Do improvers/mates need insurance?

Matt · Oct 30, 2019

Hey everybody,

I was wondering if while working as a mate/improver on a big site (commercial/residnetial/whatever) one would require a insurance policy? If you are employed through CIS and as a result, a sole trader/self employed.

I never considered anything else apart from an accident and injury policy but what about public liability or professional indemnity?

What are your thoughts?

James · Oct 30, 2019

as a general rule,
if you are invoicing someone for a service, you should have insurance cover for that service.
in many cases it is not compulsory but it is always advisable.
most of my customers require me to provide them with a copy of insurance cert. before I am allowed to work.
sometimes if you are working for someone in a subcontract type arrangement, there insurance will cover you.
if that is what they are claiming to be the case, ask for a copy of the insurance paperwork for you reccords (I.e to read and confirm)

buzzlightyear · Oct 30, 2019

the company that will hire you will have their own insurance considering you are sub contracting.

James · Oct 30, 2019

buzzlightyear said:
the company that will hire you will have their own insurance considering you are sub contracting.

That's great but, in some cases if there is a claim, the insurance company will pay it and then look to recoup there costs by passing it down the line.

i.e customers house burns down
home insurance pays out

home insurance finds that it was faulty wiring that caused the fire and looks for the company that wired it.

main contractors insurance pays the costs to home insurance company.
they then look at the paperwork and discover that subcontractor "A" did 40% of the work
they then try to chase subcontractor "A" for 40% of the cost of claim as it was impossible to discover who caused the fault.

If you have insurance, you pass it all on to them to deal with and it costs you nothing.

If you don't have insurance, you have to deal with all the paperwork and harassing letters stating that you owe them 40% of the £350,000 claim
with the possibility of having to argue your case in court against the insurance company and their legal team.

I suspect that indemnity insurance will cost you less than you think, get some quotes and see if it is better to have it for the peace of mind.
you should be looking at a few hundred, not a few thousand i would have thought.

Baddegg · Oct 30, 2019

For the couple of hundred quid it costs that you claim back anyways I’d have it regardless and never have to worry about it mate....

Matt · Oct 30, 2019

James the Spark1976 said:
That's great but, in some cases if there is a claim, the insurance company will pay it and then look to recoup there costs by passing it down the line.

i.e customers house burns down
home insurance pays out

home insurance finds that it was faulty wiring that caused the fire and looks for the company that wired it.

main contractors insurance pays the costs to home insurance company.
they then look at the paperwork and discover that subcontractor "A" did 40% of the work
they then try to chase subcontractor "A" for 40% of the cost of claim as it was impossible to discover who caused the fault.

If you have insurance, you pass it all on to them to deal with and it costs you nothing.

If you don't have insurance, you have to deal with all the paperwork and harassing letters stating that you owe them 40% of the £350,000 claim
with the possibility of having to argue your case in court against the insurance company and their legal team.

I suspect that indemnity insurance will cost you less than you think, get some quotes and see if it is better to have it for the peace of mind.
you should be looking at a few hundred, not a few thousand i would have thought.

That is exactly the scenario I had in my mind.

That would possibly explain my employer having a guy come around each day and asking what am I working on this specific day. I was thinking that it was a misinformation issue between him and my supervisor, who gets me on work for a given day, but I guess there are other reasons.

Dustydazzler · Oct 31, 2019

100% have your own public liability insurance, as baddegg says £100 quid ish will get you a policy.

Matt · Oct 31, 2019

Just to close this thread down - from who do you guys get your insurance?

I think there used to be an insuarance company that had its advert on this forum, but I can't seem to find it anymore.

Cheers for the advice? Thnk you very much.

James · Oct 31, 2019

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