Public Liability Insurance
Expert public liability insurance brokers for Australian trades, contractors and small businesses.
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What Is Public Liability Insurance?
Public liability insurance covers your business if someone is injured or killed, or their property is damaged, because of your business activities. It pays the compensation you’re legally liable for and the legal costs of defending the claim. Most policies combine public and products liability, and cover you at your premises, on clients’ sites and after the job is done.
Why Use a Broker?
Public liability policies look alike until a claim. The gaps that matter are in the wording: property in your care, registered vehicles, underground services, subcontractors and contract conditions. We compare wordings across insurers and set your cover against the work you do and the contracts you sign.
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Who Needs Public Liability Insurance?
Any business that deals with customers, works on other people’s property or operates in public spaces needs public liability insurance. We arrange cover for:
- Tradespeople and contractors: builders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters, landscapers, earthmovers and civil contractors
- Retailers and shop owners
- Hospitality businesses: cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars
- Event organisers and entertainment providers
- Cleaners and property maintenance businesses
- Fitness and sports instructors
- Consultants and sole traders who visit clients or have clients visit them
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What Does Public Liability Insurance Cover?
Depending on the policy, public liability insurance covers:
Personal Injury
Compensation and medical costs if someone is injured or killed because of your business, such as a customer slipping on a wet floor or a passer-by hit by falling materials on site.
Property Damage
Repairs or replacement if you damage someone else’s property, such as smashing a client’s window with a ladder or flooding a neighbouring unit.
Products Liability
Injury or damage caused by goods you sell, supply or install, or by completed work after it’s handed over. Most policies combine public and products liability, but check your schedule shows both.
Legal Defence Costs
Lawyers, court costs and investigation costs to defend a claim, even if you’re not found liable. Defence costs are often paid in addition to your limit.
Advertising Liability
Claims arising from your advertising, such as infringing someone’s copyright or misusing their advertising ideas.
Property in Your Care
Limited cover for other people’s property temporarily in your care, custody or control. Many policies exclude property you’re working on, or cap this cover, so check it if you handle clients’ goods.
People Covered
Your business, directors, partners and employees, and under many wordings volunteers and work experience students, while they’re working for the business.
Principals and Interested Parties
Cover for a principal’s liability arising from your work, and noting principals, landlords and councils on your policy as interested parties, which contracts and permits often require. Noting a party alone doesn’t always extend cover to them.
Request a Public Liability Insurance Quote
For immediate response please give us a call.
Our team continues to work remotely but you are welcome to arrange an appointment with one of our consultants.
Get A Quote
Complete the form to request a QUOTE. Call us at 1300 900 207 for an immediate response.
Do You Legally Need Public Liability Insurance?
Not every business is legally required to hold it, but many are. Some licences and services require it by law, and most leases, councils and head contractors require it before you can start work:
| Who | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Electrical contractors in Queensland | At least $5 million public and products liability, plus $50,000 consumer protection insurance, to hold an electrical contractor licence |
| Electrical contractors in Victoria | At least $5 million public liability to register with Energy Safe Victoria |
| Electrical contractors in Western Australia | A civil liability insurance policy for their work, under regulation 36 of the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991. The regulation sets no minimum amount |
| Electrical, plumbing and gas-fitting contractors in Tasmania | At least $5 million public and products liability (CBOS) |
| Licensed plumbers in Victoria | At least $5 million public liability, plus cover for defective and incomplete work, under the Licensed Plumbers General Insurance Order 2002 |
| Long day care, preschools and kindergartens, outside school hours care and family day care | At least $10 million public liability for approved providers and each family day care educator, under regulations 29 and 30 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, unless the service is covered by a state or territory government policy or indemnity |
| Erectors and supervisors of temporary structures in Victoria | Public liability insurance under the Building Practitioners’ Insurance Ministerial Order |
| Contractors and businesses using council land or permits | Councils commonly require $20 million, often with the council noted as an interested party, including for outdoor dining permits |
| Commercial tenants | Most commercial leases require a minimum limit |
| Subcontractors on construction and mine sites | Head contractors and site compliance systems commonly require $20 million before you start |
Requirements vary by state and trade, so we check yours before we quote. Even where it isn’t required, you’re still legally responsible for injury or damage your business causes, and without insurance you pay the compensation and legal costs yourself.
How Does Public Liability Insurance Work?
Occurrence Basis
Public liability is written on an occurrence basis. The policy in force when the injury or damage happened responds, even if the claim is made years later. That’s the opposite of professional indemnity, which covers claims made while the policy is in force.
Limits
Your limit is the most the policy pays for any one occurrence. For products liability, the limit is usually the total for all claims in the policy period, so one faulty product line can use it up.
