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What insurance do electricians need?

Written by COVRA · Updated · Sources

Most electricians look at public liability, cover for their ute and tools, and workers’ compensation if they employ staff. Electrical contractors must hold at least $5 million of public liability to be licensed in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the NT, and Queensland also requires $50,000 of consumer protection insurance.

What electricians commonly insure.

The covers electricians most often look at. What applies depends on your state, your work and your contracts.

  • Public liability Injury to other people or damage to their property caused by your negligence1. Several states make it a condition of the contractor licence (see below).
  • Consumer protection Queensland only: at least $50,000, alongside public liability, to hold a contractor licence2.
  • Utes and vans Damage to your vehicle and to other people’s.
  • Tools and test gear Portable equipment cover. Most of these policies only pay for theft after forcible or violent entry, or if the gear was secured to the vehicle3.
  • Workers’ compensation Most employers must hold it1. The 2026–27 rates for electrical businesses are below.
  • Accident and illness Workers’ compensation doesn’t cover sole traders, who can take out accident and sickness cover privately1.
  • Home building compensation In NSW, for residential jobs over $20,000 that you contract for directly (see below)4.
  • Professional indemnity upcover says it can be relevant where electricians give advice, carry out inspections or sign off designs5.

Licence rules by state.

The insurance an electrical contractor’s licence requires, and how the regulator checks it.

  • Queensland At least $5 million public and products liability and $50,000 consumer protection insurance, in the business’s legal name. The policy must also cover testing and certification, faulty design work and incorrect advice (even if you didn’t charge for them), and goods in your care. You declare it when you apply and at each renewal, as the licence lasts a year, and the Electrical Safety Office audits policies2, 6.
  • Victoria At least $5 million public liability, in the name registered with Energy Safe, whenever you carry out or offer electrical contracting work. You declare it when you apply and show evidence when asked. Working without it is an offence, with a penalty of 50 penalty units for an individual and 250 for a company7.
  • Tasmania At least $5 million public and products liability, with a certificate of currency uploaded with the application8.
  • Northern Territory At least $5 million public and products liability for injury or property damage from the licensed electrical work9.
  • Western Australia A certificate of currency for public liability, issued in the last 30 days, in the name of the individual, partnership or company, not a trust or trading name. The licence page sets no minimum amount10.
  • New South Wales No insurance for the licence11. Home building compensation applies to some residential jobs (see below).
  • South Australia No insurance. The contractor’s licence, which also covers plumbing and gas fitting, needs at least $10,000 in net assets, and lasts a year12.
  • ACT No set amount. Before providing a service, a licensee must give the client evidence of the insurance it holds. Details on the work vehicle or in advertising can count13.

Homeowners, builders and head contractors.

Rules and contract terms that depend on who you work for.

  • NSW homeowners An electrical contractor who contracts directly for residential work over $20,000, including GST, must take out home building compensation cover in its own name before taking a deposit or starting. SIRA’s example is a company rewiring a duplex for $35,0004.
  • NSW builders When you subcontract to a licensed builder, the builder insures the whole project, so you don’t need this cover, whatever your contract is worth4.
  • If you don’t insure Penalties of up to $110,000 for a company and $22,000 for anyone else, and it may affect your ability to recover money from the customer4.
  • Head contractors upcover says many commercial clients, principal contractors and larger projects require $10 million or $20 million of public liability in their contracts5.
  • Unlicensed work Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office warns homeowners that an insurer might refuse a fire claim if the fire was caused by illegal electrical work14.
Costs

How much does electrician insurance cost?

Published figures from two online brokers’ own customers, mostly for public liability. A guide, not a quote.

Paid monthly $105 a month

Median public liability instalment. Most pay $96–$113. upcover, August 2026.5

$5 million of cover $439 a year

upcover’s entry-level public liability price, for about $10,000 of annual revenue. August 2026.5

$20 million of cover $577 a year

The same entry-level business with a higher limit. $10 million was $508. upcover, August 2026.5

Business insurance $95 a month

Average for electricians, 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. BizCover.15

Public liability premium a year: the median, with the range most pay as the bar. upcover, August 20265, 16.

Electricians, paid upfront Most pay $640–$1,343. The highest was $2,660.5
$884 median
Electricians, monthly plan Total over 12 months. Most pay $1,146–$1,360.5
$1,255 median
Plumbers, paid upfront For comparison. Most pay $546–$1,930.16
$1,070 median

upcover says Queensland’s required $50,000 of consumer protection cover adds an extra cost that most other states don’t have5.

Workers’ compensation.

The 2026–27 industry rates for electrical businesses in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

NSW, 2026–27

2.890%

icare’s industry rate for electrical services. Plumbing services is 4.390%17.

Victoria, 2026–27

1.864%

WorkSafe’s industry rate for electrical services, against an average premium rate of 1.8%19, 20.

