Reply to: Do I/We really need Public Liability Insurance?

[SueEllen]

most agencies I've worked with have a compliance department who chase you when the insurance you've shown them expires.

But some do not.

I only have public liability insurance if I know or I am actually working in an office block or complex with shared toilets, shared kitchens or whatever shared facilities.

If the office building is fully rented out or owned by the client company then I let my policy lapse.

(Oh and you can find this out if you interview at the actual premises or do a search online for where client company offices are based.)

[Fred Bloggs]

most agencies I've worked with have a compliance department who chase you when the insurance you've shown them expires.

And when I have told them I will send the details on once I have renewed, that's the last I heard about it. In any case, I can't say I recommend this action to everyone, but I have done it in the past and saved myself quite a bit of money.

[Lance]

I hesitate to offer this as serious advice, but I have been known to tell agents that as soon as I have paid my insurance renewal, I will forward the details onto them. They never ask after the event and I guess over the years, I saved a lot of money by not paying insurances that I was 99.99% certain would never be required in the real world.

most agencies I've worked with have a compliance department who chase you when the insurance you've shown them expires.

[northernladuk]

I hesitate to offer this as serious advice, but I have been known to tell agents that as soon as I have paid my insurance renewal, I will forward the details onto them. They never ask after the event and I guess over the years, I saved a lot of money by not paying insurances that I was 99.99% certain would never be required in the real world.

That's true but what if you needed it in that 0.01% chance? I've paid car, house and life insurance for a combined total of 100 years and never needed it. Should I cancel them. But that said, I can't not agree, chance of PL or PI being clamed is nil but why risk breach of contract for less than 100 quid?

[Fred Bloggs]

I hesitate to offer this as serious advice, but I have been known to tell agents that as soon as I have paid my insurance renewal, I will forward the details onto them. They never ask after the event and I guess over the years, I saved a lot of money by not paying insurances that I was 99.99% certain would never be required in the real world.

[ladymuck]

But also

https://www.contractoruk.com/insuran...liability.html

Ah..fair enough. As with everything, the devil is in the policy detail.

[northernladuk]

I beg to differ (bold is from the original source, not me):



https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-...ity-insurance/

But also

https://www.contractoruk.com/insuran...liability.html

Public liability insurance


Public liability insurance covers compensation you have to pay a client or member of the public due to accidental injury or property damage. This could be something that happened at your business premises such as a client slipping on a wet floor, or something outside your workplace such as an employee spilling coffee over a client’s computer when visiting their office.

Public liability insurance will provide your business with important protection if you:

• Deal with the public
• Have clients visiting your home office or business premises
• If you or an employee visit your clients’ offices

[ladymuck]

Not if you're on an Outside gig. If there is something that you do that causes an accident on site then the client will be seeking to make a claim against you.

I beg to differ (bold is from the original source, not me):

Public liability insurance covers the cost of claims made by members of the public for incidents that occur in connection with your business activities.

Public liability insurance covers the cost of compensation for:

• personal injuries
• loss of or damage to property
• death

Policies vary from insurer to insurer, but most public liability policies cover you for:

• incidents that occur on your business premises
• incidents that take place off-site, at events or activities organised by your company

https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-...ity-insurance/

[velcro]

But that's not the purpose of PLI.

You don't need PLI if you're on the client's site as their PLI covers you.

Not if you're on an Outside gig. If there is something that you do that causes an accident on site then the client will be seeking to make a claim against you.

[ladymuck]

So, in a nutshell.

It's not legally required and it's not needed for a home office environment where you don't host physical meetings. However it is quite cheap for a basic level of cover if contractually required.

[Lance]

I've bought it in the past when a contract stipulates it as a requirement.
For the £20-£30 it costs it's not worth the argument.

And if the argument you have is, "I'm not really a business I'm just a bum on a seat so I don't need it", be careful what you wish for.

[ladymuck]

Not really but think of it from the client perspective. They don't want to be running the risk you didn't get it again when you started back to site and they can't be arsed running round after contractors to make sure they've re-bought it before coming back to site. So they direct you have all insurances as part of the contract and then everyone is covered and nothing falls through the cracks.

If it's a contractual term as you say then just get it and move on. It's not for you to dictate what policies you do or don't want to get. Client requires it, it costs peanuts so get it and move on.

But that's not the purpose of PLI.

You don't need PLI if you're on the client's site as their PLI covers you.

[northernladuk]

Had Public Liability Insurance in the past. Current one expired last week. Given that most of us are fully working from home, is there need for it?

Not really but think of it from the client perspective. They don't want to be running the risk you didn't get it again when you started back to site and they can't be arsed running round after contractors to make sure they've re-bought it before coming back to site. So they direct you have all insurances as part of the contract and then everyone is covered and nothing falls through the cracks.

If it's a contractual term as you say then just get it and move on. It's not for you to dictate what policies you do or don't want to get. Client requires it, it costs peanuts so get it and move on.

[velcro]

I always have it (my clients usually want to see the certs, too) and it costs me £55 per year, so not too bad.

[ladymuck]

I don't see why public liability is really needed. It's to cover people on your premises that aren't your employees. I've never held PLI.