Certificates of Currency
Head contractors, landlords and councils ask for a certificate of currency as proof of cover before you start. Noting them on your policy as an interested party records their interest, but doesn’t always extend cover to them. If they need to be covered by your policy, they need a principal’s indemnity extension or to be named as an insured.
How Much Public Liability Cover Do You Need?
Most businesses choose $5 million, $10 million or $20 million:
- $5 million: low-risk businesses with little public contact.
- $10 million: a common baseline for small businesses, shops and cafés.
- $20 million: the usual requirement for construction and civil work, mine sites, government and council contracts, and many commercial leases.
Your licence, lease and contracts often set the minimum. Check them before you choose, because the wrong limit can stop you starting a job.
How Much Does Public Liability Insurance Cost?
Every policy is priced individually. The main factors are:
- Your trade or industry: a roofer or demolition contractor costs more to insure than a consultant.
- Turnover and staff: more work and more people mean more exposure.
- Your limit: moving from $5 million to $10 million or $20 million costs less than most people expect.
- The work you do: heights, heat, excavation and work near underground services increase the premium.
- Claims history: previous claims increase the premium.
- Excess: a higher excess lowers the premium.
As a guide, public liability insurance starts from around $750 a year for low-risk businesses. Higher-risk trades such as scaffolding pay more.
Public Liability Insurance FAQs
What does public liability insurance usually cover?
Injury to people and damage to their property caused by your business, plus your legal defence costs. Most policies also include products liability and advertising liability.
How much does $10 million public liability insurance cost?
It depends mainly on your trade, turnover and claims history. Moving from $5 million to $10 million usually adds less to the premium than people expect. The quickest way to an accurate figure is a quote.
Do I legally need public liability insurance?
Not every business does, but some licences and services require it by law, including electrical contractors in Queensland, Victoria, WA and Tasmania, licensed plumbers in Victoria and Tasmania, and childcare providers. Most leases, councils and head contractors also require it before you start work.
Is business liability the same as public liability?
Often, yes. Some insurers, including QBE, call their public liability cover business liability. The term is also used more broadly for all the liability covers a business might hold, so check what a “business liability” policy actually includes.
Does public liability cover products?
Usually, when the policy is written as public and products liability, which is the most common form. A public liability-only policy may not cover injury or damage caused by goods you sell or supply, or by your completed work.
Does public liability cover my employees?
No. Injuries to your employees are covered by workers’ compensation. Your employees are covered by your public liability policy when a third party claims against them for something they did at work.
Do sole traders need public liability insurance?
Yes, if you deal with customers, work on their property or have clients visit you. Most clients and head contractors won’t engage you without it. See do sole traders need public liability insurance?
Does public liability cover hitting an underground service?
Yes, when you meet the policy’s conditions, such as lodging a Before You Dig Australia enquiry and locating services. See does public liability cover hitting underground services?
What Isn't Covered by Public Liability Insurance?
- Injuries to your employees: these are covered by workers’ compensation, which is compulsory if you employ staff.
- Your own property: your tools, stock, premises and vehicles need business or asset insurance.
- Professional advice and design: financial loss from your advice or design needs professional indemnity insurance.
- Fixing faulty workmanship: the cost of redoing your own work.
- Registered vehicles: these need motor and CTP insurance, except where a tool of trade extension applies.
- Contractual liability beyond your legal duty: indemnities and guarantees you agree to in a contract.
- Fines and penalties: including WHS fines, which can’t legally be insured in most states.
- Asbestos: excluded from almost all liability policies.
- Pollution: excluded unless it’s sudden, unexpected and identifiable.
- Product recalls: the cost of withdrawing or replacing faulty products.
- Cyber incidents: these need a cyber policy.
Why Businesses Choose Coverscope
- Access to dozens of insurers and specialist underwriters through the Steadfast network
- Experience with trades, construction, civil and mine site requirements
- Wordings compared for the gaps that matter, not just price
- Claims support from lodgement through to settlement
Call 1300 900 207 or request a quote online.
Related Guides
- Public Liability vs Product Liability Insurance
- Public Liability vs Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Do Sole Traders Need Public Liability Insurance?
- Common Misconceptions About Public Liability Insurance
- What Is a Certificate of Currency?
- Does Public Liability Cover Hitting Underground Services?
- Contract Works vs Public Liability Insurance
- Professional Indemnity Insurance
Get in Touch
Simply fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch shortly, or feel free to call and tell us about your specific requirements.
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Suite 10B, Level 10, 2 Corporate Court, Bundall QLD 4217
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PO Box 7005, Mount Crosby QLD 4306
Our team continues to work remotely but you are welcome to arrange an appointment with one of our consultants.
Please complete the form to submit an enquiry.
