Public liability and tools cover built for painters and decorators, including protection for the client’s furniture and belongings while you work.
Public liability and tools cover built for painters and decorators, including protection for the client’s furniture and belongings while you work.
Paint & spray damageWorking at heightTools & equipment
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Painter and decorator insurance is a combination of covers built around working inside occupied homes and businesses, public liability for damage to a client’s property and belongings, employers’ liability if you have staff, and tools cover for your equipment.
Most claims aren’t dramatic accidents. They’re paint on a carpet, a scratched worktop, or a client’s possession damaged while you’re moving furniture to work around it.
Painter & decorator insurance can include:
Public liabilityEmployers’ liabilityTools & equipmentProducts & materials coverWorking at height (add-on)Business van insurance (separate policy)
Public Liability
Covers claims if your business injures a customer or damages their property.
Employers’ Liability
A legal requirement once you employ any staff, even casual help.
Personal Accident
Covers loss of income if a fall or injury stops you working.
Business Contents
Protects tools, materials and equipment kept at a workshop or unit.
Tools & Equipment
Covers your tools against theft from the van, site or workshop.
What could go wrong on a decorating job?
What could go wrong on a decorating job?
Most painter and decorator claims come from paint or spray damaging a customer’s fixtures, a fall from a ladder, or damage to furnishings you were working around.
Most painter and decorator claims come from paint or spray damaging a customer’s fixtures, a fall from a ladder, or damage to furnishings you were working around.
| Situation | Usually covered | Worth checking your policy |
|---|---|---|
Paint spilled on a client’s carpet or flooring | Yes, standard public liability | Third-party property damage |
A client’s furniture is damaged while being moved | Yes, standard public liability | Third-party property damage |
A fall from a ladder injures you | No, needs personal accident cover | Your own injury isn’t a liability claim |
A fall from a ladder or scaffold injures someone else | Yes, standard public liability | Injury to someone else is exactly what it’s for |
Top Tip
Public liability protects the people and property around you, it doesn’t cover your own income if you’re injured and can’t work. Personal accident cover fills that gap.
There’s no fixed price. It depends on whether you work at height, whether you have staff, the value of your tools and your claims history.
Interior or exterior work
Exterior and height work carries more risk than interior decorating.
Level of cover
Adding personal accident or a higher public liability limit increases your premium.
Number of staff
More employees increase your employers’ liability exposure.
Working at height
Ladder and scaffold work can affect your risk rating.
Value of your tools
More expensive kit and equipment means a higher premium.
Claims history
A clean claims record helps keep premiums down at renewal.
How to get painter & decorator insurance
How to get painter & decorator insurance
Getting painter & decorator insurance takes four steps: tell us about your work, choose your covers, compare specialist insurers, then get covered, often the same day.
Getting painter & decorator insurance takes four steps: tell us about your work, choose your covers, compare specialist insurers, then get covered, often the same day.
Tell us about your work
Interior, exterior or height work, and whether you have staff.
Choose your covers
Public liability, tools and any extras you need.
We compare specialist insurers
We search our panel of 20+ UK insurers.
Get covered and working
Receive your documents, usually the same day.
UK-based specialist advisersAccess to specialist insurersNo obligation, just expert helpTrusted by thousands of businesses across the UK
Trusted by thousands of businesses across the UK
From everyday business insurance to complex specialist cover, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to find the right protection and provide expert support when it matters.
From everyday business insurance to complex specialist cover, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to find the right protection and provide expert support when it matters.
Painter & decorator insurance guides
Painter & decorator insurance guides
Practical advice on cover, working in occupied homes and staying protected.
Practical advice on cover, working in occupied homes and staying protected.
The Hidden Risks Decorators Face: Why Public Liability Isn’t Always Enough
Running a painters and decorators business in the UK involves more than brushes and colour charts. From ladder accidents to damage claims, there are multiple risks that could affect even the most careful tradesperson. Many assume public liability insurance covers every scenario. In reality, relying on that alone may leave gaps in protection.
Insurance Questions Painters & Decorators Should Ask Before Saying Yes to a Job
For many painters and decorators in the UK, every job is different but the risks involved rarely change. Whether working in private homes or commercial buildings, a single mishap could lead to unexpected costs. Before saying yes to a project, it is wise to pause and ask: Is my painters and decorators insurance set up for this work?
Do You Need Insurance as a One-Person Painting Business? Find Out Today
Being a self-employed painter or decorator in the UK offers freedom, flexibility, and control. Yet working alone does not mean working without risks. From accidental paint spills on client property to ladder-related injuries, even one-person painting businesses could face situations where painters and decorators insurance helps protect against financial loss.
Painter & decorator insurance FAQs
Painter & decorator insurance FAQs
Straight answers on cover, client belongings, height work and cost.
Straight answers on cover, client belongings, height work and cost.
Painter and decorator insurance is a combination of covers built around working in occupied homes and businesses: public liability for damage to a client’s property and belongings, employers’ liability if you have staff, and tools cover for your equipment.
Still have questions?
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