Contractors & Tradesmen Insurance from £6.70/month

Contractors & tradesmen insurance — single trade or multi-trade firms

Whether you're a sole-trader sparky, a 5-van plumbing firm or a principal contractor running 30+ subbies on a refurb, Premier Insurance arranges trade cover from the UK's specialist trades markets — NIG, Aviva, Hiscox, AXA, Markel, Arch and Lloyd's syndicates. We've insured tradespeople since 1983 and we know which insurer offers the best wording per trade, per job size and per claims record.

Core trade cover

• Public liability £1m / £2m / £5m / £10m — sized to the contract
• Employers' liability £10m including labour-only sub-contractors
• Tools cover in-van overnight and on-site, often with theft from locked van wording
• Contract works / contractors all risks for works in progress
• Own plant and hired-in plant for diggers, scaffold, lifts
• Professional indemnity for design-and-build, JCT contracts and consultancy
• Goods in transit, commercial vehicle and fleet bolt-ons

Typical pricing by trade size in 2026

• Sole trader, low-risk trade (plumber, sparky, painter): £18.00–£42.00/mo with £2m PL
• Sole trader, medium-risk (carpenter, kitchen fitter): £28.00–£58.00/mo
• Sole trader, higher-risk (roofer, scaffolder, welder): £55.00–£140.00/mo
• Limited company with 5–10 staff: £180.00–£450.00/mo
• Principal contractor on JCT projects: £450.00/mo+ with PI bolt-on

The tools-in-van exposure

Tool theft from vans is the single most frequent trade claim. Standard policies typically require: a deadlock or slam-lock fitted to all doors; tools removed overnight between 9pm and 6am unless the van is in a locked compound; and itemised receipts for any tool over £500. Breach the overnight removal condition and a £3k–£15k tool claim is denied. We can negotiate "Sold Secure" alarm conditions instead of the overnight removal warranty on most policies — significantly more practical for working trades.

For a tradesman quote, call 020 8908 2426.