How to check if a builder is insured (and why it matters)

If a builder damages your property, injures someone, or a wall collapses mid-project, insurance is what determines whether that's covered or comes out of your own pocket. It's one of the few checks worth never skipping, however small the job feels.

The insurance that actually matters

• Public liability insurance - covers damage to your property or injury to third parties (including you) caused by the work. This is the one to always ask about. Most legitimate builders carry at least £1-2 million of cover; larger jobs may warrant £5 million+.
• Employer's liability insurance - legally required if the builder has employees, covering injury to their own workers on site.
• Contract works / site insurance - covers materials and work-in-progress against damage, theft, or fire before the job completes. More common on larger projects.

How to actually verify it, not just ask

Being told "yes, I'm insured" isn't proof. Ask to see the certificate of insurance directly - it will state the insurer, the policy number, the type and level of cover, and the expiry date. A legitimate builder will have no issue producing this; reluctance is itself a warning sign.

Two quick checks worth doing:

• Confirm the policy hasn't expired - certificates get renewed annually, and it's not unheard of for one to lapse unnoticed.
• If you want extra reassurance, most insurers will confirm a policy is currently active if you call them directly with the policy number - a genuine builder won't mind you doing this.

What about smaller jobs?

It's tempting to skip this for a small job like fitting a fence panel, but the risk isn't proportional to the job size - a minor job can still result in a burst pipe or a fall from a ladder. The check costs you nothing and takes two minutes.