For subcontractors and tradespeople, Contractors' All Risk Insurance protects your business against loss or damage to property which is being used, or intended for use, in connection with your work on a construction site.
Contractors All Risk insurance covers damage caused to property by a range of different events such as fire, flood, storm, vandalism or theft. The policy will cover damage caused by anything not excluded, this is why it’s named ‘all risks’.
The property insured by the policy can be appreciated in three broad categories:
The building works, property or structure whilst under construction and for which you are responsible i.e., before the work has been completed, or responsibility has been handed to your client.
Please note that if you are working on an existing construction or property, contract works will only cover damage to the building works being undertaken. Damage to the existing structure or property won’t be covered and should be insured by the property owner.
This includes heavy machinery and large equipment used on construction sites, including temporary buildings and/or caravans. There are separate sums insured provided for:
Up to £500 cover per employee for physical loss or damage to tools, clothing and personal effects (excludes furs, money, and jewellery) belonging to any director or employee whilst on or about any contract site.
Qdos’ Contractors All Risk insurance may provide a payment for the losses suffered, or alternatively reinstate or replace the property.
Qdos Contractors' All Risk policy is available with a range of coverage options provided in the table below. When deciding on the option that’s right for you, please consider:
*Please note there is a £500 limit per employee for employees tools and effects
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
Option E
Option F
Excess
Contract Works Limit
£10,000
£25,000
£50,000
£100,000
£175,000
£250,000
£500
Construction plant tools, machinery and equipment limit
£2,500
£5,000
£12,500
£37,500
Construction plant tools, machinery and equipment hired by the insured
Employees Tools and Effects
£1,000*
£2,500*
£3,750*
£5,000*
£50
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(inc. Insurance Premium Tax as applicable)
**(+ VAT @ 20% on checkout)
One-off £23.00 charge applied for monthly payment
Please note: Review products are not included in the monthly premium
Qdos Contractor are one of the leading providers of specialist self employed insurance services in the UK. Our online application process takes only a matter of minutes with all documentation issued instantly. Unlike many other brokers, we don’t hide our premiums until you've provided your details, as we are confident that our premiums, service and product are the best in the market. In addition, Qdos Contractor is a leader in handling tax compliance and status issues specific for the self employed and have handled well over 1,500 IR35 enquiries on behalf of UK contractors.
Starting out as a tax consultancy business in 1988, Qdos has grown in both size and reputation to become the UK's leading experts in contractor insurance and IR35 status, winning a number of accolades including the coveted Queen's Award for Innovation 2017 and Best Contractor Insurance Provider or Broker 2020. We utilise our 30+ years' experience to provide self employed professionals with the insurance protection and tax support they need to thrive in today's market.
Contractors All Risks Insurance should be considered by anyone working on a building site. Whether you need it will depend on whether you are responsible for:
You should check the terms of your contract thoroughly when you determine if you are responsible.
It can be a common misconception that ‘all risks’ means that it includes every type of insurance cover a tradesperson or those working on site may need. That is however not the case. In fact, ‘all risks’ simply refers to the way that the policy operates.
Some insurance policies will provide cover for perils specifically included i.e., losses, events or causes of a claim, and only those listed in the policy cover. ‘All risks’ insurance however covers all causes of a loss, provided the cause is not specifically excluded.
A common policy self-employed individuals operating in the construction sector may also need, is Public Liability Insurance. See below for more information.
No. Contractors All Risk and Public Liability Insurance cover fundamentally different risks.
Public Liability insurance covers the defence costs and, if necessary, the legal liability associated with legal proceedings brought against the policyholder by a third party alleging the policyholder caused injury or property damage in the provision of their services.
Contractors All Risk covers the policyholder against loss or damage to property which is being used, or intended for use, in connection with the policyholder’s work on a construction site.
Contract works and Contractors All Risks can often be confused as they cover similar and, in some cases, the same risks. It is possible that ‘Contract Works’ insurance can be extended to provide the same breadth of cover as a Contractors All Risks policy, but this will vary between providers with some limiting cover to damage to Contract Works only.
Qdos’ Contractors All Risk Insurance covers Contract Works, Damage to Tools, machinery and equipment, and Employees tools and effects cover.
No. Contractors All Risks Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance cover fundamentally different risks.
Professional Indemnity Insurance covers the defence costs and, if necessary, the legal liability associated with negligence proceedings brought against the insured.
Contractors All Risks covers the policyholder against loss or damage to property which is being used, or intended for use, in connection with the policyholders work on a construction site.
Yes, it can. Qdos’ Contractors All Risks Insurance covers damage to and loss of construction plant tools, machinery and equipment hired by the insured. Some providers may offer cover for damage of loss of plant in isolation, whereas Qdos’ Contractors All Risks Insurance covers:
What isn’t covered by Contractors All Risk Insurance?
The Contractors All Risks Insurance policy wording will set out the coverage in full, however some notable exclusions are:
Qdos Contractors' All Risk is a comprehensive policy designed with self employed subcontractors and tradespeople in mind.