Understanding Victoria Plumbing Licence and insurance requirements

So, you live in the great sporting state of Victoria and want to become a licensed plumber. Well, the good thing to note is that the training and qualifications for becoming a licensed plumber in Australia are the same regardless of which state you reside in and plan to do business in.

However, in Victoria the plumbing profession is administered a little differently when it comes to business insurance for plumbers. This means that you need to clearly understand and be aware of your plumbers liability and how to manage it

As the building and plumbing regulator in the state, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) oversees all matters regarding licensed plumbers. Victoria’s Building Act 1993 states that all licensed plumbers in the state must provide evidence to the VBA that they hold the relevant insurance before the VBA will issue or renew a plumbing licence.

In fact, in Victoria it is illegal to work as a licensed plumber without insurance cover as required by the VBA. As such, if you intend to offer your services as a licensed plumber in Victoria, it is essential that you understand the insurance for Victorian plumbers requirements.

Do you know Victoria’s plumbers minimum insurance requirements?

The VBA won’t provide insurance policy advice to licensed plumbers in Victoria, so you will need to do the research yourself and determine which insurance company you choose for your Victorian plumber insurance.

So, what are the mandatory insurance policies that you need to hold to operate as a licensed plumber in Victoria? As stated on the VBA website, at minimum, the Victorian Government requires licensed plumbers in the state to hold:

1. Licensed Plumbers General Insurance Order, which prescribes the minimum insurance required by all licensed persons (except those licensed in Type B Gasfitting).
2. Licensed Plumbers (Type B Gasfitting work) Insurance Order, which prescribes the minimum insurance required by all persons who are licensed in Type B Gasfitting.

You will need to hold both policies if you intend to be licensed in Type B gasfitting or any other class of plumbing. To obtain a Victorian plumbing licence you will need to provide an insurance Certificate of Currency as evidence that you’ll meet the insurance requirements.

Double check your Victorian plumber insurance details

With plumbers insurance mandatory for licensed plumbers in Victoria, the VBA has reminded Victorian plumbers to closely check the finer details of their plumbers insurance policy to ensure they meet all insurance criteria.

The VBA is wary that some insurance policies available in the market don’t meet the minimum insurance requirements outlined in the Ministerial Orders. In some cases, certain plumber insurance policies may also contain exclusions or limitations that are not permitted by the Ministerial Orders. When carefully reading over your insurance schedule and Certificate of Currency, ask yourself these key questions:

• Is the notation for general plumbing or Type B Gasfitting?
• Does the Certificate of Currency include the notation with the required wording?
• Does the notation’s wording match the VBA’s required wording?

If you can confidently answer ‘yes’ to these three questions, then your Certificate of Currency is fit to be sent to the VBA.

Once you’ve met Victoria’s plumbers insurance requirements you will be issued a VBA plumbing licence ID card. You are required to have your VBA plumbing licence ID card with you whenever conducting plumbing work. If asked, you will need to be able to produce your ID card, so ensure it is kept safe and sound and within easy reach at all times.

While you’re hard at it building your Victorian plumbing business, you don’t want to have to worry about your business insurance* springing a leak and leaving your business stranded. So let BizCover take care of that for you. We’ll ensure that securing your Victorian plumber insurance is a hassle-free experience. Check out our dedicated insurance for Victorian plumbers webpage for all you need to know about plumbers insurance for licensed plumbers in Victoria. Or call us on 1300 920 864 to hear how BizCover can help you protect your licensed plumbing business.