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What insurance do tradies need?

Written by COVRA · Updated · Sources

Most tradies look at public liability, cover for their ute and tools, and workers’ compensation if they employ staff. Some trades must hold public liability to be licensed, and builders need home warranty insurance for larger residential jobs.

What tradies commonly insure.

The covers most tradies look at. What you need depends on your trade, your state and your contracts.

  • Public liability Injury to other people and damage to their property, such as a client tripping over a lead. Some trade licences require it (see below)1.
  • Utes and vans Damage to your vehicle and to other people’s. A private car policy may not cover a vehicle used for work.
  • Tools and equipment Portable equipment or tools cover. Many of these policies only pay for theft after forcible entry, or if the gear was locked to the vehicle2.
  • Workers’ compensation Compulsory for most employers in every state and territory. It doesn’t cover sole traders, who can take out private accident and illness cover1.
  • Home warranty Builders need it for residential work over a set amount, which varies by state (see below).
  • Professional indemnity Only for some work, such as hydraulic design in Queensland, and NSW registered building practitioners from 1 July 202743, 44.

Guides by trade: electricians, plumbers, builders and cleaners.

Licence rules by trade.

The insurance some trades must hold to be licensed, by state.

  • Electricians At least $5 million public liability in Queensland (plus $50,000 consumer protection), Victoria, Tasmania and the NT, and a certificate of currency in WA. No requirement in NSW, SA or the ACT, although ACT licensees must show clients evidence of any insurance they hold3–9, 45.
  • Plumbers At least $5 million public liability in Victoria and Tasmania. No requirement for the licence in NSW, Queensland, WA, SA, the ACT or the NT10, 11, 45–49.
  • Builders: home warranty For residential work over $20,000 in NSW, Victoria (contracts from 1 July 2026) and WA, $3,300 in Queensland, $20,000 in SA where planning approval is needed, $12,000 in the ACT and $25,000 in the NT. Tasmania has no scheme running yet12–19.
  • Builders in Tasmania $5 million public liability, plus evidence of contract works insurance, to be licensed20.

Workers’ compensation and subbies.

Who has to be covered, and when a subcontractor can count as your worker.

  • EmployersMost must hold workers’ compensation insurance, in every state and territory1.
  • Sole tradersAren’t covered by it, and can take out private accident and illness cover instead1. See sole trader insurance.
  • NSWLabour-only subbies can count as workers. A principal contractor can be liable for a subbie’s unpaid premiums unless it holds a signed subcontractor’s statement21, 50.
  • VictoriaSomeone is a worker unless they run an independent business that you don’t control and that doesn’t depend on you22.
  • QueenslandCompanies, trusts and partnerships are never workers. Individuals are assessed with four tests23.
  • WA and SAIn WA, a contractor paid for their personal manual labour or services may count as a worker. In SA, contractors doing building work or cleaning can count as workers24, 25.

Construction is Australia’s largest industry, with 478,651 businesses41. It had 17,600 serious workers’ compensation claims in 2023–24, with a median payout of $20,00042.

Costs

How much does tradie insurance cost?

Published figures for public liability, the cover most tradies start with. A guide, not a quote.

Trades and construction $598 a year

Typical public liability premium. upcover, August 2026.26

Sole-trader tradies, NSW $50 a month

Average public liability premium. BizCover, 2021/22.32

By limit, NSW tradies $44 to $84

A month, for $5 million to $20 million of cover. BizCover, 2021/22.32

Builders $143 a month

Average business insurance premium. BizCover, 2025–26.33

Median public liability premium a year by trade, paid upfront. upcover, August 202627–31.

Painter
$405 a year
Carpenter
$545 a year
Landscaper
$622 a year
Electrician
$884 a year
Plumber
$1,070 a year

Tools and utes.

Tools and utes are common targets for thieves.

Queensland, 2024–25

25,000+

Tools stolen, and only 1,283 returned to their owners34.

Victoria, 2024–25

$40.8 million

Of tools stolen from vehicles and properties, up 7.5%35.

HiLux utes stolen

1,165

In Victoria in the year to March 2026, the third most stolen model36.

Many tools policies only pay for theft after forcible entry, or if the gear was locked to the vehicle2.

Real claims.

Published claims from insurers and brokers, paid and declined. Every claim depends on the policy wording.

  • ElectricianA fire in a client’s ceiling. Paid over $20,00037.
  • ElectricianA client tripped over a lead. Paid $14,20037.
  • ElectricianA miswired switchboard. Paid $8,60037.
  • ConcreterThe site fence blew onto a car. Paid $6,04539.
  • PlumberA weld drip damaged a client’s ceiling. Paid $4,97238.
  • Roof tilerWater got into a client’s switchboard. Paid $3,20539.
  • ConcreterCracks appeared in a client’s pergola slab and repairs didn’t fix them. The claim for the cost of fixing the work was declined under the faulty workmanship exclusion40.
  • Steel fixerDriving home from a site, they were in a collision and the other driver’s insurer sought the repair costs. The public liability claim was declined under the vehicle exclusion40.
FAQ

Common questions.

Is public liability insurance compulsory for tradies?

