Contractor All Risk Insurance
Specialist contractor all risk cover for tradespeople.
- Public Liability for tradesman
- Contractors All Risk Cover
- Join over 150,000 customers**
From £3.37* a month
What is covered under contractors all risk insurance?
Our contractors all risk insurance is an optional extra, as part of our tradesman policy. Essential liability cover is included as standard, ensuring you operate securely and avoid financial losses.
Our policies are flexible to your needs. You can customise Contractors All Risk insurance to meet your specific requirements. Choose the level you need for contractors works, plant and tools you own and hire. If you select one or all of these extras, employee tools and personal effects will be included, up to £500.
Make sure you have the correct insurance for your trade and be sure to check if any exclusions are relevant to what you have planned in policy documentation.
Public Liability
Employers' Liability
Contractors Works
Plant & Tools
Financial Loss
Public Liability
- Up to £5 million available.
- Protection from claims by a third-party (EG member of the public) who sustains injuries or has an item of their property damaged as a result of your actions.
Employers’ Liability
- Up to £10 million available.
- If any employee suffered physical injury or a fatality because of the employer’s negligence. If that staff member sought compensation, the insurer would handle the cost of the claim.
- If you employ any staff members, Employers’ Liability is a legal requirement.
Contractors Works
- Up to £250,000 worth of cover
- This cover can protect you against loss or damage to any permanent or temporary works you’re responsible for, including all the materials.
Plant & tools hired
- Up to £50,000 worth of cover.
- Covers you for loss of or damage to, hired tools and equipment, temporary buildings, caravans, or similar that you have hired in connection with any contract works being undertaken by you.
- Cover also includes your legal liability for hiring charges following damage to any hired property.
Plant & tools owned
- Up to £75,000 worth of cover.
- Covers your tools and equipment, temporary buildings, caravans, or similar on-site that are owned by you and used in connection with any contract works being undertaken by you.
- Covers your tools and equipment off-site if locked in an unattended vehicle. This is only available as an extension of plant & tools owned cover and covers your own portable tools, including power driven portable tools and business equipment, when kept in a locked vehicle and left unattended.
Employees tools & personal effects
- This covers tools and personal items owned by your employees while on any site, or those you’re responsible for under a joint working agreement.
- It’s not available as a standalone cover but comes with either Contract Works or Owned or Hired Plant & Tools cover, with protection up to £500.
Financial Loss
- Up to £50,000 per claim available.
- Protection from claims from other parties relating to financial losses not directly consequent upon bodily injury or damage.
- Cover for bona fide subcontractors, who should have their own insurance.
- Claims for financial losses relating to non or late delivery of products to third parties.
- Claims for damage directly or indirectly resulting from works on timber framed buildings.
For information on exclusions in your cover please refer to policy documentation.
What is contractor all risk insurance?
Contractor’s All Risk insurance provides comprehensive cover for a wide range of risks involved in construction projects. It typically provides cover for physical loss or damage to the construction works, ensuring that building materials, on-site structures, and partially completed work are protected against unexpected events like fire, theft, or weather damage.
Contractors all risks insurance also covers both owned and hired plant and tools, safeguarding valuable construction equipment against loss or damage. Additionally, it includes public liability cover, protecting contractors from claims arising from third-party injuries or property damage during construction activities. This type of insurance helps mitigate financial risks for contractors, subcontractors, and other stakeholders, ensuring that projects can continue smoothly in the face of unforeseen challenges.
Here are a few scenarios to help explain why you need contractor all risk insurance:
Protection from claims if a client suffers an injury.
Accidents on construction sites are risks that you should be prepared for. Third party injuries to clients, subcontractors or bystanders are possible and could result in a claim against you.
Having public liability insurance protects you as a tradesperson from costly claims because of these incidents.
Accidental damage caused to plant and tools you own or hire.
As a self-employed construction worker you have access to specialist tools and plant equipment, to aid you in providing the work you are undertaking. These tools could be frequently subject to damage and loss.
Without Plant and Tools insurance, you’d have to cover the cost of replacing these expensive tools, which could impact your earnings. However, with the insurance in place, the cost of repairing or replacing your tools would be covered, allowing you to continue your work without financial worry.
Protection from loss or damage to permanent or temporary works.
As a self-employed builder working on a home extension, imagine a storm damaging partially built walls and expensive materials stored on-site. You could be faced with significant losses from the cost of replacing materials and repairing the damage, setting the project back.
With Contractors Works insurance, this cover could handle these unexpected costs, protecting you financially and keeping the project on track.
Our experts explain why...
“Our Contractors All Risk insurance is an essential add-on for our trades policies, designed to provide comprehensive protection for construction projects and the various parties involved. We understand that construction work comes with complex risks – from potential damage to works in progress and materials on site, to the tools and equipment essential for completing the job. That’s why our coverage can go beyond standard liability insurance to protect your contract works, plant, machinery, and temporary structures.
With options to include hired-in equipment and employees’ tools, our policy can be tailored to match your project requirements. This means you can focus on delivering quality work, knowing that your business, materials, and equipment are protected against unexpected events that could otherwise cause significant financial impact.”
