Painter and decorator insurance

Do painters and decorators need insurance?

Like with any trade, painting and decorating can be quite a physically demanding job. It requires a good level of fitness and comes with its fair share of hazardous situations – like working at heights.

On top of that, you’ll be working in people’s homes and businesses.

If you spill paint on a client’s carpet, for example, you’ll be responsible for any costs. That’s why you need to have painter and decorator insurance.

Having the correct level of painter and decorator insurance will guarantee that you’re covered against any claims or accidents.

Whether that’s paint drips and spills, workplace accidents, or loss or damage to your equipment. Painting and decorators’ insurance will provide you with the coverage you need for unforeseen mishaps.

What insurance do painters and decorators need?

When it comes to insurance for painter and decorator businesses, you’ve a few options to pick from.

Naturally, the best insurance policy for your needs will depend on the level of protection you require.

For painting and decorating insurance, the main types you’ll want to consider are:

• Decorators’ public liability insurance
• Employers’ liability insurance
• Tools and equipment cover
• Personal accident insurance
• Professional indemnity insurance

You should research all of these options thoroughly to decide which ones apply to you.

Once you’re finished, speak to your insurance provider and they’ll create a bespoke painter and decorators’ insurance policy for you.

Getting help creating a bespoke painter and decorators’ insurance policy is always a good idea.

It enables you to pay only for the insurance you require, instead of extra coverage that you likely won’t need.

What does painter and decorator insurance cover?

Painting and decorating insurance can cover a variety of scenarios and potential accidents.

However, you need to remember that your painter and decorator insurance policy will dictate what coverage you have against these.

With that in mind, some common scenarios a painter and decorator may want to protect against might include:

• If you accidentally get paint on a customer’s soft furnishings. Your public liability insurance for painters and decorators will cover the costs of cleaning or replacement.
• If your work vehicle, tools, or materials are stolen. Motor insurance or tools and equipment insurance will be needed to cover your losses.
• If you’re working in a public place and a member of the public trips over your equipment and injures themselves. Adequate public liability insurance will help protect you against legal action.
• If a client or customer accuses your work of not being up to health and safety standards. Having professional indemnity insurance will protect you against any related payments.
• If you have employees and one of them injures themselves while on the job. Employers’ liability insurance can alleviate the financial burden of such an accident and is a legal requirement for all employers.
• If you personally were injured while at work. Picking up some personal accident insurance would help to replace lost income while you recover. Remember, you can get a special clause added this is to protect you against falls from heights.

There’s a lot more detail to be discussed when it comes to insurance for painter and decorator businesses. You can read much about it in our blog on finding the right tradesperson insurance.

How much does painting and decorating insurance cost?

There is no ‘one size fits all’ for painter and decorators’ insurance costs. As a result, the cost of your policy will be influenced by a range of factors.

These can include:

• The insurance policy’s cover level
• The type of work you carry out (domestic, commercial, public, etc…)
• Your workload and turnover
• Whether you employ a team of painters and decorators or work on your own
• Where you work (people’s homes, public buildings, public spaces, etc…)
• Any prior insurance claims you may have made
• Working at height or in other potentially hazardous working environments

With this in mind, we recommend looking at different quotes to find the best deal for your budget.

To find out how much that might be, why not read our article on how much painter-decorators earn?

Is it mandatory to have painter and decorator insurance?

Despite its obvious necessity, having painter and decorator insurance isn’t a legal requirement unless you have employees.

As we’ve already mentioned, if you do have employees, you’re legally obliged to have employers’ liability insurance.

If you really wanted to, you could pursue a painter-decorator career without any cover. However, painting and decorating often involves a variety of accidents and accidental damage you likely won’t see coming.

Therefore, it is always a good idea to have the required level of coverage your business needs.

That way, whatever type of work you do, you can rest easy knowing you and your business are protected.

And having a comprehensive insurance policy isn’t just about protecting your assets.

Clear insurance cover highlights to your customers that they’re working with a competent and conscientious company. This in turn will help you to win more jobs and boost your business reputation in the future.

Save money on your painter and decorator insurance with Checkatrade

With that out of the way, you should now know what sort of insurance to look at for your painter-decorator business.

But did you know that Checkatrade members also get access to a wealth of benefits and savings – including insurance discounts?

in fact, as a member, you’ll get 20% off public liability insurance. Just log into our Member’s Area to check the latest deals.

You could also add optional extras such as employers’ liability insurance, material cover, and contractual cover.

Painter-decorator insurance FAQs

What insurance does a self-employed painter need?

No matter if you run a solo painting business, or have employees, a self-employed painter needs insurance.

Personal cover is essential for a self-employed painter in case they injure themselves, but you should consider all insurance available.

How do I start a painting and decorating business?

Starting a painting and decorating business is no easy task. There’s a lot to consider besides insurance coverage, such as marketing and growth.

But if the idea of starting your own business appeals to you, you should read our article on this topic. We go into plenty of detail on how to start your own painting and decorating business from scratch.