Public Liability Insurance for Painters and Decorators UK

What public liability insurance covers for a painter or decorator

Public liability insurance for a painter or decorator responds to claims where the work causes accidental damage to a client's property, or injury to someone else, that goes beyond the paintwork itself. Typical scenarios include spilled paint or solvent damaging flooring, furniture or a neighbouring surface, or a fall from a ladder causing injury to someone in the property. The policy pays the resulting compensation and legal costs, up to the limit set in the schedule. It does not cover the decorator's own tools, brushes or vehicle, and it does not cover the cost of redoing the decorator's own work where the finish itself is unsatisfactory but no separate damage or injury has occurred, since that sits outside what public liability insurance is designed to address.

Why proof of cover is increasingly requested

Painting and decorating work almost always takes place inside occupied homes or working commercial premises, often around a client's furniture, fittings and belongings, which creates a meaningful property-damage exposure even though the physical risk profile of the trade is generally lower than structural building work. Commercial clients, letting agents managing rented property, and a growing number of private homeowners now ask to see a current certificate of insurance before confirming a booking, treating it as a basic marker of a properly run, professional business. Larger contracts, such as redecorating a block of flats or a commercial office, typically come with a stated minimum cover level as a condition of the work.

Typical cover levels for painters and decorators

£1 million is a common level for general domestic decorating work, with £2 million a frequent choice among decorators who also take on commercial contracts or larger residential projects. Cover above £2 million is less common in this trade than in structural building work, reflecting the generally lower scale of potential claims, though insurers still price the policy according to turnover, the balance of domestic versus commercial work, and claims history in the same way as for other trades.

Public liability versus employers' liability insurance

The two policies are often bought together but respond to different claims. Public liability covers clients and members of the public. Employers' liability covers the decorator's own staff. Employers' liability insurance is separate from public liability insurance and is a legal requirement under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 for any business that employs staff, including apprentices and casual or part-time help. The legal minimum is £5 million of cover for any one claim, though most insurers offer £10 million as standard. The HSE enforces the Act and can fine an employer up to £2,500 for every day it operates without valid cover.

What a standard policy typically excludes

Public liability insurance for painters and decorators does not extend to the decorator's own tools, ladders or vehicle, which need separate covers. It does not cover the cost of correcting the decorator's own unsatisfactory finish, such as uneven coverage or peeling paint, where this reflects the quality of the work rather than accidental damage to something beyond the paintwork, since disputes of that kind typically sit outside an insurance claim and are instead a matter for the contract between decorator and client, sometimes addressed by a workmanship guarantee.

Checking a broker or insurer

Public liability cover for painters and decorators is typically arranged through a broker or bought directly from an insurer authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. The FCA Financial Services Register allows anyone to confirm a firm's authorisation before arranging or renewing cover, and keeping a current certificate available to show clients or letting agents on request has become a standard, low-effort step for decorators working regularly in occupied domestic or commercial property.

Frequently asked questions

Is public liability insurance a legal requirement for painters and decorators?

No. There is no UK law requiring painters and decorators to hold public liability insurance, though a growing number of domestic and commercial clients now ask to see proof of cover before booking work.

How much public liability cover do painters and decorators typically need?

£1 million is common for general domestic decorating, with £2 million a frequent choice for decorators who also take on commercial or larger residential contracts.

Does public liability insurance cover peeling or defective paintwork?

No. Public liability insurance covers accidental injury or property damage beyond the paintwork itself, such as spilled paint damaging flooring. Dissatisfaction with the finish of the paintwork is a workmanship issue, not something a public liability claim addresses.

What is the difference between public liability and employers' liability for a decorator?

Public liability covers claims from clients or the public. Employers' liability, legally compulsory with a £5 million minimum for anyone with staff, covers claims from the decorator's own employees.

What happens if an uninsured decorator damages a client's property?

The decorator is personally responsible for the full cost of the damage and any related legal costs, which can be significant where furniture, flooring or fittings are affected in an occupied home.