Trades Insurance for established trade firms
Trades insurance for building, installation, maintenance and workshop firms that employ staff, run vans and take on contract work. Find your trade to see the covers firms like yours combine and what insurers will ask.
- Liability, tools, vans and contract works
- Cover for teams, not just one person
- Brokers who know your trade
Reviewed October 2026 by the MyBusinessComparison.com editorial team
What is trades insurance?
Trades insurance is a package of covers for building, installation, repair and maintenance firms. It usually combines public and employers' liability with cover for tools, vans, contract works and materials, and is shaped around the trade, the size of the team and the type of contracts the firm takes on.
For an established trade firm the priorities change as the business grows: employees and labour only subcontractors bring employers' liability, larger contracts bring contract works and higher liability limits, and a yard, workshop or several vans bring property and fleet cover.
Trades insurance at a glance
- Core covers
- Public liability, employers' liability, tools and contract works
- Compulsory part
- Employers' liability, once the firm employs staff
- Often added
- Vans or fleet, plant, goods in transit and professional indemnity
- Limits set by
- Main contractors, commercial clients and local authority frameworks
- Rated on
- Trade, turnover, wage roll, subcontractors and claims
- Grows into
- Construction company or engineering cover as contracts get larger
Find insurance for your trade
Trades are grouped by the kind of work they do. Each guide covers the claims typical of that trade and the policies established firms usually combine. Trades that serve the building industry from a yard, counter or workshop are listed further down.
Building, roofing and structure
Main building work and the structural trades, where contract works and high liability limits matter: bricklayers, house builders, loft conversion firms, formwork contractors, roofers, scaffolding firms and stonemasons.
Read more about builders insurance
Groundworks, drainage and plant
Digging, drilling and heavy plant, where buried services strikes and plant losses drive claims: drainage contractors, drilling contractors, plant hire firms and skip hire operators.
Read more about groundwork contractors insurance
Landscaping and outdoor surfaces
Outdoor contractors with mowers, compact plant and trailers: grounds maintenance contractors, driveway and patio installers, fencing contractors, sports surfacing contractors and swimming pool installers.
Read more about landscapers insurance
Plastering, decorating and floors
Finishing trades working in occupied buildings, where damage to clients' property causes most claims: dry lining contractors, painters and decorators, tilers and flooring contractors.
Read more about plasterers insurance
Glazing, conservatories and doors
Glass handling, transit breakage and installation at height, from double glazing to commercial shopfronts, plus conservatory installers and garage door installers.
Read more about glaziers insurance
Kitchens, bathrooms, joinery and fit-out
Fitting trades working in homes and commercial interiors: bathroom fitters, furniture fitters, carpenters and joiners, fireplace installers, interior designers and shop fitters.
Read more about kitchen fitters insurance
Plumbing, gas, heating and cooling
Water damage, heat work, gas safety and refrigerants: gas fitters, heating engineers, heating and ventilation contractors, air conditioning engineers and refrigeration engineers.
Read more about plumbers insurance
Energy, insulation and damp
Roof work, electrical connection and building fabric installations where claims can surface years later: cavity wall insulation installers, insulation installers and damp proofing and timber treatment firms.
Read more about solar panel installation insurance
Security, fire and access
Alarm and CCTV systems, keys, codes and claims when a system fails to work, alongside locksmiths and fire protection engineers.
Read more about alarm and CCTV installers insurance
Telecoms, AV, signs and events
Cabling, masts, rooftops and temporary structures: aerial and satellite installers, audio visual installers, sign makers, exhibition stand contractors and marquee hire firms.
Read more about telecoms engineers insurance
Engineering and equipment installers
Workshop fabrication and machinery fitted in customers' premises: machinery installers, racking installers, catering equipment engineers and stair lift installers.
Read more about welding and fabrication insurance
Maintenance, surveying and specialist services
Work across many clients' buildings, often under term contracts: handyman firms, surveyors, pest control firms and tank cleaning contractors.
Read more about property maintenance insurance
Covers trade firms add as they grow
- Contractors' all risks: the works in progress and materials on site until handover
- Plant and machinery: owned and hired in plant such as mini diggers, dumpers and access equipment
- Commercial vehicle insurance: vans and pickups carrying teams, tools and materials
- Professional indemnity: for firms that design systems, specify products or sign off installations
- Business equipment: tools and test equipment on site, in vans and in the workshop
Which trade firms buy trades insurance?
Established trade businesses of every kind. What changes the cover is how the firm is set up, so these are the profiles we see most.
Larger contractor or not a trade firm? Main contractors and engineering firms are covered under construction and engineering insurance, and shops, offices and other sectors have their own industry guides.
