Electricians Insurance: What Do I Really Need?

Find electrician insurance quotes today.
Powered by QuoteZone.

Compare Quotes



  • Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Reviews.co.uk
  • Over 300,000 quotes completed per month
  • Fill out only one form

The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.

As seen on

{"items":["\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"Evening Standard\" href=\"https:\/\/www.standard.co.uk\/\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--root \"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--image-container\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg alt=\"Evening Standard logo\" class=\"ShortcodeImage--image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_120\/v1\/media\/eveningstandard-grey\" src=\"\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/e_blur:1000,q_1,f_auto\/media\/eveningstandard-grey\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_120\/v1\/media\/eveningstandard-grey 1x, https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_2.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_120\/v1\/media\/eveningstandard-grey 2x\"\u003E\n \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/a\u003E","\n\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"The Independent\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--root \"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--image-container\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg alt=\"Independent logo\" class=\"ShortcodeImage--image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_120\/v1\/media\/independent-grey\" src=\"\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/e_blur:1000,q_1,f_auto\/media\/independent-grey\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_120\/v1\/media\/independent-grey 1x, https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_2.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_120\/v1\/media\/independent-grey 2x\"\u003E\n \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/a\u003E","\n\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"The Times\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.co.uk\/\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--root \"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--image-container\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg alt=\"blank\" class=\"ShortcodeImage--image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_30,q_auto,w_1600\/v1\/media\/thetimes-grey\" src=\"\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/e_blur:1000,q_1,f_auto\/media\/thetimes-grey\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_30,q_auto,w_1600\/v1\/media\/thetimes-grey 1x, https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_2.0,f_auto,h_30,q_auto,w_1600\/v1\/media\/thetimes-grey 2x\"\u003E\n \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/a\u003E","\n\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"The Guardian\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--root \"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--image-container\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg alt=\"blank\" class=\"ShortcodeImage--image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_48\/v1\/media\/theguardian-grey\" src=\"\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/e_blur:1000,q_1,f_auto\/media\/theguardian-grey\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_48\/v1\/media\/theguardian-grey 1x, https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_2.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_48\/v1\/media\/theguardian-grey 2x\"\u003E\n \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/a\u003E","\n\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"Telegraph\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--root \"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeImage--image-container\"\u003E\n \u003Cimg alt=\"Telegraph logo\" class=\"ShortcodeImage--image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_180\/v1\/media\/thetelegraph-grey\" src=\"\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/e_blur:1000,q_1,f_auto\/media\/thetelegraph-grey\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_180\/v1\/media\/thetelegraph-grey 1x, https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/nimblefins\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_2.0,f_auto,h_1600,q_auto,w_180\/v1\/media\/thetelegraph-grey 2x\"\u003E\n \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/a\u003E"],"offsetPercentage":20}

What is Insurance for Electricians?

If you’re working as an electrician, you’ll be very aware of the dangers that wiring and electricity can cause for you and your customers. And despite your best efforts, things can go wrong. As an electrician, you definitely need insurance to protect you and your business from certain financial disasters.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about electricians’ insurance, from types of cover, costs and who needs to buy it. If you still have questions, fill out a quote form and if you still have questions someone can call you back on the phone to discuss.

Business Insurance for Electricians

Electricians and electrical contractors know better than anyone the risks they’re exposed to on a daily basis. If you’re setting up your own business, or working self-employed, there are a few different insurances to be aware of before picking up your tools.

Electrician Public Liability Insurance

Electrician public liability insurance covers legal costs and compensation payments due to accidental injury or damage claims made by third parties.

Electrician public liability insurance will keep you protected if a client, member of the public or other third party is hurt or has their property damaged while you’re at work. Public liability insurance is equally important for self-employed electricians and those starting up small businesses and hiring additional staff.

Public liability covers you for both the time you spend on site, and is often sold alongside product liability, which will protect you for any injuries/damages that occur at a later date (perhaps due to an error, or a faulty piece of wiring) as a result of your work. If you’re deemed to be at fault, then the cost of the settlement would fall to you. Your public liability would cover you both for any legal costs incurred and any compensation awarded.

  • Injury Example: While you’re working on a plug socket, your customer trips and falls over a piece of wiring you’ve left out. They injure their knee and can’t work for 2 months. They sue you for the value of the wages they’ve lost.
  • Property Damage Example: While walking through a client’s home, you drop your toolbox and damage their wooden floor. They sue you for the value of having the damage fixed.

Employers’ Liability Insurance

Employers' liability insurance protects against illness or injury claims made by employees and is required by law.

Simply put, if you hire employees, whether they’re full-time, part-time, or even just on a one-off, you’re legally required to hold employers' liability insurance. It will cover you in the event that somebody is involved in an accident or becomes ill during or as a result of working for you. If this does happen, you may be liable to pay compensation for their loss of income or any other costs they’ve incurred as a result of the incident/illness.

