You need insurance for contract works if you want to insure the actual works taking place during your building project.

As with any professional or DIY renovation, the potential costs of anything major going wrong can be high – even project-ending. From something as simple as a bad storm damaging your works to construction materials being stolen, building in the ability to rebound from setbacks is a crucial part of preparation for property renovation.

Without the right insurance for contract works, you or your contractor may not be able to afford the repair works, particularly since many tradespeople are only covered for public liability. That’s where our Contract Works Insurance policy gives homeowners like you some much-needed peace of mind and financial security for any project.

But won’t my contractor cover the work?

Contractors’ policies can sometimes include limitations or exclusions that they’re not aware of – such as restrictions on certain types of work or overall annual project limits that could be exceeded without notice.

If you opt for our Premier Plus, ‘All Risks’ cover, you’ll experience even greater protection and control, while minimising gaps in cover. We’ll build your policy around all the unique features of your renovation. And you stay in control of the policy at every stage. This avoids scenarios where a contractor’s policy quietly lapses or isn’t renewed, ensuring you never face unexpected gaps in cover.

Your Contract Works Insurance cost depends on the size, duration, and complexity of your project. Factors like the overall project value, existing structure rebuild cost, and any optional extras you choose will influence the premium. Because every renovation is unique, the best way to find out is to request a tailored contract works insurance quote based on your project details.

No, these two covers are completely different.

Insurance for contract works covers property owners for the works being undertaken on their project. This is taken out on a project-by-project basis.

Contractors’ All Risks Insurance is an annual policy which covers contractors for multiple projects that they work on throughout the year.

No, they are completely different types of cover.

Contract Works Insurance cover protects the physical works on your renovation or building project against risks like fire, theft, or storm damage while construction is underway. Professional indemnity insurance, on the other hand, covers professionals against claims for negligence, errors, or omissions in their advice or services.

If you’re managing a renovation, you’ll typically need contract works insurance for the works themselves, not professional indemnity.

Yes, in most cases you’ll need both types of cover because they protect different things. Contract Works Insurance covers the actual building works during your project, while Renovation Insurance protects the existing structure and sometimes contents. If you work with a specialist provider, you can often combine both into one policy for convenience and full protection.

Yes, we can extend your contract works insurance policy month by month, calculated on a pro-rata basis. Don’t worry; we understand that plans don’t always run to schedule, so we’ll be in touch before your policy expires to see if you need an extension.

You need to let us know of any increases in the contract works and we’ll date back the extra premium to the initial start date, to make sure your project has the full cover from start to finish.

Yes, we can still cover the main home. If your contractor has enough contract works insurance (i.e. their project value matches or exceeds your project value) then we can restrict the cover on the contract works to a contingency basis only. This would result in the builder being the first point of contact for any claims relating to the works and your premium going down. Just get in touch with us if you have any questions.

If you’re planning on refurbishing a flat you own, we can offer contract works-only policies. Just make sure you check with the freeholder about any restrictions that might be applied by their building insurer.