- Firms with employees and apprentices: employers' liability for the whole team, including labour only subcontractors
- Firms working in clients' homes and premises: public liability at the limits clients and main contractors ask for
- Firms working for main contractors: higher limits, contract works cover and evidence of cover before starting on site
- Firms running several vans: a fleet policy with any driver cover once the van count grows
- Firms with a yard or workshop: premises, stock and liability on one commercial combined policy
- Firms owning or hiring plant: plant and machinery cover, including continuing hire charges for hired in equipment
- Electrical and building services firms: installations before and after handover and test equipment, set out under electrical contractors insurance
- Multi-trade contractors: one construction and tradesman policy covering several trades and the subcontractors used
- Firms moving materials and stock: goods in transit cover for loads carried between merchants, yards and sites
- Firms taking on design: professional indemnity for system design, specification and certification
- Firms handling waste and fuels: environmental liability cover for skips, waste transfer and fuel storage
- Facilities and maintenance firms: maintenance contracts across many client sites, covered under cleaning and facilities management insurance
- Builders merchants and trade counters: yards, stock, forklifts and delivery lorries, with trade customers and the public on site
- Bicycle repair and service workshops: customers' bikes held for repair, workshop tools and stock, and liability for work after collection
- Dry cleaners and laundries: customers' garments in your care, solvent machines and the fire risk that comes with them
How much does trades insurance cost?
Trade, team size and the contracts you take on shape the premium more than anything else. These are the factors insurers look at.
The trade itself
Heat work, roofing, work at height, gas and depth of excavation carry the most weight. Insurers usually rate on the riskiest work you do.
Wage roll and subcontractors
Employers' liability is rated on wages, and labour only subcontractors are normally counted as employees.
Turnover and contract values
Public liability follows turnover, and contract works cover follows the size and type of contracts.
Liability limit
Higher limits required by main contractors or commercial clients increase the premium, though not proportionally.
Tools, plant and vans
Values, overnight storage, van security and trackers all affect tools, plant and vehicle cover.
Claims and safety record
Accident history, training, method statements and trade accreditations help show a well managed firm.
Where trades policies leave gaps
These are the gaps trade firms most often find at claim time.
- The cost of putting right your own faulty workmanship, which most liability policies exclude
- Heat work carried out without following the policy's hot work conditions
- Tools left in vans overnight without meeting the security conditions
- Bona fide subcontractors without their own liability insurance
- Damage to the works before handover, which needs contract works cover
- Design and specification errors, which need professional indemnity insurance
- Vans and vehicles on the road, which need commercial vehicle insurance or a fleet policy
Public liability or employers' liability for trade firms?
Most trade firms need both. The difference is who is injured and who can claim.
| Feature | Public liability | Employers' liability |
|---|---|---|
| Who can claim | Clients, visitors and members of the public | Employees, apprentices and labour only subcontractors |
| Typical claim | A client trips over materials left in a hallway | An apprentice falls from a ladder on site |
| Compulsory | No, but most clients and main contractors require it | Yes, for most firms with employees |
| How it is rated | Turnover and type of work | Wage roll and type of work |
| Limit chosen by | The firm, guided by contract requirements | Set high as standard by most insurers |
How to choose trades insurance
A few details about your team and contracts let a broker build the right cover first time.
Describe your trade fully
Include every type of work, any heat work, work at height or depth, and any design you take on.
Count your team
Employees, apprentices, labour only subcontractors and bona fide subcontractors, with the wage roll.
Check client requirements
Note the liability limits and covers main contractors, councils and commercial clients ask for.
List tools, plant and vans
Values, where they are kept overnight and how they are secured.
Compare conditions as well as price
Check hot work conditions, tool security terms, excesses and subcontractor requirements.
Want help building your cover?
Tell us about your trade, team and contracts and a specialist broker will compare cover for you.
Compare quotesChoosing trades insurance: FAQs
Which insurance does a trade firm with employees need?
Employers' liability is compulsory for most firms with staff, and public liability is expected by almost every client. Most established trade firms add tools cover, contract works, van or fleet insurance and, where they own or hire it, plant cover.
Do labour only subcontractors count as employees for insurance?
Usually yes. Insurers normally treat labour only subcontractors, who work under your direction using your materials, as employees for employers' liability. Bona fide subcontractors who supply their own materials and insurance are treated differently.
What public liability limit does a trade firm need?
Look at your contracts first. Main contractors, councils and commercial clients often set a minimum limit, and some ask for more than the standard offered. Domestic work may need less, but the limit should reflect the largest claim your work could realistically cause.
Is my trade insured under a general builders policy?
Sometimes. Multi-trade policies list the trades they cover, and specialist work such as gas, roofing, solar or cavity insulation may need its own policy or a declared extension. Check that every trade you carry out is shown on the schedule.
Do I need contract works cover as well as public liability?
If you carry the risk of the works until handover, usually yes. Public liability covers damage to other people's property, not the work you are building. Many contracts make the contractor insure the works, so the insurance clause is the place to start.
When should a trade firm move to construction company insurance?
Usually when contract values, turnover or the number of employees grow to the point where the firm acts as a main contractor, holds significant plant or needs higher limits. A construction company policy is built for that scale.
What if my trade is not listed in a guide?
A specialist broker can still place it. Many policies list the trades they cover, so describe every type of work you do, including occasional jobs. Where your work sits between two trades, the guide closest to your riskiest activity is usually the better starting point.
How much does trades insurance cost?
It depends on the trade, the wage roll, turnover, limits required, tools and plant values, and claims history. Heat work, height and depth have the biggest effect, while strong safety records and accreditations help.
How do I get a trades insurance quote?
Pick your trade guide or go straight to the quote form, and a broker who insures trade firms picks up your enquiry. A full description of the work, turnover, wage roll, subcontractor details, the limits your contracts require and your claims history make the first call short.
Ready to compare trades insurance?
Liability, tools, vans and contract works for trade firms with teams and contracts, arranged by brokers who know the work.