Tools Insurance
Specialist tools cover for tradespeople from £8.37* a month.
- Owned Plant & tools cover
- Hired in Plant cover
- Overnight tools cover
- Join over 150,000 customers**
From £8.37* a month
What is tools insurance?
Tool insurance provides specialist protection for tools, equipment, and related assets essential for your work. You can include tools cover with one of our trades policies, simply select your trade when you get a quote.
It includes cover for owned tools, such as portable and power-driven equipment, temporary buildings, and caravans used in contract works. Offsite coverage extends to tools secured in locked, unattended vehicles. For hired tools, the policy safeguards against loss, damage, and legal liability for hiring charges.
Additionally, employee tools and personal effects are covered while on-site or under joint working agreements, with protection up to £500, when paired with Contract Works or Plant & Tools cover.
Make sure you have the correct insurance for your trade and be sure to check if any exclusions are relevant to what you have planned in policy documentation.
Public Liability
Employers' Liability
Contractors Works
Plant & Tools
Financial Loss
Public Liability
- Up to £5 million available.
Protection against claims from third parties (e.g., a member of the public) who suffer injuries or have items of their property damaged due to your actions. This does not include third-party property that forms part of the working contract site.
Claims for damage to property that is part of the construction or worksite itself are excluded under public liability. For instance, if the contractor is working on a site owned by someone else and the property forms part of the construction project, such damage would not be covered by this insurance. However, this can be included by adding Contract Works cover.
Employers’ Liability
- Up to £10 million available.
- If any employee suffered physical injury or a fatality because of the employer’s negligence. If that staff member sought compensation, the insurer would handle the cost of the claim.
- If you employ any staff members, Employers’ Liability is a legal requirement.
Contractors Works
- Up to £250,000 worth of cover
- This cover can protect you against loss or damage to any permanent or temporary works you’re responsible for, including all the materials.
Plant & tools hired
- Up to £50,000 worth of cover.
- Covers you for loss of or damage to, hired tools and equipment, temporary buildings, caravans, or similar that you have hired in connection with any contract works being undertaken by you.
- Cover also includes your legal liability for hiring charges following damage to any hired property.
Plant & tools owned
- Up to £75,000 worth of cover.
- Covers your tools and equipment, temporary buildings, caravans, or similar that are owned by you and used in connection with any contract works being undertaken by you.
Tools of Trade
- Covers your tools and equipment off-site if locked in an unattended vehicle, up to £5000.
- This is only available as an extension of plant & tools owned cover and covers your own portable tools, including power driven portable tools and business equipment, when kept in a locked vehicle and left unattended.
Employees tools & personal effects
- This covers tools and personal items owned by your employees while on any site, or those you’re responsible for under a joint working agreement.
- It’s not available as a standalone cover but comes with either Contract Works or Owned or Hired Plant & Tools cover, with protection up to £500.
Financial Loss
- Up to £50,000 per claim available.
- Protection from claims from other parties relating to financial losses not directly consequent upon bodily injury or damage.
- Cover for bona fide subcontractors, who should have their own insurance.
- Claims for financial losses relating to non or late delivery of products to third parties.
For information on exclusions in your cover please refer to policy documentation.
Why you need tools cover for your trade?
As a tradesperson, your tools and equipment are the backbone of your work. The last thing you want is to face unexpected setbacks that could put your livelihood at risk. You should also be aware of the rise in tool theft and may find our blog helpful – Protecting your tools as van break-ins surge.
Given the current climate specialist tools cover is essential—it protects you from costly delays and financial losses caused by events beyond your control.
Here are some other common scenarios where tools insurance can save the day:
Accidental damage caused to plant and tools you own or hire.
As a tradesperson you likely have access to specialist tools and plant equipment, to aid you in providing the work you are undertaking. These tools are frequently subject to damage and loss.
