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As with most trades, bricklayers will need a range of insurance covers to protect themselves.
One of the most common forms of cover for brickies is public liability insurance.
In this guide we’ll run through all the information that you’ll need on what the insurance covers, why it’s important and how much it will cost you.
What Does It Cover?
A bricklayer’s public liability insurance policy will cover them for negligence which results in property damage or personal injury to another person.
Instead of you having to pay the costs of a claim out of your own pocket, the insurance company will cover the costs provided that the claim falls within the wording of the policy.
Public Liability in Action – Examples
To give you a better understanding of how the cover works we have provided two examples of public liability in action, one for personal injury and one for property damage:
Personal Injury: A bricklayer was building a wall at the front of a property, but due to a lack of bracing and support the wall collapsed forwards and injured a person who was walking past.
The person suffered serious injuries to their legs, and on top of the initial medical expenses there were also rehabilitation costs and lost income to be covered.
The bricklayer was found to be negligent and therefore liable for all costs. Thankfully he had public liability in place and the insurer covered the cost of the claim.
Property Damage: A brickie’s labourer was moving a load of bricks from the front of a house to the rear using a wheelbarrow. Unfortunately he managed to scrape the wheelbarrow along the side of the homeowner’s expensive car.
The homeowner obtained a quote for the repairs which came in at a few thousand dollars. As the labourer was an employee of the bricklayer he was covered under his public liability policy.
The insurer paid the claim as the labourer was found to be negligent as well as responsible.
Which Brickies Need It?
Any bricklaying business or subcontractor will need to consider public liability insurance.
On many worksites public liability insurance is mandatory for all non-employee tradesmen, but even when it’s not mandatory it is still a very good idea to have cover in place.
If you are found liable for someone else’s financial loss you could find yourself responsible for costs anywhere between a few hundred dollars and a few million dollars.
As a self-employed brickie it is simply not worth the risk of having to pay that sort of money out of your own pocket.
Insurance Providers
Most business insurance providers in Australia will be able to provide public liability insurance to bricklayers and bricklaying businesses.
Some of the common insurance providers for brickies include Zurich, CGU, Vero and QBE.
You can obtain quotes from most of the insurers listed above by contacting them directly, or alternatively you can use an insurance broker to obtain a range of quotes for you.
How Much Does It Cost?
The cost of public liability insurance for a bricklayer starts at around $450 for a sole trader requiring the minimum amount of cover.
The higher your revenue and/or staff numbers, the higher the cost of your insurance will be. The same goes with the amount of cover you require.
You can obtain a quote on your insurance by contacting the team at publicliabilityinsurance.com.au. Simply complete our online quote request or call us on 1300 542 245.