Frequently asked questions

No. Bona Fide sub-contractors are paid by the main contractor, but work under their own direction, provide their materials and tools, and usually have their own public liability insurance in place.

Unfortunately you can not make changes online. If you need to make any changes to your policy please contact us on 0333 015 6629.

Any cancellation will also need to be handled offline. Please note that all policies are contracts and there may be stipulations that could affect any refund amount due. Such examples include:

• Any claims made within the period of insurance (excluding claims made in previous years unless made under Professional Indemnity or claims that have been settled as non fault or where the claim has been settled with no payment being made).
• The Insurers terms and conditions stated within the Policy Wording states that any cancellation in cover are non refundable.
• Some Insurers may place a condition that if a refund is below a set amount, there will be no refund due to processing fees.

Should you wish to discuss this in more detail or to check if any of the above applies to your policy, please contact us and one of our Team will advise you accordingly.

Yes. All new policies sold online and renewals can be paid for by Debit and Credit Card. Some policies have an option to pay by finance which is offered via Close Brothers Premium Finance. 

Whilst not offered online, some Insurers may also offer a direct debit. Please contact us if you wish to learn of different methods of payment and whether Direct Debit is offered.

Yes. You can manage your policy renewal online. We will inform you by email within 28 days before your renewal date and upload all your renewal documentation onto the portal for you to review.

If you have not heard from us prior to the renewal, please check your documentation carefully in case there has been a change to your circumstances to prevent accidental underinsurance or a gap in cover.  

You can also make payment online for your renewal by card and where applicable by Premium Finance or Direct Debit. If you had paid your previous years policy by Direct Debit, please contact us as it is not uncommon for renewals on Direct Debits to renew automatically.

Please don't assume your policy has been renewed until you have received confirmation in from us. 

If you are concerned about your policy, please call us prior to the date of renewal and one of our Team will be happy assist you.

While we cannot provide coverage for your vehicle under this policy, we are pleased to advise that we can offer you cover through an alternative motor insurance policy. If you require coverage for your vehicle, please reach out to us directly at 0333 015 6629.

That depends on whether you use 'labour-only' or what's known as 'Bona Fide' sub-contractors. Labour only subcontractors work under your direction and typically use tools and materials you provide ‒ and are paid by you or through an employment agency. Bona Fide subcontractors, on the other hand, are paid by the main contractor but work under their own direction and provide their materials and tools. You'll need employers liability insurance if you use labour-only sub-contractors – but Bona Fide sub-contractors are not treated as employees for insurance purposes.

Yes, employers liability insurance requirement extends to businesses using temporary or casual workers that are employed on a short-term contract and ad-hoc basis – whether they are clerical or manual workers.

There are some exceptions, but if your business has at least one employee, then the likelihood is you’ll need employers liability insurance. Remember too that temporary workers, "labour-only" sub-contractors, volunteers and people doing work experience all count as employees for the purposes of insurance. The Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 made employers liability insurance cover of at least £5 million compulsory for any individual or company with employees.

The exceptions include: unincorporated family businesses, however if the family business is incorporated as a limited company, it will need to be covered by employers liability insurance.

If a business has volunteers or family members helping out without formal employment, they may not be covered under the employers' liability insurance, but it could be wise to consider coverage for them as well.

You are also exempt if you are the director of a limited company and the sole employee, and own 50% or more of the issued share capital.

Professional indemnity insurance is a requirement for NICEIC Scheme(s) where the scope of work undertaken includes periodic inspection and testing. This will cover the cost of legal fees and compensation if a client alleges a failure in your professional advice. The good news is that professional indemnity cover is included as standard in most of our contractors insurance solutions, designed to provide comprehensive, flexible cover at an affordable price.

Public safety and the positive reputation of contractors and tradespeople are an important part of NICEIC registration. If you are a registered contractor, you need a minimum of £2 million cover to meet registration obligations. This amount is included in our electrical contractors insurance cover as standard. However, we recommend you check any contracts you undertake and seek specialist insurance advice if more cover is needed. There's no requirement to have public liability insurance in place from a legal perspective, but it's certainly an essential insurance to consider as a responsible contractor. Also, you could be left out of pocket if a claim is made against you and you don't have adequate cover.