Without Plant and Tools insurance, you’d have to cover the cost of replacing these expensive tools, which could impact your earnings. However, with the insurance in place, the cost of repairing or replacing your tools would be covered, allowing you to continue your work without financial worry.
Protection for employee tools and personal effects.
If you extend your policy to include plant & tools cover or Contract works cover you can also include an add-on to cover your employees’ tools and personal effects, whilst on-site.
Tools cover when left in a locked, unattended vehicle.
Imagine your tools are stolen from your van whilst parked offsite. Not all insurance will cover this scenario, leaving you out of pocket and without vital equipment to complete your work.
With our owned plants and tool cover you can extend your policy to include theft of tools from an unattended vehicle in your cover, up to £5000.
Our experts explain why...
“Our Tradesperson insurance is specifically designed to cater for those involved in undertaking highly manual tasks and activities. We don’t just offer liability insurance for yourself and your business but also protection against allegations from staff members concerning accidents at work and we can also include cover for Contractors All Risks, which is designed to protect your material responsibilities when undertaking contracted work, cover for hired and owned plant and tools you use and cover for your staff’s tools. Our product gives you the confidence you need to focus on your specialist service, knowing that you have taken out cover that suits your needs and protects you, where you expect it to give you insurance protection.”
Chris Trotman, Protectivity Underwriting Manager
How much does tools insurance cost?
You can include specialist tools insurance in our tradesman policy, including owned plant and tools cover, protection from tools theft in an unattended vehicle and employees tools and personal effects, depending on the requirements.
What impacts the cost of tool insurance?
The cost of tool insurance depends on several factors, including the value of your tools, how they are stored, and the size or scale of your business operations—whether you’re a sole trader or managing a construction company.
Additional policy extensions, such as cover for owned or hired plant and tools, employee tools, employers’ liability insurance, or protection for tools stored in unattended vehicles or offsite, can also impact the premium.
Customising your policy to suit your specific needs ensures specialist cover but may influence the overall cost.
Prices from
£8.37* a month
Explainer Quote
Policy cost
£12.67* a month
Policy type
Builder
Duration
Annual
Turnover
Up to £250,000
Public Liability
Up to £1,000,000
Owned Plant & Tools
Up to £5000
Tools theft from unattended vehicle
Up to £1500
This example is based on a real quote from our website on 06/03/2025. If your circumstances and cover needs differ, your quote may be more or less expensive than the above example. The quote you receive will reflect the information you share about your event. The quoted price may vary from those displayed here.
What trades do we cover?
We can provide cover for a wide range of trades, request a quote to find out everything we can cover.
Trades covered
Our tradesman insurance policy covers several different types of activities. See our full list when you request a quote.
- Builders
- Bricklayers
- Carpenters
- Electricians
- Painters & Decorators
- Propety Maintenance (Handyman)
- Gardeners
Have a question?
For further information on your policy, renewals, making a claim and contacting us, you’ll find an extensive list of FAQs on our Help & Support page.
Why choose Protectivity for your tools insurance policy?
Let the reviews of over 3,500 customers explain why you should choose us.¹
Trusted by over 150,000 customers.
Experienced insurance providers for over 30 years.
Over 3,500 highly rated reviews.
Proof of our excellent customer service.
Experienced Claims Handling
A smooth and efficient claims process.
UK Based Customer Support
Our UK sales team are here to help.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Does the tradesman insurance policy cover me for working overseas?
This cover is meant for work in the United Kingdom, however it will allow cover abroad temporarily (max 25 days throughout your annual policy), for manual work in the EU and non-manual work anywhere in the world, in conjunction with your Business only.
Do I need insurance if I work from home?
Yes, you need public liability insurance to protect you against claims arising from accidental injury to a client or damage to their belongings.
Does your policy allow me and my staff to provide work using heat away from our premises?
