Public Liability Insurance

Avoid under-insurance and save money on your Public Liability Insurance

There are countless stories of badly set-up Public Liability Insurance policies that are confusing to understand, full of exclusions and way too expensive.

CoverTradie has a simple process that cuts through the insurance industry red-tape to get you hitting the insurance “sweet-spot”. This means you are never under-insured or paying too much for your insurance.

3 Things You Should Focus On When Getting Your Public Liability Insurance.

Coverage

Your exact Occupation must be displayed on your policy.

Exclusions

Sneaky little things that must be avoided. Check those.

Affordability

Low prices and an ability to pay monthly.

Getting insurance with CoverTradie is as easy as…1,2,3

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We do the heavy lifting of finding the right insurance for you

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What does Public Liability Insurance cover?

In simple terms, Public Liability Insurance protects your business against a financial loss if, due to your work activities, you end up damaging someone else’s property or causing an injury to someone. 

Here are some examples to help you understand this.
 
Electricians: You had a contract to rewire a property and the apprentices’ work wasn’t checked properly. An accidental short circuit resulted in a house fire and the homeowner sues you for damages. Your Public Liability Insurance is there to protect you in a scenario like this.
 
Excavation Contractors: As you were digging trenches for a new estate development, you have ended up accidentally damaging the underground services. Now there is a huge bill to pay. Public Liability Insurance comes in handy here.
 
Landscapers & Concreters: Your work during a landscaping job was shonky. The rainwater is now draining towards the house and seeping in through the wall damaging the inside of the property. Your Public Liability Insurance covers the costs to fix the damage to the property.
 
There are tons of other examples. Give us a call to discuss your occupation.

Is faulty workmanship covered under Public Liability Insurance?

No. Insurance policies do not cover faulty workmanship. A quality job is entirely within your control. The fixing of defects is not covered as a result. So, in the above example, if you have to re-do the concrete to ensure the water drains away from the home, that is a cost you have to bear.

Who needs Public Liability Insurance?

Let’s answer this question from a business owner’s perspective. If you are running a business, whether it’s on an ABN or it’s a company, you should have Public Liability Insurance.

How much Public Liability Insurance do I need?

It really depends on the complexity of your work and the type of jobs you are doing. Say you are a handyman and the complexity of your jobs is limited to fixing doors and minor domestic work. In this case, a cover of $5million is enough. Compare that to a large electrician’s business working on putting together wiring plans for railway signaling. This risk is significantly higher. A $50million cover may be required. Give us a call to discuss.

How much does Public Liability Insurance cost?

It depends on a range of factors including the type of work you do, your occupation and your turnover. Many things go into the calculation of these prices. Premiums start from as low as $30 per month for tiny one-person businesses.

Where do you purchase Public Liability Insurance from?

We provide a full service to cover your business, assets, vehicles and personal injury insurance needs. Our established relationships with all the large insurers like Suncorp, IAG, Allianz, QBE and Zurich along with a host of Lloyds underwriting agencies will save you a lot of hassles. We’d be delighted to look after you.

Does Public Liability Insurance cover personal injury?

If your business activities result in personal injury to a person other than you and your staff, your Public Liability Insurance responds to a claim. Different excesses apply depending on who is injured.  
You and your staff are not covered by Public Liability Insurance. You need Workers Compensation Insurance to protect yourself and your staff against personal injury. You may also need Personal Injury Insurance or Life Insurance to ensure that you are fully covered.

Does Public Liability Insurance cover theft?

Yes & No. Theft of your contents is not covered by Public Liability Insurance. You need to organise Theft Insurance for your stock and contents. It is one of the insurances CoverTradie organises regularly for clients. 
However, if you had in your possession goods that belonged to someone else that got stolen, you may be able to make a claim against your Public Liability Insurance policy.

Does Public Liability Insurance cover property damage?

Yes & No. Property damage to your contents and stock is not covered by Public Liability Insurance. However, damage to property belonging to others is covered if that is due to the activities of your business. A telecommunication installer client of ours was up on a mobile tower doing what he does, but then drops a spanner accidentally which lands on a ute that belonged to another contractor who was on site. In this case, the damage to someone else’s property is covered under the public liability insurance.

Public Liability Insurance versus Professional Indemnity Insurance: What’s the difference?

There is a huge difference between the two. Professional indemnity insurance protects you and your business against claims for alleged negligence or breach of duty arising from an act, error or omission in the performance of professional services. 
Let’s say you are an electrical contractor who has the task of designing electrical services for a new building. You are not building the electrical services, just designing. The nature of your work is providing “professional advice”.  If your client suffered a loss because of your poor advice, your professional indemnity insurance responds to claims made against you or your business.
 
Compare that to what we have covered above about Public Liability Insurance. There is quite a difference. Give us a call to discuss if you have any questions.

Public Liability Insurance vs Business Insurance: What’s the difference?

Business Insurance is a general term. Depending on the situation, it may refer to different types of policies or even a group of policies. Many people would call their Public Liability Insurance their Business Insurance. In a way that is right. 
There are situations where Business Property Insurance (the one that protects your stock, contents and buildings etc. from fire and other perils) is called as Business Insurance.
 
If that’s not confusing enough, there is Business Pack Insurance. That’s an overarching term which may include other insurances like Theft, Tax Probe and others all bundled up in one, you guessed it, “Pack”.
 
Don’t get confused, it’s just one of those insurance industry things. If you need help, give us a call. We’re happy to provide obligation-free assistance.

Public Liability Insurance and Income Protection: What about these?

People ask if their Public Liability Insurance will also provide income protection should they be injured. The simple answer is No. Public Liability Insurance is designed to protect you from financial loss from claims made against you for property damage or injury to others. It’s not for insuring income. Income Protection Insurance is a separate class of insurance primarily dealt with through Life Insurance. There is a lightweight version of this insurance available in the General Insurance sector.  It’s called Personal Accident & Sickness Insurance.

How can I get my Public Liability Insurance Certificate of Currency?

All policies provided by CoverTradie automatically come with a Certificate of Currency. If you need another copy, give us a buzz.

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