The law states you must be covered for a minimum of £5 million, however most policies will automatically provide £10 million. If you don’t have suitable insurance, you could be fined up to £2,500 a day for every day somebody works for you uninsured.

  • Employers’ Liability Example: You’ve hired someone part-time to help move your tools from one client to the next. They hurt their back while lifting a heavy toolbox, and sue you for damages.

Electrician Professional Indemnity Insurance

Electrician professional indemnity insurance protects against claims made by clients who say you've delivered poor or negligent advice or service.

Electrician professional indemnity insurance is a must for many electricians as well. Technically it covers you if a client claims you've given them bad professional advice or service. Electricians who design an installation that later catches on fire could be sued under professional liability. Having a policy can even help deter clients from making a claim as you'll have a legal team behind you in case there's a problem. Better for the insurance company to be fighting your client and discouraging a claim than you.

Electrician Tool Insurance

Tools cover can protect your equipment against loss, damage or theft.

Protecting your tools and equipment is important for any electrician who works with expensive tools or on high value pieces of work. Consider the potential costs of replacing your tools if they’re broken or stolen, and the implications the loss could have on your ability to complete the work within the time frame you’ve agreed with the customer.

Consider whether you want your tools covered while they’re in transit, and if you need to keep them in your van overnight then inform your insurer. This will make your policy more expensive (illustrated below), so if you want to save money on your policy then perhaps consider an overnight secure storage solution.

Some insurers also set limits on the value of tools they’re willing to insure (typically £10,000 or £20,000) but some will happily go above that, so take a good estimate of the value of everything you own to find the insurer best for you.

Hired-in Plant Insurance

Similar to Tools & Equipment, Hired-in will keep you covered if any equipment you’ve borrowed or loaned are damaged, destroyed or stolen while in your care. It’s mostly relevant to any electricians who rent tools regularly, so if this sounds like you or your business then keep it in mind.

  • Hired-in Plant Insurance Example: You’ve borrowed an expensive piece of equipment for a one-time job. While unpacking it, you drop it on the ground and damage it. The company that loaned it to you is asking for you to pay for the repair.

Income Protection Insurances

There are a number of insurances designed to protect you in the event that you’re unable to work in the short/medium/long term due to illness or injury. Income Protection insurance will cover you in the event you’re out of action due to a short-term injury or illness (typically less than 1-2 years, depending on your provider).

Critical Illness insurance will support you with a one-off lump sum payment in the event you’re unable to return to work for the foreseeable future due to a long-term injury or illness.

  • Income Protection Insurance Example: you hurt your back while at the gym and can’t work for 2 months. Your income protection insurance (would typically) cover you for around 50-70% of your previous monthly income, depending on your provider and level of coverage.

Electrician Van Insurance

If you’re using your own van for business purposes, or have just purchased one, you’ll need to make sure you have a form of business van insurance. Getting set-up isn’t much more difficult than getting a quote for a car/personal vehicle, but you risk your policy being voided if you use your vehicle for business purposes and fail to inform your insurer, so make sure you’re sufficiently covered.

What Insurance Does an Electrician Need?

Electricians (whether self-employed or as a business owner) likely need some form of liability insurance, as well as property insurance cover. While many insurances aren’t legally required, the risks of operating without them can be enormous. Let’s go through which insurances are legally required, which are typically recommended, and some more you might want to consider.

Employers’ Liability is a requirement for anybody hiring employees/staff. If you pay somebody to work for you, then you need to have it, even if they’re a friend or you’re paying them in cash on the day. And if you’re using your own van for work, you’ll need to have business van insurance; or if you’re driving your private car between clients then at the very least you need to declare business use, or your coverage will be voided by your insurer and you’ll be left with no protection at all in the event of an accident.

Public Liability for electricians isn’t a legal requirement, but almost all good electricians have it. It protects you against any claims and legal costs for accidental damages or injury by any members of the public. Tools and equipment cover, again, while not required, is considered a must-have for many electricians who own expensive tools, due to the potential problems caused by the tools being stolen or damaged and the impact that has on their ability to do their job (and ultimately get paid for it).

Finally, if you’re working on larger or more complex projects, you may want to consider professional indemnity insurance. It will cover you in the event that a mistake or miscommunication with the client means they’re unhappy with the result of your work. If they are displeased, you can be liable both to return their payment to you and cover the additional cost of having the work replaced/redone, so if you’re working on high cost projects you might want to consider it.

How much is Public Liability Insurance for an Electrician?

The cost of liability insurance for an electrician in the UK starts around £85 to £100 for basic coverage. You can read more in the table below to get an idea of how much you might expect to pay, but bear in mind your quotes can vary due to a number of different factors and risks.

graph showing the average cost electricians insurance in the UK
Average Cost of Electricians' Insurance
£2m public liability (PL)£89
£5m PL£127
£2M PL, £2,000 Tools (not left in van overnight)£148
£2M PL, £2,000 Tools (left in van overnight)£190
£2M PL, £10,000 Tools (left in van overnight)£467
£2M PL, Personal Accident£270
£2M PL, Personal Accident, £2,000 Tools (left in van overnight)£271
£2M PL + 1 Employee + £2,000 Tools + Personal Accident£643
£2M PL + 5 Employees + £2,000 Tools + Personal Accident£1,598
£2M PL + 10 Employees + £2,000 Tools + Personal Accident£3,091

How much is Electricians Insurance?

