Painting and Decorating Association members get 20% off. T&Cs apply*.
Business insurance
What insurance do painters and decorators need?
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance is an option for businesses that have contact with members of the public.
It's designed to cover claims made against you by anyone who isn't an employee, covering bodily injury, illness, disease or even death, as well as property damage as a direct result of your work.
Employers' liability insurance
Employers' liability insurance can be a legal requirement for employers in the UK.
If you have any employees – including apprentices, temporary workers or part-time staff – you could be required to get cover and display a certificate to prove it, with the potential to be fined if you don't.
Our employers' liability cover offers a £10 million limit as standard. It also includes 50 days’ cover each year for temporary employees.
Contracts work cover
Some things – like fire, theft, water and wind damage – are beyond your control. Contract works insurance can cover accidental damage to a temporary or permanent structure you – or a contractor you hire – are building. It's also designed to cover accidents that could happen when transporting the materials you need, and if those materials are stored near the development.
Tools insurance and equipment cover
Damage or breakage is inevitable when it comes to tools and equipment – and unfortunately, tools theft is a major issue in the UK.
We offer tool and equipment cover, providing up to:
- £10,000 cover for portable tools and equipment (maximum value of £1,000 per item)
- £25,000 cover for construction plant and machinery owned by you
- £50,000 cover for hired-in plant.
Just be sure to keep everything in a securely locked building or compound when not in use. We can also offer additional cover if you store your tools in a vehicle overnight.
Stock cover
It’s not all about the tools. You can’t get a job done without the right materials either. Our business stock insurance is designed to cover materials such as paint, wood and tiles, up to £5,000.
It’s important that your stock is securely stored at your business premises, or in securely locked conditions elsewhere – even when in transit.
Personal accident cover
When you’re performing manual work, getting injured can cause more physical discomfort. A serious injury may leave you unable to work for some time.
If this happens, our personal accident cover is designed to pay a cash benefit of up to £5,000 to tide you over until you’re able to work again.
Once you've completed a quote, you'll be able to view a summary of cover. Please always refer to your policy documents for full details around exclusions, terms and limits of your customised cover. Read our guide to understanding your policy documents.
Claims examples
Here are a few examples of the types of claims that could involve legal or compensation costs. As always, terms, conditions and exclusions apply:
Improper training
An employee lifts a heavy piece of equipment and injures their back. They claim they weren't trained on how to lift heavy items properly. Employers' liability insurance could cover legal fees and compensation awarded to your employee.
An injured passerby
You're putting up some scaffolding and accidentally drop one of the rails. It falls and lands on a member of the public, injuring them enough to require hospitalisation. Public liability insurance could cover legal and compensation fees associated with the claim.
Water damage
While working at a client's home, a mains water pipe bursts, damaging many of the surrounding materials and causing major project setbacks. Contract works insurance may cover the cost of replacing the damaged materials, up to a limit of £500,000.
Only need to insure your tools?
At Superscript, we offer special cover for just the tools and equipment of your trade, including:
- Step ladders
- Work benches
- Laptops and phones
Choose from limits between £1,000 and £10,000, with a maximum limit of £1,000 per item. You won't be tied into taking out any other covers, so you only pay for what you need.
*Terms and conditions
The 20% discount applies from the inception date of the initial policy. Subject to eligibility requirements.
The discount offer of 20% off (‘the Offer’) is only available to any Painting and Decorating Association member who are new online, non-advised Superscript customers.
The Offer will be applied to your Superscript policy for a lifetime (applied continuously at renewal). You will be informed of any price changes in good time, prior to the anniversary of your policy.
The Offer will not apply to cancellation fees. In the event that you cancel your Superscript policy within the first 6 months of cover, we reserve the right to deduct, withhold or charge the total value of the Offer from any payments due to or from you.
To be eligible, you must have been directed from Painting and Decorating Association by clicking on the appropriate link and cannot be retrospectively applied.
The Offer is not assignable. The Offer will be automatically applied to your account by Superscript. The Offer will be applied each month, regardless of annual or monthly payment option selection.
There is no cash alternative. The Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other Superscript offer, voucher or promotional benefit.
The Offer is subject to eligibility requirements. We reserve the right to withdraw the Offer at any time. Terms and conditions are subject to change and you may not be informed.
Painter and decorator insurance FAQs
Is business insurance a legal requirement?
In the UK, the only cover that's usually ever a legal requirement is employers' liability insurance for most businesses that have employees.
However, you may want to consider insurance for other reasons. For example, a client may require it, or you may decide that the risk of a claim against you is too high a price to pay.
What will affect the cost of my insurance?
The cost of your cover will vary depending on the work you carry out. Jobs that could more easily cause harm to the public, or work that involves tools of high value, present more risk and the potential for a bigger payout in the event of a claim. This typically means the cost of your insurance will be higher than it would be to cover a lower work, or less valuable equipment.
Do you cover tools stored in a vehicle overnight?
Our standard cover does not insure tools stored in a vehicle overnight. It specifically excludes theft of tools and equipment from any vehicle left unattended between the hours of 9pm and 6am.
However, you can still get cover with us for tools stored securely in your van overnight, if the vehicle is parked in a locked compound, at an additional cost.
How do I get my insurance documents?
Once you take out a policy with Superscript, you'll get instant access to your insurance documents.
Simply login to your online account where the easy-to-use customer portal gives you access to all the details of your cover.
Individual cover purchased online is offered on a standardised, non-advised basis and is not bespoke. Terms, conditions and coverage limits are predetermined by the Underwriter. If you require bespoke coverage offered on an advised basis, please contact our in-house broking team.
Authorised by the FCA
The FCA supervises UK financial services firms to protect consumers. We are directly authorised and regulated by the FCA and our Firm Reference Number is 656459. These details can be confirmed on the Financial Services Register at www.fca.org.uk or by calling the FCA on 0845 606 1234.
A-rated financial strength
Our insurance products are underwritten by Standard & Poor’s A-rated financial strength or higher. This means the underwriter has been independently assessed by the world’s leading credit rating provider and found to have a strong capacity to meet financial commitments (pay claims).
Protected by the FSCS
If you are a business with an annual turnover under £1m, charity with an annual income under £1m, or trust with net assets under £1m, then you will be entitled to compensation from the FSCS in the unlikely event we cannot meet our obligations. Full details and further information on the scheme are available at www.fscs.org.uk.