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Public liability insurance for tiling
Whether you’re tiling floors, walls or roofs, chances are that as a tiler you will need public liability insurance.
In this guide we’ll be looking at the ins-and-outs of public liability for tilers. We’ll be running through which tilers need insurance, why they need it and how much it will cost.
To get started we’ll take a look at exactly what this type of insurance is.
What is Public Liability?
Public liability is a form of insurance which was developed to help business owners protect themselves from the costs involved in causing property damage or personal injury to others.
If you are found to be liable for causing damage or injury through your business activities, without insurance you could be forced to pay costs anywhere from a few hundred dollars to potentially a few million dollars in extreme cases.
Such costs could send the average tiler or any other business owner bankrupt, but with the right insurance in place you can be sure that the insurance company will be there to cover the costs.
Why is it important for Tilers?
As with all tradespeople, tilers work in an environment which can be potentially dangerous.
If a customer of other member of the public was to trip over and injure themselves on some loose tiles you have left out, you could find yourself liable for medical and rehabilitation costs.
If you were to drop a roof tile which landed on someone’s head below you, again you could be up for some serious medical costs, and potentially even lost income for the injured person.
Property damage is another area for concern. If that same roof tile was to smash through an expensive windscreen, it’s nice to know that the insurer will be paying rather than you.
It’s important to remember that there will be an excess applicable to any property damage claim, but it’s far better to pay a few hundred dollar excess than having to cover the entire cost of the claim.
Which Tilers need it?
Any tiler who runs their own business or works as a subcontractor will need public liability insurance.
Some building and constructions companies have made public liability mandatory for all subcontractors including tilers, but even if it’s not mandatory for you it is still a good idea to have some cover.
If you are working on wages (i.e. don’t have your own ABN) then you should be covered by your employer’s insurance.
What costs are involved?
Because tiling is seen to be a relatively low-risk trade by the insurance companies, the public liability insurance cost for a tiler will be quite low.
The insurers do differentiate between roof tilers and floor/wall tilers, however the difference in premium generally isn’t too great unless you’re doing roof tiling at unusually high heights.
For a sole trader needing the minimum amount of cover and bringing in an average turnover, the cost of cover will start from just below $500 per annum.
If you employ staff or have an above-average level of annual turnover the cost will generally be higher.
The quickest and easiest way to get a quote on public liability insurance for a tiler is to complete our online quote request or call our office on 1300 542 245.