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Painters and decorators insurance is specialised business insurance for firms, sole traders and contractors who do painting and decorating.
You can buy different types of 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
🚩 Employers liability insurance is a legal requirement if you have staff
🚩Clients may insist you have public liability insurance
Whether you own a decorating firm or are a self-employed painter, insurance can financially protect you if something goes wrong at work.
Without insurance you could end up paying some very high costs if your equipment is stolen, your employee is hurt, or you accidentally damage your client's property.
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[3].
Employers liability insurance covers the compensation costs if a worker becomes ill or injured because of their work for you. This includes ex-employees.
For example, if a worker was exposed to toxics which created health issues years later they could sue their old employer for failing to put adequate health and safety measures in place.
If anyone who works for you becomes ill or injured because of their job you could be responsible for the associated costs, including expensive compensation claims.
Employers' liability insurance covers harm caused to employees, contractors, volunteers and anyone else doing any work for you. It's also a legal requirement.
Many people are wary about hiring tradespeople who do not have comprehensive insurance policies in place, and many organisations have policies prohibiting them from hiring uninsured companies.
Government contracts, for example, will usually insist contractors have a public liability insurance policy of at least £5-£10 million.
If anyone becomes ill or injured because of your work you could be responsible for the associated costs, including expensive compensation claims. From someone tripping over your ladder to a client's child putting paint in their mouth, things can unexpectedly go very wrong.
Public liability insurance covers harm to members of the public. It is not a legal requirement, but some clients will insist you have it, especially if you do painting and decorating for commercial companies.
From a spilling paint on a customer's carpet to accidentally knocking over expensive office equipment, there are 101 ways your decorating job could end up causing expensive property damage that owners may expect you to pay for.
With public liability insurance your insurance provider will pay the costs of accidental damage to other people's property, whether that's a client, supplier or member of the public.
Business contents insurance can help you recover the cost of losing company equipment to fire, flood, theft and other disasters. 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.
You can be taken to court if a client or a member or the public believe they have been physically or financially harmed because of your company's business activities, including if their property is damaged.
Painter and decorators businesses could be found liable for everything from an employee falling from a ladder and breaking their leg to being accused of not providing correct safety equipment to contractors.
Public liability insurance can cover the legal fees and compensation payouts in the event of a claim.
That's how much was paid out in 2024. Without business insurance, those customers would have faced paying that bill themselves.
Comparing quotes from different insurers allows you to find the best deal out there.
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Public liability insurance protects you if your work harms members of the public.
Employers’ liability insurance protects you if your staff become ill or injured at work.
Tool insurance covers costs if your tools are stolen, damaged, or lost.
Business van insurance Protect your work vehicle and its contents.
Stock insurance protects you if your items are lost, stolen, or damaged.
Business contents insurance protects equipment, including in home offices.
(Per Year) | Cheapest | Average |
|---|---|---|
Painter and decorator insurance . | £64.16 [7] | £87.54[8] |
The table shows the average prices paid by our customers for painter and decorating insurance.
Average price means 51% of customers paid this amount or less. Cheapest price means 10% of customers paid this price or less.
According to our latest data, 10% of customers paid this when taking out an annual painter and decorator insurance policy.
The cost of fixing insurable problems yourself is usually significantly more expensive than taking out insurance.
Almost 9 in 10[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.
Financial loss: Compensation payouts to third parties that had their person or property harmed by your work activities
Business van insurance: Standard motor insurance policies won't usually cover vehicles that are used for work
Legal expenses insurance: For things like employment disputes, property disputes, and tax investigations
Accidental death: Offers a lump sum should you or an employee die as a result of an unforeseen incident
Tools and equipment: Cover to repair and replace business equipment that is damaged or stolen
Business contents: Covers items such as office furniture or computers and phone systems for if they’re damaged or stolen
Professional indemnity: Covers you if your business is responsible for any professional negligence
Personal accident insurance: Offers a lump sum payment if you or an employee are hurt and no longer able to work
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, although professional indemnity will cover you for some types of negligence
Drugs or alcohol: If you or your employees were under the influence when the event you want to claim for occurred
Damage to property being worked on: Some policies won't cover damage to a person's property caused while you are working on it
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
Improper use of business vehicles: If you're using vehicles for work purposes without declaring that to your insurer, or if the person driving is not covered by the policy
No, painters and decorators are not legally required to have business insurance, unless they own a company which hires other people. If this is the case they will need employers liability insurance.
However, insurance is strongly recommended for painters and decorators to secure more work, cover their tools, and to provide financial protection if a client or a member of the public makes a claim against them.
If you employ anyone else within your painting and decorating business, you are legally required to have employers liability insurance.
This type of insurance will cover you if your employee makes a claim if they injure themselves whilst working for you.
The right insurance policy for you will depend on your business and the type of work you carry out. You can find the right insurance policy to suit your needs in minutes by using a comparison website like MoneySuperMarket. We’ll ask for a few details and then show you a range of quotes from major UK providers to suit your budget.
Yes, you can purchase tool insurance to help protect your painting and decorating tools and specialist equipment against loss, damage, and theft.
If you’re self employed as a painter and decorator, you will need to be registered with HMRC, usually as a sole trader. You don’t need insurance legally but you may find it useful, especially as it can cover your costs if you can’t work for any reason.
Every year around 604,000 people are injured at work, according to government figures, and painters and decorators who are often up ladders or in other precarious positions are at high risk of having an accident or an injury. That’s why having insurance in place is a financial safeguard and can help if you’re unable to work because of an illness or injury. It provides a lot more on top of this cover, including protection for your equipment and tools along with the costs for legal claims.
Rebecca Goodman Personal Finance & Insurance Expert
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