover for multiple vehicles under one policy.
How does MoneySuperMarket make money?
We get paid by the companies we work with, but the payment we get doesn’t have any bearing on the information we provide. We get paid in different ways, depending on the type of product or service you buy through us. Our goal is to search deals from as wide a range of companies as possible, but we only show results from our partner providers.
Our comparison service is, and will always be, free to use.
Why should I use a price comparison website?
One of the best ways to get the lowest prices and best deals is to compare quotes from different companies. We do the work for you, comparing quotes side-by-side and giving you all the information you need so you can choose the right deal for your needs and your wallet.
We don’t give recommendations or financial advice, but we give you clear information so you can choose financial products that suit your circumstances.
Does MoneySuperMarket work with all the providers on the market?
No, not every company can be included in our service. This is because some companies don’t want their products included on comparison sites, and some decide that they would rather not pay a fee. There are also a few smaller providers who can struggle to cope with the volume of customers that can find their products if they appear on MoneySuperMarket.
Our goal is to search deals from as wide a range of companies as possible so that you can choose the deal that suits you.
Is business insurance eligible for SuperSaveClub and rewards?
No, at this time business insurance is not an eligible product for unlocking our SuperSaveClub rewards. It is also not included in our Price Promise.
Who are Simply Business?
Simply Business is one of the largest insurance brokers in the UK. They work with leading and specialist insurers to provide cover for small business owners, landlords and self-employed workers.
MoneySuperMarket has a commercial partnership with Simply Business. They offer various business and landlord insurance policies from different insurers through our platform, allowing our customers to find affordable quotes and policies that suit your specific needs.
Reviewed on 5 Dec 2025 by
According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid this amount or less monthly for a bricklayers insurance policy with Simply Business. Figure based on annual quotes purchased in 2024.
Source: Cyber security breaches survey 2024. Published 9th April 2024 by the UK government on www.gov.uk
Source: Cyber security breaches survey 2024. Published 9th April 2024 by the UK government on www.gov.uk
According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid this amount or less for an annual builders insurance policy with Simply Business. Figure based on annual quotes purchased in 2024.
YouGov Survey 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025. Net Recommend score derived from “Which of the following online service websites would you recommend to a friend or colleague, or tell them to avoid?” Base: Current Customers of (MoneySuperMarket n=18,382, Compare the Market n=16,802, Go.Compare n=10,162, Confused.com n=8,229, Uswitch n=528).
According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid this amount or less for an annual bricklayers insurance policy with Simply Business. Figure based on annual quotes purchased in 2024.
According to Simply Business data, 51% of customers paid this amount or less for an annual bricklayers insurance policy with Simply Business. Figure based on annual quotes purchased in 2024.
According to Simply Business data, 51% of customers paid this amount or less for an annual builders insurance policy with Simply Business. Figure based on annual quotes purchased in 2024.
Average claims value for MoneySuperMarket customers who claimed on their business insurance in the last 12 months. Data provided by SimplyBusiness.
Simply Business data 2024
88% of business insurance claims made by MoneySuperMarket customers were accepted in the 12 months before March 2025. Data from SimplyBusiness.