Handyman insurance

Insurance for handymen (and women)

Leave a minor fix now, you’ll have a major one later. You’re always telling your clients that. So why not take your own advice?

Because your line of work comes with built-in risks. If a client trips over one of your tools and gets hurt, or an unhappy client claims your work was faulty, you could find yourself on the sharp end of a lawsuit. And that’s going to cost you. Ouch.

Luckily, there's an easy way to make sure your business is protected: handyman insurance. If you find yourself in a fix, it can pay your legal costs and compensation if its due.

Why leave it till later? Put your own house in order now. Then you can get on with looking after everyone else's.

• What does handyman general liability insurance cover?

  Bodily injury – a client trips over your power cable while you're working at their house, breaking their arm. Your coverage can pay their medical expenses.

  Property damage – you're replacing internal doors at your customer's home and drop one, smashing a collection of antique figurines. Your coverage can pay for repairs or replacement.

  Personal injury – you're overheard making some snide remark about a difficult customer. They sue you for slander. Your coverage can pay for an attorney to defend you and compensation - if you're found liable.

• What does handyman professional liability (E&O) insurance cover?

  General liability insurance doesn’t cover claims made over the work you’ve done or the services you provide. That’s what professional liability (or errors and omissions) insurance is for.

  If a client claims you made a mistake, or your work was faulty, and it cost them money it can pay your legal fees and compensation. Even if there are no grounds for the claim.

  And because customers can sue you whether you made a mistake or not, that makes professional liability insurance a pretty handy tool.

• How much does handyman insurance cost?

  Our policies are designed with small business and start-ups in mind. So there’ll be a price to suit your pocket even if you’re a one-man band.

  The price you’ll pay for your coverage will depend on things like:

  • the size of your business
  • its location
  • the limits you choose.

  Choosing a higher deductible (the amount you’ll contribute towards the cost if there’s a claim) will reduce your premium. Just be sure you could actually afford to pay that amount if you have to.

  Whatever the cost, there’s a package to suit your particular business needs. And payment options, too. Pay annually, or spread the cost and with quarterly payments – the choice is yours.

  As for the amount of cover you need, it’s always best to over-estimate. Think worst-case scenario. Then pick a figure you can sensibly afford.

What other kinds of insurance do handymen need?