Builder's Insurance: What to Check Before They Start
PremiumAround 80% of homeowners doing major building work are underinsured. What your builder must carry, how to verify it's genuine, and the cover gaps that could cost you thousands.
Do this first:
Your builder's mini-digger clips a gas main during trench work. The gas network operator arrives, declares the main compromised, reroutes it. Total cost for the emergency works: £856. The gas company sends the invoice to your builder. If your builder has valid public liability insurance, this gets handled. If they don't, that invoice lands with you, and you're chasing an uninsured individual through small claims court for money you'll probably never see.
That's a minor incident. A scaffolding collapse injuring a delivery driver. A fire in the partially built extension spreading to your roof, or a neighbouring property's ceiling cracking from excavation vibration. These are the scenarios that turn a building project into a financial catastrophe, and insurance is the only thing preventing it.
Most people assume their builder's insurance covers everything. It doesn't. Most people assume their home insurance carries on as normal during an extension. It often doesn't. The coverage gaps between the two are where real money gets lost.
This guide assumes you've already shortlisted builders using finding a builder and compared quotes using getting quotes and comparing. Ask for insurance certificates at the same time you request detailed quotes. Any builder who hesitates should be dropped from your shortlist.
Premium content — unlock with an Access Pass
This guide is part of the Kitchen Extension Access Pass. Get full access to every section — from planning through to completion.
Get Access PassOne-time payment. 12 months access.