What insurance is best for handymen?

Handymen do a variety of work which means they open themselves up to many different risks. Make sure you have the right insurance in place in order to reduce the potential financial losses that can happen in the case of a claim against you. The many different tasks performed can lead to many different risks, even if you are very careful. Here we will help you figure out what insurance is best and how you can protect your business from claims and what happens in the case of one.

As a handyman you will be performing work at heights, handling electrics, plumbing, working with dangerous chemicals or equipment. It’s important to be covered correctly in order to make sure that you don’t lose your business due to a small error.

Handyman Public Liability Insurance

Due to the high risk nature of the job, it’s vital to have Public Liability Insurance in place. Public Liability Insurance for handymen will protect you from the costs associated with a claim against you should you injure a third party or damage third party property whilst on the job. If you accidently dropped a hammer on a clients car, you would be liable to pay for the damage to the car associated with this. Public Liability will cover this cost and protect your back pocket. And should that hammer fall onto your client and break their foot – their medical bills and in some cases loss of income will also be covered.

Other areas which can also be covered include:

• Using a ladder – You might just be hanging a painting for a client but should they trip over your ladder or the painting fall down after you leave and smash to pieces, you could be liable to pay for their medical bills or a new painting respectively.
• Painting – Paint is made to stick. If you spill paint on your clients carpet or flooring it can mean damage to your reputation and also to your back pocket if you don’t have Public Liability in place.
• High pressure cleaning –This is meant to get rid of long lasting dirt and grime, however it can also swiftly chop rose bushes in half! Be careful with that hose to avoid inadvertent damage.
• Building – Carrying wooden planks about, hammering things in, and installing electrical items is all part of the job, but if you swing that plank around and knock someone out, or hammer into the wrong thing – you can be held liable for all damages.

So what can you do?

In some states such as NSW it is necessary to obtain Public Liability before even entering a site. Others will leave it up to you to decide. However you will need to ask yourself if you can pay the potential millions of dollars in compensation should you injure a third party severely? It’s vital to protect your business from these risks as best you can. Do not risk underinsurance.

Contact All Trades Cover for a quote about your Handyman Insurance, or if you have any queries regarding your specialities as a handyman, call us and we will be more than happy to discuss options with you. Visit us at www.alltradescover.com.au, or you can also fill out our easy online form for a quick insurance quote. All information provided above is of a general nature, if you need specific advice we recommend speaking to a broker.

AllTradescover is Australia's fastest growing trade insurance provider offering low cost tradesman liability insurance and public liability insurance packages. Request a quote today.