Public Liability Insurance for Handymen

Public liability insurance for handymen is meant to pay claims if your work injures someone or damages property that is not yours, such as a drill going through a water pipe and flooding the flat below. Because handymen cover many small trades, the most important step is telling the insurer every type of job you do, so the policy matches your work. If you employ anyone, employers’ liability is a separate cover that the law requires most employers to hold.

What can go wrong in handyman work?

A handyman might hang doors in the morning, put up shelves at lunchtime and fix a fence in the afternoon. Each job carries its own risks, and most of them happen inside someone’s home:

• drilling into a hidden water pipe or cable while fixing a shelf, mirror or television bracket;
• a shelf, curtain pole or bracket coming away from the wall weeks later and injuring someone or breaking what was on it;
• a leak from a tap, toilet or washing machine you have connected, damaging ceilings and contents below;
• a ladder slipping while clearing gutters, breaking a window or injuring a passer by;
• tools, offcuts or cables left where a child or elderly client can trip over them;
• disturbing hazardous material when drilling or sanding in an older property. HSE says asbestos may be part of any commercial or domestic building built or refurbished before 2000.

Example. A handyman is fitting floating shelves in a first floor flat. The drill catches a water pipe buried in the wall, and before the stopcock is found, water comes through the ceiling of the flat below and soaks a sofa and a rug. The downstairs neighbour makes a claim for the ceiling and their belongings. That claim from a third party is the kind public liability insurance is meant for. Whether the repair to the wall of the client’s own flat is covered depends on the policy wording.

Which covers fit a handyman business?

The covers below are the ones most handymen consider. The right mix depends on whether you work alone, how much kit you carry and whether you take on larger jobs.

Cover	What it is for	When to consider it
Public liability	Injury to third parties or damage to their property caused by your work, subject to the policy wording	For almost any handyman working in clients’ homes, and whenever a client asks for it
Employers’ liability	Claims from employees for injury or disease caused by their work	As soon as you employ someone. GOV.UK says cover must be for at least £5 million from an authorised insurer
Tools and equipment	Theft of or damage to power tools, ladders and hand tools	If replacing your kit would stop you working
Contract works	Damage to work in progress before handover	If you take on larger projects such as small extensions or full room refits
Professional indemnity	Claims that your advice or design was wrong	Rarely needed, unless you design or specify work that a client relies on

Our guide to what public liability insurance is explains the main cover in more detail, and our page on employers’ liability and public liability sets out the difference between the two.

Why does the list of jobs you do make a difference?

Insurers price and word policies around the work you describe. If you say you do general maintenance but also take on electrical or plumbing jobs, a claim from that work could be disputed. Policies may exclude some types of work altogether, or only cover them below a certain size or height. These limits depend on the policy wording, so list everything you do, even if it is occasional.

Some work also brings legal rules. GOV.UK says some electrical work in homes needs building regulations approval, including replacing fuse boxes and connected electrics and changing electrics near a bath or shower. You do not need to get approval yourself if you use someone registered with a competent person scheme, and the person doing non compliant work could be prosecuted and fined. If a job needs a registered or certified tradesperson and you are not one, pass it on.

Do I need employers’ liability insurance if I take on help?

GOV.UK says you must get employers’ liability insurance as soon as you become an employer, from an authorised insurer, with cover of at least £5 million. You can be fined £2,500 for every day you are not properly insured, and £1,000 if you do not display your certificate where employees can access it. The only exemptions GOV.UK lists are employing a close family member or someone based outside England, Scotland and Wales. It also says the rules differ for agency staff, freelancers and contractors, so tell us how anyone who helps you is engaged.

What may clients and letting agents ask for?

• Homeowners may ask to see your public liability certificate before you start, particularly older clients or their families.
• Letting agents and landlords may ask for public liability at a stated limit before adding you to their contractor list.
• Housing associations, schools and offices may ask for public liability, employers’ liability if you have staff, and risk assessments.

On domestic jobs, HSE says that where there is a single contractor, the contractor must take on the legal duties of the client under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, as well as their own.

What drives the price of cover for a handyman?

We do not give typical figures, because the price depends on your business. The main factors are:

• the types of work you do, and the share of each;
• whether you do any electrical, plumbing or roofing work;
• the heights you work at and the access equipment you use;
• your turnover, and wageroll if you have staff;
• whether you use heat, such as blowlamps or soldering;
• the limit of indemnity and the excess;
• your claims history and trading experience.

Work at height is a common question. HSE says working at height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries, with common cases including falls from ladders, and that ladders should only be used for light work of short duration, a maximum of 30 minutes at a time.

What should I have ready when asking for a quote?

1. Your trading name and whether you are a sole trader or a limited company.
2. A full list of the jobs you do, with a rough share of your work for each.
3. Your expected turnover for the next 12 months.
4. Whether anyone works with you and how they are paid.
5. The maximum height you work at.
6. Any work involving heat, electrics, gas appliances or water connections.
7. The limit of indemnity your clients ask for.
8. Details of any past claims or incidents.

Before a contract of insurance is entered into, the law requires the insured to make a fair presentation of the risk to the insurer, which is why the full job list is worth the effort. When you are ready, ask us for a quote or call 01795 841 310, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and we will look for cover. If most of your work is painting, see our page on public liability for painters and decorators, and if it is mainly doors, kitchens and timber, see public liability for carpenters and joiners.

Frequently asked questions

Does public liability cover me for every type of handyman job?

Only the work described on your policy. If a job is outside that description, or is excluded by the wording, a claim may not be paid. List everything you do when you ask for a quote.

Am I covered if a shelf I put up falls down months later?

That depends on the policy wording. Some claims arise after the job is finished, and policies deal with completed work in different ways, so ask us to check how your policy handles it.

Do I need public liability if I work as a sole trader?

Working alone does not reduce the risk of damaging a client’s home. Our page on public liability for sole traders covers the points that apply when you trade on your own.

Can I do small electrical jobs as a handyman?

GOV.UK says some electrical work in homes needs building regulations approval unless done by someone registered with a competent person scheme. Check the rules before taking on the job, and tell your insurer about any electrical work you do.

Does my policy cover damage to the thing I am fixing?

It depends on the wording. Damage to the item you are working on can be treated differently from damage to the rest of the property. Our page on damage to client property explains more.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Employers liability insurance
• HSE: Faq
• GOV.UK: Building regulations approval
• HSE: Domestic clients
• HSE: Introduction
• legislation.gov.uk: 3

Reviewed by Christine Anderson, Broker, Solar Protect. Last reviewed 10 November 2026. Solar Protect is the trading name of Solar Insurance Services (Medway) Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This page is general information, not personal advice.