Compare business insurance quotes from leading UK insurers
What is plumbers insurance?
Plumber’s insurance is a type of business insurance designed specifically for plumbing contractors and businesses.
It helps protect plumbers from financial losses caused by accidents, injuries, property damage, or legal claims that can happen while doing plumbing work.
You can buy different types of insurance:
Employers liability insurance - covers costs if employees are harmed on a plumbing job
Public liability insurance - covers costs if a member of the public is injured and makes a claim against your plumbing business
Tool insurance - covers costs if your plumbing tools, such as drain cleaners or pipe threaders, 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 before hiring your plumbing business
Whether you own a plumbing firm or are a self-employed plumber, insurance can financially protect you if something goes wrong at work.
Without insurance you could end up paying some very high costs if your plumbing equipment is damaged, your employee is hurt, or your work creates a major issue, such as a leak or clogged drains.
Do I need public liability insurance as a plumber?
Public liability insurance is not legally required. However, it can protect your plumbing business from unexpected and expensive costs, such as:
Water damage claims: Accidentally flooding a client’s home while repairing or installing pipes
Third-party injuries: A client, tenant, or visitor slips on wet floors or trips over plumbing tools
Blocked drains gone wrong: Using equipment that damages a customer’s pipes, requiring full replacement
Some companies and organisations will only award contracts to businesses that have public liability insurance. Anyone who interacts with the general public can benefit from public liability insurance.
Why should I get plumbers insurance?
Clients are more likely to hire you: People are often wary about hiring plumbers without insurance, especially if you're a commercial plumber. Government contracts, for example, will usually insist you have a plumbers 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 a pipe leak ruining a client's office equipment to a blown fitting causing water damage a customer's home, 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 should a plumber have?
-
Public liability
Public liability insurance protects you if your work harms members of the public.
-
Employers' liability
Employers’ liability insurance protects you if your staff become ill or injured at work.
-
Professional indemnity
Professional indemnity insurance protects you if you are accused of negligence.
-
Tools insurance
Tool insurance covers costs if your tools are stolen, damaged, or lost.
-
Product liability
Product liability insurance covers legal fees if your product causes injury to a customer.
-
Business interruption
Business interruption insurance protects against disruption from events like fires.
How much does plumbers insurance cost?
(Per Year) | Cheapest | Average |
|---|---|---|
Plumbing, heating and ventilation | £288.43^ | £508.48^ |
The table shows the average prices paid by our customers for plumbers 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?
£24
.04^ a month
According to our latest data, 10% of customers paid this when taking out an annual plumbers 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.
How likely is it that my insurance claim will be accepted?
Almost 9 in 10
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 types of cover are included in plumbers insurance?
-
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
-
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…
Being a plumber can be a risky job and accidents can happen, no matter how much experience and skill you have. While it’s a legal requirement to have employers liability insurance if you have staff, a public liability insurance policy can also be extremely useful if someone sues you.
A policy which covers your costs if you’re unable to work is also valuable – especially if you’re self employed. Around 1.7 million working people are currently suffering from a work-related illness
^ and if you’re self employed you’ll need to cover the loss of income. No insurance policies are the same so before you buy one, always compare the costs and the details of the cover.
Rebecca Goodman Personal Finance & Insurance Expert
What other trades could I get insurance for?
-
-
Tradesmen
-
Electricians
-
Carpenters / joiners
-
Painters / decorators
-
Window cleaners
-
Pub and bar owners
-
Plasterers
Why compare plumbers insurance with MoneySuperMarket?
-
Quick and easy
Give us a few details and we'll show you multiple quotes in minutes, saving you time and effort.
-
Save money
Our mission is to save you money. We've helped thousands of customers insure their business for less.
-
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.
Do I need plumbers insurance if I'm a subcontractor?
It depends on what type of subcontractor you are.
If you are bona fide subcontractor you are responsible for your own insurance. Bona fide subcontractors work independently and provide all their own tools, material and equipment. Many employers will be reluctant to hire you if you do not have your own contractor liability insurance.
If you are labour-only subcontractors the company who hires you is responsible for insuring you and your work. They must have employers' liability insurance in place to cover any accidents or illnesses that happen to you at work.
A subcontractor is labour-only if the business you're hired out to supervises your work and provides you with the tools and materials you use for the job.
Do plumbers need insurance to install gas?
Not legally, but many clients, contractors and trade associations will insist you have appropriate cover. The risks involved in gas installation also mean you could be faced with an extremely high bill if something goes wrong and you are uninsured.
Only plumbers who are gas safe registered engineers are qualified to work on gas heating systems. An insurance policy won't cover you if you are not properly certified.
Is a plumber liable for water damage in the UK?
Yes, if water damage has been caused by a plumber’s work, they may be liable for the costs of repairs.
How long is a plumber liable for their work?
This depends on the work carried out and any guarantees in place but plumbers are usually liable for around 12 months after the work is carried out.
What is short-term tradesman insurance?
Short-term trade insurance can cover you for a period of days, weeks or months. It is designed for one-off projects or jobs.
What insurance am I legally required to have as a plumber?
The only insurance plumbers are legally required to have is employers liability insurance if you have anybody working for you.
However, given the risks associated with the job many decorators take out public liability insurance, which covers costs if members of the public or their property are harmed. Clients may also insist you have this type of insurance.
How much public liability insurance do I need as a plumber?
The amount of public liability insurance that you need as a plumber depends on a variety of factors, including the size of your business, the nature of your work, and the level of risk associated with your operations.
If you buy through us you can choose from three levels of cover: £1 million, £2 million or £5 million.
Do I need different cover if I do other types of work?
You can put different types of work on one business insurance policy, but you must specifically add them to the insurance to be covered. You can do this when you take out the policy and you can also add extra trades on mid-way through by contacting your insurer.
Some examples of work you would need to add on to your plumbers insurance policy include:
Bedroom, bathroom and kitchen fixture fitting
Gas fitting
Electrical work
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 10 Dec 2025 by
According to Simply Business data, 10% of customers paid this amount or less monthly for a plumbers insurance policy. Figure based on annual policies purchased in 2024.
Source: Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - Key figures for Great Britain Report (2023/24)
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 plumbers insurance policy. Figure based on policies purchased in 2024.
According to Simply Business data, 51% of customers paid this amount or less for an annual plumbers insurance policy. Figure based on policies purchased in 2024.
88% of business insurance claims made by MoneySuperMarket customers were accepted in the 12 months before March 2025. Data from SimplyBusiness.
Simply Business data 2024
Average claims value for MoneySuperMarket customers who claimed on their business insurance in the last 12 months. Data provided by SimplyBusiness.