The world of plastering is varied, one day you’re crafting decorative ceiling features, the next hanging drywall in an office complex. You’ve worked hard to get your business where it is, so why would you risk seeing it crumble by not having the right insurance in place?
Read on to discover the key types of insurance you need to consider as a plasterer, and what you can do to prevent a claim from happening.
Don’t be a liability
Like most trades, Public Liability insurance is one of the important types of insurance you will need as a Plasterer. It provides financial protection for you and your employees if you cause accidental injury to a third party or damage to their property.
You may be the most careful of plasterers, but all it takes is for a client to trip over one of your buckets or ladders, injuring themselves for a claim to occur. Defending your case, negligent or not, could be enough to send you out of business. Or while on the job, contemplate the cost of accidentally breaking a client’s antique vase while carrying out repairs on their ceiling.
Think about the following scenarios:
Could your business afford to pay the legal costs to defend a claim and potentially pay compensation to the victim and still be able to survive financially?
Many contracts will require you to have your own Public Liability insurance before you even step foot on site. Make you sure you arrange your cover with the right limits in advance.
Some industry bodies will require you to have your own Public Liability insurance policy before being able to join
Cover your bits
Your tools of trade are vital to getting the job done and if you take the time to add up the costs to replace them, they would be worth a few pennies too. It’s a shocker of a thought, but how would you be able to keep working if you woke up one morning to find your ute broken into with your tools stolen?
Consider this…
Has your business got enough in the bank to replace all your tools?
Are you able to finish the jobs you have lined up? If you can’t complete them, the effect of losing jobs could have a bad impact upon your business reputation.
Luckily there’s an insurance for that, so you’re not left up the creek without a trowel. Portable Equipment cover provides cover for the repair or replacement for accidental loss or damage to your non-fixed business property items like your tools and also includes portable computers.
When arranging your policy, insured items need to be identified and valued on your insurance certificate. To help make things easier, it’s a good idea to take photos of newly purchased items and their receipts so you have a record of them in case you needed to make a claim.
This one’s personal
As a Plasterer, you need to be active on the job from climbing ladders to scaffolding, leaving you exposed to the risk of accidentally injuring yourself. Being off work without an income could end up costing you more than an arm and a leg. How could you keep paying your staff, your bills and get dinner or the table?
Protecting yourself from unexpected accidents and sickness with Personal Accident and Illness insurance ensures that you will still receive an income when you’re unable to pick up tools. It will provide 80% of your income up to $3000 per week, so you can rest up and focus on recovering.
Accidents don’t just happen at the workplace either, you could be playing a game of backyard rugby or a spot of DIY around the house on the weekend when disaster strikes. Your Personal Accident and Illness policy’s got your back, covering you even outside of working hours anywhere in Australia.
Safety first
Insuring your business is a smart safeguard you can take to protecting your business. The last thing you want is to make a claim or have a claim made against you, and by being aware of some of the risks you’re exposed to on and off the job, you can minimise the chance of a claim occurring.
Here are some things you can do:
Keep your work-site free from obstacles, make sure you don’t leave items lying around creating trip hazards
If your staff need to use specialised equipment, check that they have the right training and know how to use them. This could prevent an accident from occurring not only injuring themselves but causing injury to a client or their property
When required make sure you wear the required protective equipment like face masks, knee pads and helmets
If you do leave your tools in your car overnight, make sure they are out of sight from potential thieves and that your car is secured and in a safe place.
When you run your own business there is a lot to think about, plan and buy to keep it all smooth sailing. You want your business to be around for the long run, and protecting it from real life risks, is a wise move. A move that doesn’t need to be complex or hard and can be done in minutes over the phone or online, with your certificate of insurance emailed instantly.