Queensland, 2026–27

$1.727

Per $100 of wages for electrical services, against a target average of $1.34321, 22.

In NSW, the rate reflects the claims and safety record of all employers in the industry, and a premium starts as wages multiplied by the rate18. Employers there get a premium reduction for the wages of apprentices on an approved training contract23.

Real claims.

Claims published by brokers, and a decision of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). Every claim depends on the policy wording.

  • Knee injuryAn electrician claimed weekly benefits under their personal accident policy after knee surgery. The injury happened in 2021, before the policy period, so AFCA found the insurer could rely on its pre-existing condition exclusion. June 202424.
  • Solar inverterAn electrician in Brisbane damaged a $4,800 inverter during installation. The consumer protection part of the policy paid for a replacement25.
  • Electric shockA loose cable gave a homeowner a minor shock. Paid $12,000 in medical and legal costs25.
  • Meter box fireImproper wiring started a fire in an external meter box. Paid over $18,00025.
  • SplashbackAn electrician damaged a kitchen splashback while repairing a power point. Paid $1,42526.
FAQ

Common questions.

Is public liability insurance compulsory for electricians?

For electrical contractors in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the NT, which require at least $5 million, and in WA, which asks for a certificate of currency. NSW, SA and the ACT don’t require it for the licence.

What is consumer protection insurance for electricians?

A Queensland licence requirement of at least $50,000, on top of $5 million of public and products liability. The policy must also cover testing and certification, faulty design work, incorrect advice and goods in your care.

How much does electrician insurance cost?

upcover’s median for electricians’ public liability is about $884 a year paid upfront, with most paying $640–$1,343. BizCover’s average for electricians’ business insurance is $95 a month.

Does a higher limit cost much more?

In upcover’s entry-level figures, public liability costs $439 a year for $5 million of cover, $508 for $10 million and $577 for $20 million.

Do electricians need home building insurance in NSW?

Only as the principal contractor on residential work over $20,000 including GST. Subcontractors to a builder don’t, because the builder insures the whole job.

Are sole-trader electricians covered by workers’ compensation?

No. Workers’ compensation covers employees. Sole traders can take out accident and sickness cover privately, and those policies can exclude injuries from before the cover started.

What does workers’ compensation cost for an electrical business?

In 2026–27 the industry rate for electrical services is 2.890% in NSW and 1.864% in Victoria, and $1.727 per $100 of wages in Queensland.

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Who requires cover.

  • Sole-trader electricians Domestic maintenance, fit-offs and repairs
  • Electrical contractors Businesses employing electricians and apprentices
  • Commercial and industrial Fit-outs, switchboards and site work
  • Solar and specialist work Solar, batteries, data cabling and air conditioning

Covers electricians look at.

Our guides to the covers electricians most often ask about.

Public Liability Insurance Business Motor Insurance Professional Indemnity Insurance

Sources.

  1. Types of business insurance, business.gov.au
  2. Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld), section 165, Queensland legislation, 2026
  3. Guide to tool insurance for tradies, BizCover, 9 February 2026
  4. Insurance obligations for residential building work, SIRA (NSW), July 2026
  5. How much does electrician insurance cost?, upcover, 13 August 2026
  6. Electrical contractor licences, WorkSafe Queensland, 5 October 2021
  7. Registered electrical contractors, Energy Safe Victoria, 20 August 2026
  8. Electrical contractor licence, CBOS Tasmania, 20 July 2026
  9. Electrical contractor licence, NT WorkSafe, 13 May 2025
  10. Apply for an electrical contractor’s licence, WA Government, 23 September 2026
  11. Electrical work licences, Building Commission NSW, 23 June 2026
  12. Plumbing, gas fitting or electrical contractors licence (SA), ABLIS
  13. Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004, section 47, ACT Legislation, 23 February 2026
  14. Licensed electrical contractors, WorkSafe Queensland, 31 March 2025
  15. Electrician insurance, BizCover, 2026
  16. How much does plumber insurance cost?, upcover, 13 August 2026
  17. Workers compensation premium rates 2026–27, icare, 19 May 2026
  18. Understanding the WIC system and premium rates, icare
  19. WorkCover Premiums Order (No. 34) 2026/2027: industry rates (Gazette S 284), Victoria Government Gazette, 2 June 2026
  20. Industry rates and key dates, WorkSafe Victoria, 29 June 2026
  21. WorkCover Queensland Notice (No. 1) of 2026, Queensland Government Gazette, 26 June 2026
  22. WorkCover Queensland holds premiums steady for the second year, WorkCover Queensland, 26 June 2026
  23. Apprentice Incentive Scheme, icare
  24. Determination 12-00-1056955, AFCA, 5 June 2024
  25. Electrician insurance with activities in Queensland, Ausure, 20 March 2026
  26. Your guide to navigating public liability insurance claims, BizCover, 20 January 2026