Painter and decorator insurance
Protect your painting and decorating company with business insurance from AXA
- Get standalone public liability insurance or combine with our other covers
- Choose from optional extras to protect the equipment that keeps business booming
- Pay for your policy in a way that suits you – a lump sum or monthly instalments
What type of business insurance does a painter and decorator need?
The main thing painters and decorators need to protect themselves against is accidental damage or injury. However, there are several other covers that you would also benefit from, protecting things like your employees and your tools and equipment.
Here are the covers you’ll benefit from most.
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement, but it will protect you claims made by a third-party for accidental injury and damage caused by your business. This can include your clients, or other members of the public.
For example, let’s say you accidentally spill some paint on an expensive couch, and your client demands that you cover the damages. Or your client comes to see how the work is progressing, and trips over a painting pole or dust covering.
Employers’ liability insurance
Sometimes, you may take on employees or apprentices to train up. If that becomes the case, and anyone is working for you (regardless of their employment status) then you’re legally required to have Employers’ Liability insurance under the Employers’ Liability Act 1969.
This cover protects you if an employee becomes sick or gets injured because of working for you.
Tools and equipment
Paint rollers, paintbrushes, dust sheets – whatever tools you need to get the job done, make sure they’re protected.
Own plan tools and equipment protects your tools and equipment so that if something goes wrong, business doesn’t have to stop. Whether that’s repairs or replacement, we’ve got your back.
Can I get cover for my workshop?
Yes, as an optional extra, you can add workshop cover to your painter and decorator's insurance policy. This covers the contents including tools, machinery, stock, and computer equipment at your premises. You can set a cover level tailored to your workshop’s value.
Am I covered for work involving spray painting?
Yes, your public liability policy will cover you against claims made as a result of damage caused by using spray painting equipment.
Why do I need painters and decorator insurance?
The type of work you do means being around clients and in and out of their homes regularly and if that’s the case then it’s important that you’re well protected in case something goes wrong.
According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the main risks to painters are decorators1 are exposure to asbestos and silica. For the sake of your own, and your employee’s ongoing safety, it’s important that you have the right insurances in place.
So, whether you need to protect yourself against accidental damage claims, make sure your employees are covered if they fall ill on the job, or just protect your tools and equipment from theft or damage – business insurance has got your back.
Public liability insurance
What’s covered:
- Up to £5 million cover
- Covered for accidental injury and/or damage caused to third parties
- Legal costs to defend yourself (up to £1 million)
What’s not covered:
- Personal injury - if you are injured as part of your own work
- Employee claims - if an employee gets injured or sick due to their job
- Your own tools and equipment - you're only covered for damaging another person's property
Employers' liability insurance
What’s covered:
- Up to 10 million cover
- Covered for accidental injury or illness suffered by someone you employee
- 50 days of automatic cover for anyone you're only employing temporarily
What’s not covered:
- Personal injury - if you need additional cover for yourself, consider health insurance
- Claims made in relation to work carried in, or on, hazardous locations
- Injuries caused due to road traffic accidents - any parties involved should legally be covered by car or van insurance
Tools insurance
What’s covered:
- Tools you own or tools you hired in
- Constructional plant, machines, trailers and site huts, stationary tools, caravans, portable tools and equipment
- Stock in trade (up to the value of £2000)
What’s not covered:
- Business equipment - laptops, mobiles, tablets etc
- Contents (such as fixtures and fittings) - for this you need business equipment
Have a van you need to protect?
Getting from one job to another is imperative for a painter and decorator – so is transporting your tools and supplies. With Van insurance you’ll be covered for carrying goods, tools, and equipment to and from jobs as part of your normal working day.
Want to learn more about Van insurance?
What type of tools can I cover?
The tools of your trade aren’t cheap so it’s wise to invest in own plant tools and equipment to cover the cost of repair or replacements if they should get accidentally damaged or stolen. Here are just a few of the thing you can insure with us:
- Paint brushes and rollers
- Ladders
- Raised platforms
- Scrapers and sanders
- Pasting table or workbenches
Is business insurance a legal requirement for painters and decorators?
Painters and decorators aren’t legally required to have business insurance unless they have any employees. In this case, employers’ liability insurance is mandatory under the Employers’ Liability Act 1969.
Even though it’s not a legal requirement, it’s still highly recommended that you get business insurance to prevent you from being out of pocket if something should go wrong.
How much does painter and decorator insurance cost?
There’s no one size fits all approach to business insurance – and the same goes for cost. However, AXA customer pay prices from £82* a year for business insurance.
Several factors influence the price you pay, such as:
- The types and levels of cover you choose
- How many employees (if any) you have
- The size and location of your business
- The level of voluntary excess you choose
The quickest and easiest way to find out what your policy is likely to cost is to get a quote. You can do this online, where you can get a quote tailored to exactly the cover you need.
Ready to get started?
Frequently asked questions
What happens if a business doesn’t have public liability insurance?
Legally, nothing will happen to you if you don’t have public liability insurance as it’s not a legal requirement.
However, if someone does make a claim against you when you’re not insured, your business will be wholly responsible for any costs to defend yourself against the claim, and/or to pay out any compensation if the claim is successful.
Will my insurance be affected if I hire additional contractors?
Hiring additional contracts for a temporary period won’t affect your cover – with AXA’s Employers’ Liability Insurance you’re covered for up to 50 days for temporary workers.
After this, it would be wise to check whether the contractor has insurance.
What do I need to get a quote?
To get a quote, there are a few details you’ll need to have to hand. These include:
- Your business name and address
- How many (if any) employees you have
- How long you’ve been in business
- Contact information
- Details of any previous claims you’ve filed
Do I need professional indemnity insurance?
Most painters or decorators won’t need professional indemnity insurance as they won’t be giving customers advice.
Do I need insurance to be a member of a trade association?
Yes, many trade associations won’t allow you to register without valid liability insurance.
Some will ask to see proof of your public liability insurance, so will several local government or council authorities.
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*10% of our customers paid this or less between July and September 2024.