This will usually be decided by the main contractor, who will set out in contracts governing your work whether you need to take out public liability insurance and at what level. The main contractor will take out public liability insurance to cover the entire project in some cases. Still, it can be a mistake to assume that this cover will defend against all the public liability risks you face as a subcontractor. The good news is that most contractors business insurance policies available from NICEIC Insurance include public liability cover as standard to give you the extra peace of mind that comes from knowing you are adequately protected.

To access your documents, simply log into your Account, click on "Your Policies" and then select the "View" button  on the policy. From here you can download the document if needed.

Please note that under your account, there is a button titled "Documents". This button is for uploading documents and not for accessing your policy documents.

Log-in to the portal

The portal enables us to be more environmentally friendly as we reduce the amount of printed policies and adopt a digital approach. 

The knowledge that experienced claims professionals will support you is just as important as the policy cover.

Our dedicated in-house claims team will be by your side, fighting your corner from start to finish. We promise to be there when it matters most.

Make a claim

Alternatively you can call us on  0333 015 6629, and speak to our team of experts who will be on hand to provide the best solution and guide you through the next steps.

You can get a quote online and secure your cover in minutes or, if you would rather talk to someone for help and guidance, you can also get a quote by telephone. On average, this will take around 10 minutes over the phone, depending on the complexity of your requirements.

Whether arranging insurance online or over the phone, you can be covered straight away, subject to a 10% deposit. The remaining payment can be set up within seven days. Just be sure to let us know you want the cover to start immediately, or specify a date that suits you if you don't want cover straight away.

How much insurance cover you need to protect your business and your livelihood depends on the nature of your business, but also your attitude to risk. First of all, if you employ people, employers liability insurance with a limit of at least £5 million is a legal requirement. Equally, public liability insurance of at least £2 million is also a condition of NICEIC certification.

Professional indemnity insurance is a requirement for NICEIC scheme(s) where the scope of work undertaken includes periodic inspection and testing. This will cover the cost of legal fees and compensation if a client alleges a failure in your professional advice.

All these liability covers are essentially designed to help with legal fees and compensation if a client, employee or member of the public takes legal action against you related to your work. On top of that, if you use a business vehicle, insurance is compulsory, and you may also want to consider insurance for premises, tools, contract works and personal covers like income protection and personal accident. The good news is that the insurance you need is readily available from NICEIC Insurance services– with flexible, competitively priced policies that can be tailored to your needs.

How much you pay for public liability insurance cover depends on the nature of your contracting business – its size, claims history, the type of work you undertake and the level of risk that comes with it. That means there is no single average cost of public liability insurance. However, most contractors insurance from NICEIC Insurance includes public liability cover as standard, with limits of £2 million and £5 million, or £10 million for selected trades.

The level of protection you take out depends on the type of risks you face. It's an individual decision based on the nature of each business – though it's worth finding out what level of cover potential clients expect you to have. There may be a minimum requirement of cover required depending on the nature of the job or your electrical contractor registration – for example, if it's a commercial contract for a council, they may require a higher level of cover than a domestic job. If you are an NICEIC registered contractor, you need a minimum of £2 million worth of public liability insurance is required in place to meet the obligations; therefore, we offer public liability cover ranging from £2 million up to £10 million, depending on the trade and insurer.

No. While public liability is a form of business insurance, the term 'business insurance' refers to an array of insurance covers designed to protect businesses against a wide variety of risks. Public liability defends against legal claims against you made by clients or members of the public – alleging injury or property damage resulting from your work. But business insurance could include employers liability, professional indemnity, business property cover, fleet insurance, and more.

No. While both are designed to cover the cost of legal fees and compensation awarded against you, public liability insurance applies to claims arising from injury or property damage suffered by clients or the public. On the other hand, professional indemnity insurance applies when clients allege failings in your professional advice.

No, they are very different policies. In essence, employers liability protects against death or injury to employees whilst at work. In contrast, public liability protects against death or injury and damage to property affecting everyone apart from employees, and which comes about as a result of your work.