Chris Trotman, Protectivity Underwriting Manager
How much does all risk insurance cost?
At Protectivity, Contractors All Risk Insurance starts from just £8.37* a month.
Contractor all risks cover can be added to one of our tradesperson policies. Select your activity then add Tools and Plant cover and Contractors works cover. The cost of contractor all risks cover can vary widely depending on several factors, including the size and scope of the construction project, the location of the project, the type of coverage needed, the insurer, and the risk factors associated with the project.
For example, if you employ staff then your policy will need additional cover in Employers’ Liability, at a higher cost.
Prices from
£8.37* a month
Explainer Quote
Policy cost
£8.37* a month
Policy type
Tradesperson
Duration
Annual
Turnover
Up to £250,000
Public Liability
Up to £1,000,000
Contractors Works
Up to £50,000
This example is based on a real quote from our website on 06/03/2025. If your circumstances and cover needs differ, your quote may be more or less expensive than the above example. The quote you receive will reflect the information you share about your event. The quoted price may vary from those displayed here.
Have a question?
For further information on your policy, renewals, making a claim and contacting us, you’ll find an extensive list of FAQs on our Help & Support page.
Why choose Protectivity for your contractor all risk insurance policy?
Let the reviews of over 3,500 customers explain why you should choose us.¹
Trusted by over 150,000 customers.
Experienced insurance providers for over 30 years.
Over 3,500 highly rated reviews.
Proof of our excellent customer service.
Experienced Claims Handling
A smooth and efficient claims process.
UK Based Customer Support
Our UK sales team are here to help.
Frequently
Asked Questions
How does working in high-risk areas (like flood zones) affect my coverage?
Working in high-risk environments such as flood-prone areas, near tidal waters, or tunnels may be excluded unless specifically agreed by the insurer. For example, jobs over £25,000 near tidal waters or in non–cut-and-cover tunnels require prior approval. Always disclose high-risk locations to ensure your policy remains valid and responsive.
Is testing and commissioning covered under Contractors All Risk insurance?
Generally no — the policy does not automatically cover damage arising during testing or commissioning unless it’s non-destructive and minor.
Do I need different cover for renovation projects versus new builds?
Not necessarily. Both renovation and new build work can be covered under Contract Works within your Contractors All Risk policy. However, work on existing structures (like refurbishments or conversions) is excluded.
Does my Contractors All Risk policy cover materials stored off-site?
Only in limited circumstances. The policy excludes cover for stock or materials stored off-site unless they’re in transit.
What constitutes a high-risk project?
Here are some examples of higher risk projects, but not a limited list.
- Basement works
- Timber construction
- Demolition works
- Work in flood-exposed areas
- External work on high-rise buildings
- Piling and ground stabilisation
- Underpinning work
- Tunnelling and quarrying
- Road construction and bridgework
Do I need both public liability and contractors all risk insurance?
It is not a requirement to have both Public Liability and Contractors All Risk cover, but it is strongly recommended to ensure you have the specialist cover you need when working as a tradesperson
Does contractors all risk insurance cover existing structures when doing extensions?
No, if you select Contract Works you will cover for the extension structure but not the existing structure.
Can I get a temporary contractor all risk cover for a single project?
No, this policy is an annual policy allowing you to work on multiple projects.
What happens if my project overruns its scheduled completion date?
We will cover you to work on the project for up to 2 years (24 months).
Are my employees’ personal tools and equipment covered under the policy?
If you select Owned Plant and Tools or Hired Plant cover you can opt to add cover for Employees tool and personal affects, with cover up to £500.
What happens if a subcontractor damages my work or materials?
If a subcontractor causes damage, they will be liable, and any claims should be raised with their insurance.
Can I get Contractors All Risk insurance for an overseas project?
This cover is meant for work in the United Kingdom, however it will allow cover abroad temporarily, for manual work in the EU and non-manual work anywhere in the world, in conjunction with your Business only.
Are there any typical exclusions in Contractors All Risk insurance?
For information on exclusions please refer to policy documentation.
What factors affect the cost of Contractors All Risk insurance?
The cost of contractor all risks cover can vary widely depending on several factors, including the size and scope of the construction project, the location of the project, the type of coverage needed, the insurer, and the risk factors associated with the project. For example, if you employ staff then your policy will need additional cover in Employers’ Liability, at a higher cost.
Does Contractors All Risk insurance cover subcontractors?
This depends on your agreement with your subcontractors. Bona-fide subcontractors will have to have their own insurance cover and cannot be included on your insurance policy and in the numbers requested herein, you will be obligated to retain proof of their insurance. Labour-only subcontractors can be included on your policy of insurance, for work they provide under contract with yourself and your business only and should be included in the total numbers you provide in this application of insurance.
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This page content has been created for general information and should not be taken as advice.
*Prices quoted refer to a quote raised from our website 06/03/2025. Prices will differ depending on requirements. Make sure you have the correct level of cover for what you need. For the most accurate pricing, please get a quote and for full details on what is covered refer to our policy documentation with your quote.
** Based on Protectivity sales data from 2007 to Sep 2024
¹Based on live Feefo data