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No two days are the same when you’re working as a handyman. Every job brings different challenges and risks, meaning it’s worthwhile ensuring you have the appropriate level of handyman insurance in place.
Whether you’re tiling a kitchen or painting a bedroom, accidents can happen. If they do, you’ll need insurance to protect your finances.
At Markel Direct, we offer handyman and property maintenance insurance policies that you can rely on.
Cover at a glance:
- Protect your business against legal threats and financial risks
- Tailored insurance to meet your specific needs
- Tools and equipment cover optional
What is handyman insurance?
Handyman insurance is designed to protect your business from a variety of risks. It can include different types of cover, such as public liability insurance, property damage cover, employers’ liability protection and more. Having the right insurance for handyman jobs will provide you with a valuable safety net, giving you support when you most need it.
Cover starting from
£7 a month*
*Price based on a handyman requiring £1 million public liability insurance cover.
Does a handyman need insurance?
Despite your skills and experience, with each project you undertake there’s always a chance that something will go wrong. You might damage a customer’s floor by dropping a heavy tool on it, or perhaps a shelf you put up falls on a client and injures them. In cases like these, you could find yourself facing sizable compensation claims. Unless you could cover these expenses yourself, you’ll need public liability insurance to help protect your finances.
Also, some clients will ask for proof that you have handyman public liability insurance in place before they agree to hire you for a job.
There may be other types of insurance that you need too. For example, if you have employees, even temporary or part-time workers, you’re required by law to have employers’ liability insurance in place. You might also want to protect your tools and materials by taking out insurance. If your equipment is damaged, lost or stolen, you could face significant costs to replace or repair it. Without suitable cover, this may put significant strain on your finances.
Handyman public liability insurance
Public liability insurance is a worthwhile consideration for many handymen. It protects you against claims made by members of the public who have their property damaged or are injured as a result of the actions of your business. We offer handyman public liability insurance with limits ranging from £1 million to £5 million.
Example of a claim:
A member of the public trips over your toolbox, suffering a fractured ankle. They make a compensation claim for their injuries.
Example policy documents
If you have an existing policy with us, please sign in to view your policy documents.
Below you will find examples of the documents provided.
Why choose Markel Direct for handyman insurance coverage?
Here are just some of the reasons to choose Markel Direct for all your handyman insurance requirements.
What does handyman insurance cover?
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Employers’ liability insurance
If you have workers, including part-time or casual labourers, you’re required by law to have employers’ liability insurance of at least £5 million. This protects you if an employee becomes ill or is injured because of the work they do for you. Our policies provide cover of up to £10 million.
Example of a claim:
A part-time labourer strains their back while carrying heavy tools. They take legal action against
you in a bid to get compensation for their suffering, and for lost earnings. -
Tools insurance
Tools and equipment insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing your tools if they are lost, stolen or damaged. Choose from cover limits ranging from £1,000 to £5,000.
Example of a claim:
The premises where you store your tools are broken into and a number of expensive pieces of equipment are stolen, leaving you facing the cost of replacement.
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Legal expenses insurance
Legal expenses insurance can help to cover the cost of defending or pursuing legal actions against other parties such as suppliers, clients or employees. This could be for contract disputes, tax enquiries (including IR35), attending jury service, debt recovery, personal injury, as well as any award you are required to pay following an employment dispute with an employee. There is a limit of £100,000.
Example of a claim:
A supplier has failed to deliver building materials you’ve paid for and is ignoring your requests for a refund. You face the costs associated with recovering the debt owed to you.
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Occupational personal accident insurance
Occupational personal accident insurance supports your income if you can’t work because of an injury you have suffered at work or on your way to or from work. It provides either weekly payments or a lump sum, depending on the nature of your injury.
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Owned plant insurance
Owned plant insurance cover the costs of repairing or replacing your own plant machinery, for example cement mixers, generators or trailers, if it's damaged or stolen. Cover limits are available from £10,000 to £50,000.
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Hired in plant insurance
Hired in plant insurance cover the costs of repairing or replacing plant machinery, such as forklifts, cherry pickers and concrete mixers, that you've hired from a third party, if they are damaged or stolen. Cover limits are available from £10,000 to £50,000.
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Contract works insurance
Contract works insurance covers the work you and your employees are completing on a construction site. If your work is affected by a flood or fire, or by theft or malicious damage, contract works insurance can cover the costs of repairing or redoing the work.
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Goods in transit insurance
Goods in transit insurance covers you financially against the loss or damage of goods while in transit from one location to another. This can be either goods transported in your own vehicle, or on your behalf by a third-party carrier.
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Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity insurance is there to protect you if a client makes a claim against you because of a mistake you have made when providing a professional service for a fee, such as offering designs or advice for a home improvement project.
How it works
Choose the cover you require
Get a quote you need in minutes
Buy online or contact one of our advisors
Handyman insurance cost
The amount you will pay for handyman insurance depends on various factors, including the size of your business and the types of cover you need. At Markel Direct, we offer policies starting from £7 a month*. To find out how much you can expect to pay, simply get a quote today.
*Price based on a handyman requiring £1 million public liability insurance cover.
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Our simple quote process will help you to find the right business insurance for your individual needs.
Frequently asked questions
These frequently asked questions are designed to help you and include questions relating to policy cover, pricing and ‘technical’ terms.
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Am I legally required to get handyman insurance?
In general, handyman insurance is not a legal requirement. However, if you have employees, you are required by law to get employers’ liability insurance.
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Do handymen need professional indemnity insurance?
If you offer professional services for a fee (such as providing designs or advice), it is advisable to take out professional indemnity insurance. No matter how diligent you are, projects don’t always go to plan. If you make an error when providing professional services, you could face significant legal fees and compensation costs as a result.
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When should I get business insurance for handyman jobs?
We advise you to take out handyman insurance before you take on your first job. Having cover in place from the outset will minimise the financial risks to your business and give you added peace of mind.
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How much does handyman insurance cost?
At Markel Direct, we offer handyman insurance from £7 a month for £1 million worth of public liability cover*. When it comes to insurance, the cost varies from business to business depending on;
- The size of your business - your turnover and whether you have any employees
- The level of cover you choose
- The types of projects you work on and the equipment you use.
To get a clearer idea of how much you’ll pay, simply get a quote online.
* Price based on a handyman requiring £1 million public liability insurance cover.
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How is Markel Direct regulated?
Markel Direct is regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority. To find out more about this, visit the Financial Services Register.
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