Comparison and buy online websites often require you to sort everything out for yourself and typically work by asking you minimal questions to offer you a quick quotation. But if you don't understand the intricacies of the insurance you're looking for, you could end up with inadequate cover, which could leave you exposed when you need to make a claim. This is where a specialist insurance broker should be able to help. Typically, you will be asked relevant questions to assess your needs and provided with advice and guidance throughout the process. Your broker will then search for the most appropriate insurance to satisfy your needs and present you with relevant options and prices to make an informed choice.

You can extend your electrical contractor business insurance to include a range of optional extras such as employers liability and tools cover to deliver personalised insurance protection to suit your circumstances. We can also arrange other essential insurance covers, from personal accident and income protection to property and vehicle insurance.

Public liability insurance applies to claims made against you by clients or members of the public, alleging that your work has caused them injury or damaged their property. It covers the cost of legal defence, compensation, damages, and any legal expenses incurred by third parties in making a successful legal claim against you.

This includes losses – including theft or damage – due to customers keys being lost or stolen whilst in the care of the contractor, up to £50k.

A certificate of insurance is a document that insurers give to their customers to prove that insurance is in place.

Labour-only sub-contractors work under your direction, typically use tools and materials you provide, and are paid by you or through an employment agency.

A statement of fact is a document used by insurers to formally set out all the information you provide to them when seeking to buy insurance – in essence, it sets out the basis on which insurance is provided, so it's important to check that statements of fact are accurate before buying insurance.

A "To Whom It May Concern" certificate of insurance is a document that provides proof of insurance coverage to a third party. This type of certificate is often requested by individuals or organisations that need verification of a business's insurance policies, typically for purposes such as contracts, leases, or compliance with regulations. 

It is important to note that a certificate of insurance is not a contract and does not alter the terms of the insurance policy. It merely serves as evidence of coverage and does not guarantee that a claim will be paid.

The TWIMC Certificates have to be manually generated and in adherence with the levels of cover that you have purchased and are available upon request. Should you wish to receive a TWIMC, please contact us on 0333 015 6629.

An employee is someone who works part-time or full-time under an employment contract. However, remember that when it comes to employers liability insurance, you may need cover for people you don't consider to be employees – like volunteers, 'labour-only' subcontractors, temporary staff and students on work experience.

Business insurance is designed to protect businesses when they suffer losses while carrying out their usual activities, and is particularly important if a business finds itself facing a claim for compensation. Typical business insurance cover may include employers' liability insurance, public liability insurance, and professional indemnity insurance.

Efficacy cover is liability insurance, which protects you in the event of an injury to a third party or damage to their property resulting from the failure of a product or service to perform its intended function. For example; an alarm system, fire control or extinguishing system, or electronic security system. The cover applies to either failure of a product or a fault in its installation. With our specialist electrical contractors insurance cover we automatically include efficacy cover of £100,000 as standard.

Employers liability insurance protects you in the event you are held legally liable for accidental death or injury to your employees - at work or in connection with your business. It also covers legal costs incurred by employees in making successful legal claims against you.

IPT is a tax levied by the government, which is payable on all general insurance premiums.

Legal expenses insurance covers legal costs incurred in defending or pursuing specific kinds of civil legal action. It can cover everything from employee contract disputes, Inland Revenue tax investigations, and bad debt recovery to prosecution defence and action against you related to the Data Protection Act 2018.

Own plant or hired in plant cover is vital for tradespeople who often use complex plant machinery and equipment. It either covers loss or damage to plant you own or any legal liabilities resulting from loss or damage to plant you have hired in – for instance, compensation due under any hire agreement.

Professional indemnity insurance protects you and your business in the event of legal claims relating to advice you have provided as part of your work. It steps in to cover the cost of legal defence and compensation if a court finds against you. Professional indemnity cover for up to £5 million is available. Collateral warranties are included as standard. This cover protects you when operating as a sub-contractor with contractual obligations to your client regarding work undertaken.

