Whether you’re a self-employed handyman or running a property maintenance business, clients place a great deal of trust in you. From repairing a broken hinge to carrying out a large-scale refurbishment, you’re often working in and around someone else’s home, workplace, or investment property.
Skill, care, and experience go a long way towards avoiding accidents, but no one can completely remove the risk of something going wrong. That’s why Public Liability insurance for Property Maintenance and Repair is such an important safeguard for both handymen and property maintenance professionals. At Ashburnham Insurance, we help tradespeople prepare for the unexpected, ensuring that if something does happen, it doesn’t leave you with a financial burden that could threaten your business.
What Public Liability Insurance Actually Covers
Public Liability insurance provides protection if a member of the public or a client suffers injury or property damage because of your work. It doesn’t matter whether the incident happens inside a home, on a commercial site, or even in a public space; if it’s linked to the job you’re doing, you could be liable.
For example, you might be drilling into a wall and accidentally hit a hidden pipe, causing water damage throughout a customer’s home. Or perhaps a client trips over your toolbox and injures themselves. Even something as simple as leaning a ladder in a precarious spot could lead to damage if it topples and hits a neighbouring property. In each of these scenarios, Public Liability cover can step in to pay for repairs, replacements, compensation and, if necessary, legal defence costs.
Why the Risk is Higher Than You Might Think
Handymen and property maintenance workers often take on a variety of tasks such as plumbing, electrics, decorating, carpentry, or general repairs. This variety means every day brings a new set of challenges and, with them, the potential for something to go wrong.
Working in occupied spaces naturally increases the chance of accidental damage, as you’re surrounded by personal belongings and fixtures. Using tools and equipment in public areas can create hazards for passers-by. Jobs that involve heights, like gutter cleaning or roof repairs, introduce additional dangers, especially if materials fall onto people or property below. Even moving furniture or working around valuable fittings carries a level of risk.
The reality is, no matter how careful you are, accidents can happen in seconds, and they can cost far more than you might expect.
How Real-Life Incidents Play Out
Consider a property maintenance worker painting a ceiling in a client’s living room. A paint pot slips from the ladder and lands on an expensive sofa, staining it beyond repair. Or picture a handyman replacing a light fitting in a hallway, the customer trips over the stepladder and suffers a wrist injury that leads to time off work. In another case, debris from a roof repair falls and damages a neighbour’s car parked nearby.
Without Public Liability insurance, each of these situations could mean paying for the damage or injury yourself. Depending on the scale of the incident, that could run into thousands of pounds. With the right cover, however, the insurer handles the costs and claims process, allowing you to focus on your work.
Meeting Client and Contract Expectations
In many cases, having Public Liability insurance is more than just a sensible precaution. Private clients are increasingly asking for proof of cover before any work begins. Letting agents, landlords and estate managers often need contractors to hold a specific level of public liability cover before being added to their approved supplier list. Local authorities and commercial property managers typically set minimum cover levels in their contracts, often around 2 million to 5 million pounds.
By arranging appropriate Public Liability insurance in advance, you’re not only protecting yourself financially but also improving your chances of securing more work. Being able to provide a valid certificate of insurance can make you a more attractive choice to potential clients.
How Much Cover is Enough?
The right amount of cover will depend on the nature of your work, the type of properties you work on, and the requirements of your clients. At Ashburnham Insurance, we can arrange policies starting from £1 million, with the option to increase to £2 million, £5 million, or even £10 million for larger or more complex contracts. We’ll help you assess your typical jobs and client expectations so you’re not underinsured but also not paying for unnecessary extras.
Fitting Insurance into a Wider Protection Plan
Public Liability insurance is an essential part of your business protection, but it’s worth thinking about the other types of cover that can work alongside it. Many tradespeople choose to add Employers’ Liability insurance if they have staff, even temporarily, as it’s a legal requirement in that situation. Tool insurance can be a wise investment to safeguard your equipment from theft or accidental damage. Professional Indemnity insurance may also be useful if you provide advice, plans or specifications as part of your service.
Together, these policies create a safety net that helps keep your business running smoothly, even when unforeseen events occur.
Why Work With Ashburnham Insurance
We know the realities of handyman and property maintenance work. Jobs vary in scope, environment and complexity, so your insurance needs to be flexible enough to match. Our focus is on making the process simple, from getting a quote to providing proof of cover for clients. We remove the hassle so you can get back to the job at hand.
By working with a panel of insurers, we can find competitive premiums that suit your budget without compromising on the quality of protection. Our experience means we can guide you to the right cover for the work you do, rather than selling you unnecessary add-ons.
Protect Your Work and Your Reputation
For handymen and property maintenance workers, reputation is everything. An incident without the right cover could damage the trust you’ve built with your clients. Public Liability insurance ensures you have the means to put things right if something goes wrong, without putting your business at risk.
With Ashburnham Insurance, arranging protection is quick, straightforward, and tailored to your trade. Contact us today, that way, you can carry on doing the work you do best, knowing that you’re covered every step of the way.