While electrician insurance starts from £85 to £100 for basic coverage, the amount you pay will depend on the level of coverage you opt for and the different insurances you choose, and may be higher or lower than average. Besides public/product liability costs, which start from £89 a year or so, if you opt to grow your business and hire employees you can expect to pay at least £350 more in insurance due to your Employers’ Liability cover (even if you only hire one employee). This is significantly more than the average cost of employers’ liability, as insurers categorize electricians as higher risk than industries like catering or cleaning.

What will impact the cost of my Electrician Insurance, and how can I save money?

First, the type of electrician you are can have an impact on cost, depending on whether you work in domestic locations (homes, gardens etc.), commercial locations (offices, public buildings) or whether you’re a portable appliance tester. It’s more expensive to get insured for commercial locations and testing due to the additional risks (higher value of property, more complex electrical set-up) so keep this in mind when setting up.

Professional Indemnity is especially useful for anybody working on more complex design/planning, and is considered a must-have by most if you're offering any form of certification/training courses as part of your job.

If you offer advice, design or electrical certification, you’re also likely to want to include a form of professional indemnity in your coverage—most electricians insurance providers will automatically include this if you tell them you’re doing this.

If you’re a more experienced electrician, or work in an area of the country less associated with high risk (big cities, near airports etc.) then you’re likely to find your insurance is cheaper, as insurers feel you’re less likely to be involved in an accident or cause damages.

As with any insurance package, you’ll be able to save money by making one, annual payment, as opposed to paying monthly, and avoid paying interest on top of the cost of your coverage.

If you work while elevated your policy will also cost more due to the additional risks. This typically includes, but is not limited to working while hanging from ropes or cables or on suspended platforms. Some providers may also charge you more if you work at heights above 10 metres, so check with your provider to make sure you’re appropriately covered.

Finally, if you work in dangerous locations, such as power stations or airports, expect to have a high electricians insurance cost due to the extra hazards you’ll be dealing with.

Specialist Electricians Insurance

As being an electrician is a tricky job, and you’re exposed to a multitude of different risks, some of which are very hard to predict, there are a number of specialist insurance providers in the UK targeted specifically at electricians. These can be a useful tool, as they’ll bundle many of the insurances you need into one convenient package.

They can also be useful for research, to help you understand what these specialists consider “must have” and what they feel are “optional extras”. Do keep in mind that opting for one of these providers can be more expensive than going out and finding individual quotes for your insurance, but they can be useful if you want to keep everything in one place and know you’re being covered by industry experts.

Where can I get electrician insurance quotes?

Compare electrician insurance quotes here—after filling out a short form you'll receive quotes from up to five insurance providers. You'll have the chance to talk on the phone if you have questions that you want to discuss. Then choose the cover that offers the best price and features for your needs.

Electrician Pay and Market Statistics

Infographic showing the best regions in Great Britain for Electricians

The image above should give you some idea about, regionally, which electricians do the best and worst. While London electricians are paid the most, it's Scotland that is most affordable when you compare pay to their cost of living, and Yorkshire and the Humber where the most electricians ply their trade. On the other side of the scale, electricians in the South East might struggle a bit more, earning considerably less than those working in London, but with a similar cost of living.

FAQs

Yes, public liability insurance covers contractors. When you apply for a quote, you'll need to disclose your occupation and will be accepted onto a policy as a contractor, if that is how you've described your profession.

Professional indemnity insurance is not a legal requirement but any electrician who does any sort of design or gives any sort of professional advice (so, most electricians) should seriously consider a policy. It will have your back if a client claims you've given poor or negligent advice or service in your professional capacity. Without PI insurance, you're on your own.

To find the cheapest electrician insurance deals you'll need to compare quotes from a few sources. You can start with our trades insurance partner QuoteZone.

Methodology

Quotes were gathered for a sample electrician with less than 1 year of experience and living in NW London. Quotes were received from a number of different sources. No fewer than the three cheapest quotes were averaged to give us our results.

Find Electricians insurance today.
Powered by QuoteZone.

Get Quotes



  • Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Reviews.co.uk
  • 300,000+ quotes completed per month
  • Fill out only one form
Luke Masters

Prior to NimbleFins, Luke studied economics at Brunel University and worked at FreshMinds, Investigo and BMW. His work in data analytics, pricing, strategy and business development helped him write business insurance content to support SMEs at NimbleFins. He now works at DataPOWA, a sports & entertainment data analytics company. Read more on LinkedIn.

Comments

The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.