Public liability insurance is designed to protect your business if a client or member of the public claims they have been injured or their property damaged because of your business activities. It covers the cost of legal defence, compensation, damages, and any legal expenses incurred by third parties in making a successful legal claim against you. For example, if wiring you installed later caused a fire that damaged a building, and it was then deemed that you were negligent, your contractors public liability insurance would pay the costs and compensation – up to the maximum level of cover (or limit of indemnity) indicated on your policy.

The cost of public liability insurance depends on the nature of your business – its size, claims history, and the types of work you undertake. For that reason, there is no single average cost of public liability insurance, but rest assured that we are here to find you the right cover at the right price and offer competitive cover with limits ranging from £2 to £10 million for selected trades.

The terms Declared Value and Market Value are used in insurance and both have an impact on how a claim is settled.

Declared Value is where you insure an item based on your opinion or valuation. It is most common with vintage cars, art work, jewellery and one offs/limited editions where there are considerations for sentimental value and if the item can not be replaced. Normally any settlement will not have any deductions made unless the item is over valued.

Market Value is more commonly used where the loss or damage to an item is settled based on what it would cost to replace the item like for like. For example a modern motor vehicle or computer declared unrepairable will be valued this way by an engineer/loss adjustor where the age, condition and market value may influence the settlement offer.

It is important to understand that during the event of the claim, it is your responsibility to prove the value of the item. Best practices include taking images of the item and keeping receipts/valuations to proof both ownership and value.

Should you wish to discuss this in more detail or to check if any of the above applies to your policy, please contact us on 0333 015 6629.

They are very different policies. In essence, employers liability protects against death or injury to employees whilst at work. In contrast, public liability protects against death or injury and damage to property, affecting everyone apart from employees, and which comes about as a result of your work.

Your Sum Insured will normally be the gross amount covered under a particular section of cover such as Contents. Where the cover is Liability, you will find the Sum Insured is replaced with an Indemnity Limit. The indemnity limit is the maximum amount you can claim under the insurance during the annual period of cover. It is important to understand that Insurers will cover you either for Any Claims Made or on Aggregate. Any Claims Made will mean that you are insured up to the indemnity limit and you can make as many claims as long as they do not exceed that limit. Aggregate on the other hand is where this limit is reduced each time a claim is made.

For example you if you hold £1,000,000 cover and have it on Any Claims Made basis, you can claim as many times as you need as long as the claim does not exceed £1,000,000. If you were to have it on an Aggregate basis and were to make a  £750,000 claim, you would only have £250,000 cover left.

Should you wish to discuss this in more detail or to check if any of the above applies to your policy, please contact us on 0333 015 6629.

Whilst this policy is popular among electrical contractors, we are able to cater over 83 different trades from Landscape Gardeners, Plumbers, Window Cleaners to Renewable Energy Installers.

You can find a complete list of trades when obtaining a quote through our website here. If your trade is specialized or not listed, please select "other," and we will reach out to you. Alternatively, feel free to contact us at 0333 015 6629.

We make individual client administration charges per policy (up to a maximum of 3 policies, per policy period) to cover the costs associated with administering your insurances e.g. arranging a new policy, carrying out short-period or mid-term cancellations, mid-term changes, providing replacement or duplicate documents and for other administrative tasks. We will advise you of the amount of fee before you become liable to pay it. Individual charges will not be made in relation to employee benefit related products.

Direct insurers may only have a limited choice of policies or limited cover options. In contrast, a broker usually has access to a panel of insurers so has more choice and can find cover to suit your needs. Using a broker to arrange your insurance may also help reduce your workload and the time it takes you to search for your insurance. We aim to help you get value for money, so we use the strength of our market position to negotiate cover and price with insurers in advance. We do this to help deliver the right product at the right price for our customers. To present you with the options available to you, we compare insurance from a panel of UK insurers so we can recommend a product that suits your needs.

Should you have any further enquiries, call an one of our dedicated team experts now on 0333 015 6629.

Alternatively, if you are logged into the Client Service Portal, you can speak to someone immediately using our Live Chat Function. Please note our Live Chat is available Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from 8:30am to 5:30pm and our Live Chat is not available outside these hours.   

Any correspondence posted outside these hours will be reviewed on the next working day.