INSURANCE MATTERS

COVERING ALL EVENTUALITIES

Christopher Bates, Divisional Director, Corporate and Commercial Division, UIB Group

With all businesses enduring uncertain times, the team at The Installer magazine thought it appropriate to remind kbb installers to ensure they have the correct insurance cover and therefore – peace of mind.

Protect your installation business…

There’s nothing quite as fulfilling as running your own business, but we know how tough it can be—especially within our trade. Whether you work in customers' homes or a business premises, you will no doubt work with dangerous machinery, sharp tools, heavy items and you’re exposed to wood dust etc. as you constantly strive to deliver to your customers your very best work. We all get that; your installation business is your bread and butter and you therefore need to protect what you’ve built.

Whether you’re a one-man-band just starting up, or a well-established firm with a van and employees, you need to tailor your insurance cover to protect your business, equipment and clients.

What insurance do I need for my installation business?

You can pick and choose from the covers below to ensure you build an insurance policy that suits your installation business, that way you only ever pay for the protection you need.

Employers’ liability insurance

If you have anyone working under your supervision, including full-time, part-time staff, volunteers or apprentices, you’re legally required to have employers' liability cover.

Professional indemnity insurance

If people rely on your professional expertise, they can claim against you if they think you’ve made a mistake or given them bad advice. Professional indemnity insurance covers the legal costs required to defend you, and if it turns out you’re in the wrong, it covers your compensation payments too.

Public liability insurance

Public liability insurance protects your business against accidental injury and property damage claims made by your customers, members of the public or people you visit. Van insurance -

If you use a van for work, van insurance can cover you and help keep you on the road. Don’t forgot accident recovery, roadside repairs and a guaranteed courtesy van are all useful business tools.

Own tools and equipment cover -

This will cover you for accidental loss, theft or damage to your own tools, plant and equipment – including your work tools, as well as any machinery, trailers, site huts or caravans owned by you.

My advice to installation business owners is to check your policy and ensure that you have the correct cover and are not paying for insurance you don’t need. Our business, UIB, is a partner of the BiKBBI and therefore has an innate understanding of installer businesses and has tailor-made packages for members. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any insurance requirements.

Why do I need insurance for my installation business?

Accidents happen every day and no matter how careful you are, they’re often unavoidable, and you could end up having to pay out a lot of money which come directly out of your own pocket if you don’t have the correct insurance cover.

Imagine that you’re fitting a kitchen in a customer’s property and you accidentally drop your drill on tiled floor damaging it beyond repair; your client will understandably be livid and demands compensation from you. Public liability insurance would protect you, it’ll pay the costs of the compensation for you, so you can focus on what you do best and get the job done. And remember, if you do have employees, you’re legally required to have employers’ liability insurance.

Check your policy and ensure that you have the correct cover and are not paying for insurance you don’t need. Our business, UIB, is a partner of the BiKBBI and therefore has an innate understanding of installer businesses and has tailormade packages for members."

touch is a

thing

With the wonderful Minerva 4-in-1 Electronic a touch is all it takes to deliver 100°C boiling, warm, cold or cold filtered water in an instant. Designed for a fast, flawless installation in as little as just 20 minutes, the Minerva 4-in-1 features our compact M-Box control box. This pipework tidying, space-saving unit can be fitted vertically or horizontally in customers’ cabinets. Now how’s that for a neat little touch?