There are several types of business insurance you should consider if you are a builder or carpenter. These include:
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance is a very important type of insurance for all carpenters and builders and is compulsory for all tradies and handymen on most building sites in Australia. It also offers protection if you undertake work directly for the public, or work as a contractor for a larger building firm.
It can cover you against claims you or your work caused injury to a member of the public or damaged their property. This insurance is available for amounts between $5 million and $20 million, depending on your personal requirements or the level of cover required by the site you are working on.
What it covers:
- Third-party personal injury claims
- Damage to a third party’s property due to your negligent business activity
- Legal fees to defend yourself
General business insurance
General business insurance may also be worthwhile to protect your tools and portable equipment (such as generators, for example). Business equipment insurance, which includes protection for your portable assets, is typically offered as part of a business insurance package, offering a variety of types of cover bundled into one policy. For example, you can get public liability and business theft insurance in one insurance bundle.
Commercial vehicles aren’t included in a business insurance package, however, so you may need separate commercial vehicle protection for your work ute.
What it covers:
- Fire, storms, water damage, explosions, impacts
- Vandalism and malicious damage
- Accidental damage
- Theft following forcible entry to locked buildings or vehicles
- Theft of equipment which is securely attached to a vehicle with a lock or padlock
- A collision which causes damage to your business equipment
- Cover for your tools including electronic equipment and other portable equipment such as generators, battery chargers and laptops
Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity insurance is another form of cover you may wish to consider as a builder or carpenter, depending on the type of work you undertake and your business structure. It can cover you against claims that the advice, recommendations or service you provided were either wrong or negligent. This type of insurance can offer you protection against many types of claims, including:
- giving incorrect advice
- a miscalculation or incorrect diagnosis of a problem
- an omission or breach of duty
- loss of documentation
- engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct
- not meeting your client’s expectations (such as failing to meet a deadline)
Cover starts at $250,000 and can go up to $10 million or more.
What it covers
- Cover for your legal defence costs
- Payment of compensation if there’s a successful claim against you
- Payment of court-awarded damages to the litigant
- Cover for the cost of investigations or disciplinary proceedings
Personal accident and illness insurance
Since you rely on your physical fitness to be able to do your job, taking care of your health should be a high priority for all people who earn a living working with their hands. Accident and sickness insurance can provide cover for you if you become sick and are unable to work, with a weekly replacement income available if you can’t work as a result of an accident or injury.
What it covers:
- Loss of income as a result of sickness, injury or accident
Optional extras can include:
- Death benefits
- Disablement benefits
Payment of business expenses during your recovery period