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Business Insurance For Painters

Compare business insurance quotes for your painting business with Savvy today.

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, updated on August 1st, 2023       

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Business Insurance for Painters
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We’ve partnered with BizCover to bring you a range of business insurance policies to help you compare them side by side.

As a painter or decorator, you know there’s far more involved than just slapping on a coat of paint. The preparation of an area to paint can take far longer than the painting itself. Having the right business insurance is just as important as having the right gear to get a painting job done quickly and efficiently. 

You can compare quotes for many types of business insurance here with Savvy. Just answer a few simple questions about your painting business and the insurance you need, and within minutes you’ll have multiple quotes from a range of respected insurers to compare. Use our quick and easy comparison service to consider different offers in one place for your painting business today. 

What types of insurance should I buy for my painting business?

There are several types of business insurance you should consider if you are a painter. These include:  

Public liability insurance 

Public liability insurance is the most important type of insurance for all painters, painting contractors and decorators. It is also compulsory for all tradies and handymen on most building sites in Australia. 

Public liability can cover you against claims that 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 and the size of the painting jobs you’re undertaking.  

What it covers:  

  1. Third-party personal injury claims 
  2. Damage to a third party’s property due to your negligent business activity 
  3. 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 and drying fans, for example). Business assets insurance includes protection for your portable equipment and is typically offered as part of a business insurance package. Such insurance packages can offer a variety of types of cover bundled together into one simple 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: 

  1. Fire, storms, water damage, explosions, impacts 
  2. Vandalism and malicious damage 
  3. Accidental damage 
  4. Theft following forcible entry to locked buildings or vehicles 
  5. Theft of equipment which is securely attached to a vehicle with a lock or padlock 
  6. A collision which causes damage to your business equipment 
  7. 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 painter or decorator, 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 liability insurance can offer you protection against many types of claims, including: 

  1. giving incorrect advice (for example, the type of paint to use in a particular location) 
  2. a miscalculation or incorrect diagnosis of a problem (for example, how to treat a recurring mould issue or an area affected by rust) 
  3. an omission or breach of duty (such as not ensuring sufficient ventilation causing paint fumes to trigger an asthma attack in a vulnerable person) 
  4. engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct 
  5. 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 depending on your individual needs. 

What it covers: 

  1. Cover for your legal defence costs 
  2. Payment of compensation if there’s a successful claim against you 
  3. Payment of court-awarded damages to the litigant 
  4. 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: 

  1. Loss of income as a result of sickness, injury or accident 

 Optional extras can include: 

  1. Death benefits 
  2. Disablement benefits 
  3. Payment of business expenses during your recovery period 

What isn’t covered under my general business insurance?  

The most common general exclusions include: 

  1. Injury to yourself or your employees 
  2. Damage to your own property (unless you have specific business assets insurance as part of your package) 
  3. Flood damage 
  4. Glass breakage 
  5. Use of spray guns 
  6. Working at prohibited heights 
  7. Unlawful activity or criminal negligence 
  8. Reckless behaviour or intentional damage 
  9. Anything to do with asbestos 
  10. The effects of pollution caused by your business activity

How much will insurance cost for my painting business? 

There is no set cost for an insurance policy, as each applicant is different and faces unique risks. Many factors influence the cost of business insurance, including the following: 

  • The state you’re in  
  • Whether you live in a rural or urban area 
  • Whether you’re a sole trader, are in a partnership or run a larger business 
  • Your business size and turnover  
  • If you have any employees 
  • Your insurance history 
  • Whether you’ve made an insurance claim in the past five years 

The main factor which will affect the cost of your insurance is the industry you’re in. All businesses in Australia are classified according to the risk their industry poses and are allocated a risk ratio. These ratios are used by insurers to calculate the comparative risk of any one business compared to another. Therefore, the cost of business insurance for one painter whose business is based in Sydney may be similar to the costs faced by another in Victoria.

You can find out how much business insurance will cost by comparing quotes right here with Savvy. Whether you need insurance for yourself as a painter or for your painting contracting business, you’ll be able to compare a wide range of policy options right here. 

Why do I need business insurance as a painter?

You likely worked hard as an apprentice and, in the years following, built up your skills and experience as a qualified painter. You may have started your own business, and spent years building up a good reputation and a loyal customer base. Therefore, it’s natural to want to protect your business and your reputation if things go wrong. Public liability insurance is there to offer you protection and the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re insured if a covered event does happen. 

Most small to medium-sized businesses have some contingency funds to fall back on, but they’re rarely sufficient to cover the cost of a major catastrophe. For example, if your work ute was stolen with all your painting tools in it, you could find yourself unable to earn an income until you had the money to replace them. If this happens and is covered by the necessary insurance policy, you’ll have a much better chance of recovering and getting back on your feet quickly. 

Types of business insurance

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Frequently asked questions about business insurance for painters

Is there a height limit on insurance for painters?

Many general business insurance policies do have a height limit for commercial painters (often 10 to 15 metres) so it’s important to check the wording of your insurance policy to make sure you will be covered for the work that you are undertaking.  

Will I be covered for overspray risks?

Probably not – the use of spray guns is a typical exclusion from a general business insurance policy, so check the wording of your policy carefully. If you do use a spray gun and there are risks of overspray, you may need specialist insurance that covers this particular area.

Do I need insurance if I’m subcontracting to another painting business?

The insurance held by the business you’re subcontracting to may be sufficient to cover the work you’re undertaking, but this will depend on the current policy in place and the nature of the work you’re doing. As such, you should always check to make sure exactly what you are and aren’t covered for.  

What information will I need to make a claim?

The information you should have to hand when you contact your insurance company to make a claim will include: 

  • The name of the policyholder 
  • Your policy number and start date (which can be found on your Certificate of Currency) 
  • A detailed description of the incident (what happened to cause the damage or loss) 
  • Specific dates and times when the incident happened 
  • Contact details of any other parties involved (or witnesses to the event) 
  • Details of your police report number (if a crime took place) 
  • Details of the property lost or damaged (including its age and value) 
  • Your bank details for settling the claim 

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Disclaimer:

Savvy is partnered with BizCover Pty Ltd (ABN 68 127 707 975, AFSL 501769) to provide readers with a variety of business insurance policies to compare. Savvy earns a commission from BizCover each time a customer buys a business insurance policy via our website. We don’t arrange for products to be purchased from these brands directly, as all purchases are conducted via BizCover.

Savvy does not compare all business insurance policies or providers currently operating in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and doesn’t consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy.

For any further information on the variety of insurers compared by BizCover or how their business works, you can read their Financial Services Guide.

Business Insurance for Painters

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