Confirming the validity of public liability insurance

Cmdr_Bond

We're looking to employ a tradesperson.

He had provided us with his insurance certificate, it's a relatively new policy so we thought we'd check it out.

The insurer, Admiral Business has no current record, BUT... they told me the policy number I have is a brokers number.

I've tried to speak with the broker, Peacock. But they won't even confirm or deny a policy exists because GDPR!

They will only speak to the policy holder.

So how is one to confirm the insurance details are genuine?

user1977

You ask the insured to authorise the broker (or insurer) to talk to you.

Though not sure why it being a relatively new policy means you ought to check it out - I'd expect it to be annual cover, if anything a recent policy means it's less likely to have been cancelled.

tacpot12

For smaller jobs, I think you have to take the certificate on face value. For larger jobs, e.g. building a house extension or an extensive rewire of an up-market property, then you need to ask the tradesperson for more evidence. Ask to see their invoice from the broker, and something that shows they have paid the invoice.

At the end of the day, tradespeople can buy insurance to get the certificate, and then cancel it if they want to get some money back. There is very little you can do to detect this, other than to consider whether you really trust the tradesperson. However, public liability insurance is very cheap for tradespeople, so there is very little risk that they will have cancelled a policy that they have bought and paid for.

Another point here is that public liability insurance does relatively little to protect you as the customer. It would cover you for damage that the tradesperson causes to your property (e.g. damaging your furniture because they haven't protected it adequately), or if they injure you, your family, any visitor or passer-by through carelessness. It doesn't provide you with any protection against shoddy workmanship, them going out of business, or running late.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6656537/confirming-the-validity-of-public-liability-insurance

PL is not a mandatory class of insurance so there is no register like there is for Motor and Employers Liability.

The insurance is there to protect the trades person, you cannot force the trades person to make a claim or enact it. Unlike the above two there's no requirement for a certificate to even be issued.

When I have to confirm the existence of my insurance to my client I email my broker and CC in my client asking the broker to reply back confirming the limit of liability, deductible and expiry date. Thats satisfied them every 12 months to date.

Naturally they could cancel the policy the very next day and you would be none the wiser.

maman

When we were having building work done last year, I was confident that our builder was insured. They are a reputable local company who have done work for neighbours and work regularly with the architect and project manager we used.

However, due to the scale of the work, our own 'High Street' insurers wouldn't cover us while work was in progress. I went to a broker and took out specialist cover for the 6 months needed.

We don't know the scale of work you're having @user1977

Cmdr_Bond

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81895852#Comment_81895852

Thank you.

Yes, I'm aware that it's not a guarantee on their workmanship. But thank you for the clarification m

Cmdr_Bond

Because he said he already had it, but the certificate is dated after that conversation, suggesting he's taken it out BECAUSE we enquired.

maman

Apologies, it's @Cmdr_Bondwho is the OP but the brilliant Rich Editor won't let me delete my error.

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6656537/confirming-the-validity-of-public-liability-insurance

What reason would make you want to check if they had PLI?

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81895880#Comment_81895880

My certificate will always say the 20th May. If you ask me on the 18th May for a job starting in June then I will send you the renewal certificate because it's the one that will be relevant for the work not the one I have today.

It could just be a coincidence, it could be they bought it because you asked, it could be that and they are intending to cancel it as soon as you are happy. Ultimately if you dont trust them then look for another person.