No, not for the majority of trades available to be selected, with the exception of some of the builders trades, landscapers trades and electricians, where there will be an endorsement added to your policy, allowing you to undertake work away from your premises, subject to you complying with a set of conditions outlined in the added endorsement titled ‘Hot Working and Use of Heat Equipment away from your Premises Condition Precedent.
Can I include liability cover for subcontractors, who I use to assist my business?
This depends on your agreement with your subcontractors. Bona-fide subcontractors will have to have their own insurance cover and cannot be included on your insurance policy and in the numbers requested herein, you will be obligated to retain proof of their insurance. Labour-only subcontractors can be included on your policy of insurance, for work they provide under contract with yourself and your business only and should be included in the total numbers you provide in this application of insurance.
Are you able to cover the plant I use for my trade?
Yes, we can cover plant you own and plant you hire in. We have different sums insured that can be selected and the sums selected also have single article limits for plant you own and maximum hire charges for equipment you hire. Please also note that if you own or have hired a single piece of plant equipment that costs more than £10,000, when its not in use it is stored in a securely locked building of standard construction or is immobilised in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations.
What does Contract Works cover for trades?
Contract Works is designed to cover you for Damage and Loss to works whether permanent or temporary, to include materials used for which you are responsible for, being your property whilst you are undertaking works, not including tools, plant and equipment you own or that you have hired in for the works. We are unable to provide cover for materials and stock away from any contract site unless in transit and we cannot consider cover for contract works that exceed 24 months.
What items are covered under the Owned Plant and Tools cover?
The insurer defines this cover as contractors’ plant, tools and equipment demountable and temporary buildings and/or caravans and/or other items of a like nature and materials and/or stores and/or any other property of whatsoever nature used or intended for use in connection with any contract works. There are conditions and exclusions you need to ensure you adhere with, please ensure you take a view of these before proceeding further.
How much are my tools covered up to?
You can specify the total value of tools and equipment you require cover for when you get a quote.
Are my apprentice’s tools covered under my policy?
Yes, apprentice tools can be covered if your policy includes plant & tools cover or contractors’ works, then employees’ tools and personal effects will automatically be included. However, you’ll also need employers’ liability insurance if you employ apprentices or staff.
Can I add new tools to my insurance once the policy has started?
Yes, you can, as long as the total value aligns with the coverage limit you’ve selected and you can provide proof of ownership in the event of a claim.
Do I need to list every tool I own?
Yes but only when and if you make a claim under your policy of insurance. We do not require this to set up a policy of insurance for you.
Does tools insurance cover hired equipment?
Yes, you can select hired in plant cover, which covers:
- Up to £50,000 worth of cover.
- Covers you for loss of or damage to, hired tools and equipment, temporary buildings, caravans, or similar that you have hired in connection with any contract works being undertaken by you.
- Cover also includes your legal liability for hiring charges following damage to any hired property.
Cover does not include theft of hired tools left in an unattended vehicle unless on a contract site. Our Tools of Trade cover only covers theft of your owned tools from unattended vehicles off contract sites.
Are my power tools covered when they break down?
No, cover is not provided for mechanical and/or electrical breakdown, wear and tear.
What happens if my tools are stolen from my van overnight?
You can protect your tools from theft in your van, up to £5000, provided you have selected owned plant & tools cover and tools of trade cover.
Do I need tools insurance if I’m self-employed?
Yes, whilst not mandatory, having specialist tools insurance can safeguard you against expensive setbacks that might impact your livelihood. Depending on your needs, you can include cover for owned plant and tools, tools of trade, hired-in plant, as well as employees’ tools and personal effects.
This page content has been created for general information and should not be taken as advice.
*Prices quoted refer to a quote raised from our website 06/03/2025. Prices will differ depending on requirements. Make sure you have the correct level of cover for what you need. For the most accurate pricing, please get a quote and for full details on what is covered refer to our policy documentation with your quote.
** Based on Protectivity sales data from 2007 to Sep 2024
¹Based on live Feefo data