It was a pleasure dealing with Debbie for my public liability insurance. Prompt service specific to my individual requirements. I highly recommend CIB.
Contractor public liability set up for your trade and the jobs you take on.
Quick answerWhat public liability does a contractor need?Contractor public liability covers your legal liability when your work injures someone or damages their property, including the cost of defending the claim. The head contracts we see now almost always ask for at least $20 million. Consolidated Insurance Brokers compares cover and price for your trade and checks the limits written into your policy. Ring 07 3292 1111.
Don't just get a certificate of currency. If the policy behind it doesn't fit the job, the claim is yours. We set the cover up around the work you take on, then issue the certificate.
Google reviews, word for word
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We had excellent service in obtaining insurance on a newly purchased commercial property. Clayton Rowlings explained everything so clearly and very patient with many questions regarding different options. Highly recommended! Thanks Clayton.
Tracey helped me sort out professional indemnity and public liability insurance for my new business - she was super helpful throughout the process helping me navigate for the first time.
Deja provided a prompt and professional service in securing a policy that suited my requirements.
Terrific experience with Gina. I had a difficult policy which other brokers couldn't find a solution for. Gina had an option for me within a few hours. I would highly recommend.
Thank you so much Cyndie for your help/advice/service. You made the whole process so easy. Thank you again. Jason Armstrong
Alison was a life-saver for us, staying after hours to make sure that we could get the building insurance coverage we urgently needed for a property purchase.
Debbie was always happy to help with my questions and very prompt with her service.
Hi I can highly recommend Aimee Spencer for all your insurance needs she has done a fantastic effort on keeping my insurance policy once again Many Thanks for all your work
Saskia Van Oostveen was efficient, professional, accurate, helpful and friendly throughout the entire process. Highly recommend!
A great experience with Tori, attaining some tricky commercial insurance, she was very professional in catering to your needs, whilst also having a quick turn around.
Jade was wonderful, finding me insurance coverage for a commercial property. Greatly appreciated her excellent service.
I contacted Tracey E from Consolidated Insurance Brokers for some commercial property quotes. Tracey was super helpful helpful, friendly and provided great advice. Highly recommend for all your insurance needs!
Thanks for your assistance Dylan with car insurance inquiry you have been really helpful and professional.
Shona was always available and answered all my queriers. A1 service and happy to recommend.
I contacted Renay after she was recommended by a family friend, for home and contents insurance. She was prompt and helpful and had me all sorted in a couple of days. Highly recommend!
I needed fast transit insurance this week and Daniel Roussounis was outstanding in his immediate response and getting this organized for me. Can't recommend Daniel and Consolidated Insurance Brokers highly enough!
Second year organising insurance with Jim K., did not have any issues and a smooth transition. I recommend
May Lewong at the Emerald office was amazing. Easy to deal with and was quick and efficient.
Reena was absolutely fantastic during the entire process helping me set you our new home and contents insurance. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
Natasha as always, gives us professional, exceptional service and would recommend her to any business :-)
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Written by William Paull, QPIB
Co-Founder & Account Director · Read William’s full profile
What does the head contractor want to see?
A head contractor may need your certificate of currency before you start work or receive payment. Before signing, check the contract for the required policies and limits, which commonly include public liability and workers compensation. A certificate records the cover in place. We release yours once we have received your premium.
Your trade
The schedule lists your cover and any added terms. Height, depth and hot work restrictions may also appear in the policy booklet. We check these against your work when arranging cover, at renewal and when your activities change.
Your subbies
Tell us what you pay subcontractors. Insurers use that to price claims against you for subcontractor injuries. On many wordings, declaring payments also decides whether that cover applies. Direct policies can exclude it; those written for Steadfast brokers generally include it. We have been able to arrange cover without that exclusion for every client who declared their subcontractors. Declaring payments does not extend cover to injury or property damage they cause to others.
Know before you buy
What it covers
Public liability generally covers injury or damage during the policy period. Our public liability insurance page explains the cover and exclusions.
What we need to quote
Tell us about your work, turnover, claims history, subcontractor payments and the limit you need. Understating payments can lead to reduced or declined claims. If your claims history rules out a pack, we can approach general liability insurers who assess businesses individually.
Beyond public liability
Public liability does not cover your tools, your ute or your income if you are hurt. Trades insurance puts those together with your liability.
