We provide insurance to over 100 builders from all over Australia.
From simple public liability through to contract works, machinery and plant, Trade Risk has you covered.
We can provide quick quotes for builders requiring only public liability insurance, or for more complex requirements our specialist brokers are here to help.
For a quote on builders insurance, call us on 1800 808 800 or hit the orange button below.
Insurance for Builders
There are many different types of business insurance for builders, and in this guide we’ll cover off some of the most common and important ones.
At Trade Risk we specialise in the building industry, and have insured over 8,000 tradespeople and builders from every corner of Australia.
Public Liability for Builders
Public liability insurance is by far the most common form of insurance for builders.
It doesn’t matter if you’re building decks in the suburbs or big commercial jobs in the city, public liability is a must.
This form of insurance is designed to respond in the event that your work results in property damage or personal injury to a third party.
More specifically, it will respond where your negligence has resulted in the damage or injury.
Cover for events that were not due to your negligence can be provided under contract works insurance, which we’ll go through later in this guide.
Our public liability policies for builders are available with two different options, one with a height restriction and one without.
Tip
If like most builders you use subcontractors, you need to ensure all subcontractors on your site have their own subcontractor public liability insurance.
Whilst your public liability will cover you, it will not always cover the actions of subcontractors on your site. The only safe option is to ask to see every subbie’s insurance certificate before they start work.
Tool Insurance
We tend to find there are two different types of builders. Those who have come in via a trade, and still like to spend some time ‘on the tools’ and have their own gear.
The others are those who aren’t on the tools at all, subcontract out all of the work and have no equipment of their own.
If like most builders you do have your own gear, it’s vital to ensure it is protected from theft and other perils.
Tool insurance can protect your gear in the event of theft following forced entry, as well as damage caused by fire, vehicle collision or vehicle rollover.
We can provide online quotes and instant cover for amounts from $5,000 to $20,000. We insure plenty of builders for amounts over this, but we just can’t do it online.
Contract Works Insurance
An important form of insurance for builders is contract works insurance.
This form of insurance protects the jobsite against a range of risks, and in some ways is similar to public liability, but with some important differences.
Whilst public liability only covers events where you have been negligent, contract works covers you even if you weren’t at fault.
For example if you’re running a building project and a huge storm destroys the build, if you were in no way negligent or at fault, your public liability won’t cover you.
Contract works on the other hand will cover you, provided that you were responsible for the site at the time. If it’s your build, then presumably you were responsible for it.
Builders contract works insurance is available in two different types, being a single-project policy or an annual policy.
A single-project policy can be taken out for a single project, or an annual policy can be taken out to cover all of your projects for the year.
Which option is more suitable for you simply depends on how many projects you plan on running for the year.
We strongly recommend speaking with one of our expert insurance brokers about contract works, which is why we don’t offer the ability to quote and buy this cover online.
You can request a quote online though, simply follow this link to complete the form.
Contractual Liability Insurance
Contractual liability insurance is perhaps less common amongst small trade and building businesss, but the more you read about it, the more important you’ll realise it is.
This form of insurance covers you for events where you weren’t at fault at may not seem responsible, but due to the contract you entered into you have become responsible.
It is typically required when you are contracting to big builders, rather than running your own builds.
Often when you sign a contract with a big builder, the contract will pass responsibility down the chain. So you could end up being responsible for a major issue for no reason other than the contract.
We have a great real-life example you can read about in our dedicated contractual liability insurance guide. Just follow the link.
As with contract works, we strongly recommend speaking with one of our specialist brokers regarding contractual liability.
Commercial Motor
Every builder needs a vehicle.
Whether it’s just your dual cab ute that you drive from site to site, or a fleet of utes, trucks and vans, we can assist with your vehicle insurance needs.
Whilst some builders choose to insure their vehicles through one of the retail insurers (names like NRMA and AAMI) there are benefits to using proper commercial motor insurance via a specialist broker.
We can package your vehicles in with your business insurance, and ensure your policy properly covers any fit out or signage you have on the vehicle.
We can also assist with properly insuring your trailers, as most retail motor insurance policies only cover a few hundred dollars for trailers.
Business Pack for Builders
If your building business has moved to the next level and you’re operating from your own dedicated premises, then it’s time to consider a business pack.
This can encompass all of your insurance needs, from your public liability and tools, through to your premises, plant and machinery, contents and stock.
Our specialist brokers can run through your needs with you to tailor a business pack that is right for you.
Why Do Builders Choose Trade Risk?
Trade Risk are the leaders in business insurance for tradespeople.
We’ve insured thousands of tradies over the years, and many of them have grown with us from subcontractors though to fully fledged builders.
This means we now insure more than one hundred licensed builders from all over Australia.
To learn more about how we can help your building business, please call us on 1800 808 800 or contact us online.