If someone claims against you
When we look after your policy, your broker stays involved if someone claims against you. Our specialist claims manager deals with the insurer and chases delays. We explain what the insurer has said and challenge it where the policy and evidence support a different outcome.
Height, depth and hot work restrictions
Select your trade to see examples of schedule restrictions on height, digging and hot work. The terms on your own policy may differ.
An exclusion removes cover; an extension adds it. A condition is a rule that can affect a claim. The excess is what you pay towards a claim.
A schedule may cover cleaning windows from inside a building while excluding work on the outside at the same height. That distinction matters before you accept the job.
Height
No cover building, erecting or demolishing over 10 m, or working externally at 10 m or more; or no cover working externally above 10 m or 3 storeys, whichever is lower
Depth and digging
No excavation over 10 m; or damage to buried services covered only if Dial Before You Dig plans were obtained first
Hot work
Covered only in strict compliance with the Australian Standard for welding fire precautions; or with AS 1674
Subcontractors
Subcontractors extension, with the schedule's contractor excess; or a $10,000 excess for injury to anyone engaged to work for you who is not your employee
Other terms
Queensland electrician consumer protection endorsement; a principal noted as an interested party; no work on high voltage powerlines or substations
Carpenter
Height
No cover working externally above 10 m or 3 storeys, whichever is lower; or no demolition over 10 m
Hot work
Covered only in strict compliance with the relevant laws, codes and Standards Australia standards
Other terms
Rip and tear exclusion, for removing defective concrete, and silica exclusion; a $500 property damage excess
Cleaner
Height
No cover for anyone lowered by abseiling, ropes or a suspended platform
Hot work
Covered only in strict compliance with AS 1674.1 and AS 1674.2
Subcontractors
A $20,000 excess for injury to a subbie or labour hire, written on the basis that none are used
Other terms
Chemicals covered only if used as the manufacturer directs; a $2,500 excess for damage from carpet steam cleaning
Concreter
Height
No demolition over 10 m; a safety programme condition that no work is done above 10 m
Depth and digging
No excavation over 3.5 m
Other terms
Silica exclusion; your products must meet Australian standards
Plumber and gas fitter
Height
No cover building, erecting or demolishing anything over 10 m
Depth and digging
No excavation over 10 m
Hot work
Covered only in strict compliance with the Australian Standard for welding fire precautions
Subcontractors
Subcontractors extension, with a $2,500 contractors, subcontractors and labour hire excess
Other terms
Victorian plumbers consumer protection extension; damage to underground services covered only with written information from the owner
A missing row means that example schedule had no such term. Your insurer and declared activities may produce different restrictions.
All 24 trades, grouped by the work you do, are in our guide: What does public liability exclude for your trade?
Short answers
As a subcontractor, does the head contractor's policy cover me?
Do not rely on it. A head contractor's policy may extend limited cover to subcontractors or exclude them. Consolidated Insurance Brokers arranges your own policy for claims against your business and the work you do.
Does public liability cover hot work?
Only within the policy's conditions. Hot work such as welding may require a fire watch after work finishes. Leaving before that watch ends can affect a claim. We check the relevant schedule and booklet conditions against your work.
What if you do two trades?
The cover is written around the work you tell the insurer you do, so your insurer needs an accurate picture of that work. If an activity is missing from the business description, the cover may not fit it. With a broker, you tell us every activity your business does, and with the full picture we go and find a policy that fits that work. When a Queensland plumbing business we insure brought in an electrician, we updated the policy's occupation to include electrician so it carried the endorsement his licensing required. An endorsement is a clause added to the policy.
What if the contract asks you to name the principal on your policy?
We do not recommend adding the principal as a named insured, which can give them rights to change your policy. Some wordings already cover a principal for liability arising from your work, usually only as required by the contract. Where appropriate, we can note their interest instead.
If you use subcontractors, what does it cost you?
Injury to a subcontractor can carry its own excess, higher than the standard one, so a covered claim can still cost you. One builder's policy carried a $2,500 standard excess and a $10,000 excess for personal injury "to any person engaged to work in any capacity whatsoever". That builder's claim is in our guide, if a subcontractor is hurt on your job, can you be held liable? We find that excess and tell you about it before any claim. What your subbie figure changes is in Why does my public liability premium keep going up?
Get cover that fits the work before your next job starts.
Call 07 3292 1111 and tell us about your trade. We can help you weigh up the cover, cost and restrictions against the jobs you take on.