Only for some trades in some states, such as electrical contractors in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the NT, plumbers in Victoria and Tasmania, and builders in Tasmania. Many clients and head contractors also ask for it.

How much does tradie insurance cost?

upcover puts public liability for trades and construction at about $598 a year, with medians from $405 for painters to $1,070 for plumbers.

Does public liability cover stolen tools?

No. Tools are covered by portable equipment or tools cover, and many of those policies only pay for theft after forcible entry, or if the gear was locked to the vehicle.

Does public liability cover my own faulty work?

Usually not the cost of redoing your own work, although damage it causes to other people’s property can be covered.

Are sole traders covered by workers’ compensation?

No. Workers’ compensation covers employees. Sole traders can take out private accident and illness cover instead.

Do subcontractors count as my workers?

They can. Each state has its own test. In NSW, a principal contractor can be liable for a subcontractor’s unpaid workers’ compensation premiums unless it holds a signed subcontractor’s statement.

When do builders need home warranty insurance?

For residential work over a threshold that varies by state, such as $20,000 in NSW, Victoria and WA, and $3,300 in Queensland.

Do tradies need professional indemnity insurance?

Only for some work, such as hydraulic design in Queensland, and for NSW registered building practitioners from 1 July 2027.

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Who requires cover.

  • Electricians Domestic, commercial and industrial electrical contractors
  • Plumbers and gasfitters Maintenance, new builds and drainage
  • Builders and carpenters Residential and commercial construction
  • Painters, landscapers and other trades Sole traders and small crews

Covers tradies look at.

Our guides to the covers tradies most often ask about.

Public Liability Insurance Business Motor Insurance Professional Indemnity Insurance

Sources.

  1. Types of business insurance, business.gov.au
  2. Guide to tool insurance for tradies, BizCover, 9 February 2026
  3. Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld), section 165, Queensland legislation, 2026
  4. Registered electrical contractors, Energy Safe Victoria
  5. Electrical contractor licence, CBOS Tasmania, 20 July 2026
  6. Electrical contractor licence, NT WorkSafe, 13 May 2025
  7. Apply for an electrical contractor’s licence, WA Government, 23 September 2026
  8. Electrical work licences, Building Commission NSW, 23 June 2026
  9. Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004, section 47, ACT Legislation, 23 February 2026
  10. Plumber insurance requirements, Building and Plumbing Commission (Vic)
  11. Plumbing contractor licence, CBOS Tasmania, 12 February 2025
  12. Insurance obligations for residential building work, SIRA (NSW), July 2026
  13. Domestic building insurance and home warranty, Building and Plumbing Commission (Vic), 1 July 2026
  14. What work requires insurance, QBCC, 1 August 2024
  15. Home indemnity insurance fact sheet, WA Government, November 2025
  16. Building indemnity insurance: what’s new, SAFA (SA), 2025–26
  17. Residential building work insurance, ACT Planning
  18. Fidelity fund certificate, NT Government, 2026
  19. Financial Assistance Package for consumers affected by construction failures, CBOS Tasmania, 27 July 2026
  20. Builder licence, CBOS Tasmania, 12 August 2026
  21. Subcontractor’s statement (OPT011), Revenue NSW, June 2026
  22. Understanding who is and isn’t your worker, WorkSafe Victoria, 2 December 2024
  23. Worker determination tests, WorkSafe Queensland, 9 June 2026
  24. Employer FAQs, WorkCover WA, 21 January 2026
  25. Who is a worker?, ReturnToWorkSA, 2026
  26. Public liability insurance cost in Australia, upcover, 20 August 2026
  27. How much does electrician insurance cost?, upcover, 13 August 2026
  28. How much does plumber insurance cost?, upcover, 13 August 2026
  29. How much does carpenter insurance cost?, upcover, 13 August 2026
  30. How much does painter insurance cost?, upcover, 13 August 2026
  31. How much does landscaper insurance cost?, upcover, 13 August 2026
  32. Public liability insurance cost for tradies, BizCover, data from 2021/22
  33. Insurance for builders, BizCover, 2026
  34. Tradies urged to lock up their livelihood as tool thefts surge, Queensland Police, 13 October 2025
  35. How to protect tradie tools from theft, RACV, 29 October 2025
  36. Most stolen cars in Victoria, RACV, 24 September 2026
  37. Electricians insurance, Ausure, 20 March 2026
  38. Public liability claim: plumber, BizCover for Brokers
  39. Public liability for property damage claims, BizCover, 4 September 2026
  40. Why insurance claims are declined, BizCover, 10 June 2025
  41. Counts of Australian businesses, ABS, 18 August 2026
  42. Key work health and safety statistics 2025, Safe Work Australia, October 2025
  43. Professional indemnity insurance, QBCC, 11 June 2026
  44. Update on amendments to building regulations, Building Commission NSW, 26 June 2026
  45. Plumbing, gas fitting or electrical contractors licence (SA), ABLIS
  46. Plumbing, draining and gasfitting licences, Building Commission NSW, 31 July 2026
  47. Plumbing and drainage licence, QBCC, 30 August 2021
  48. Plumbing contractor’s licence, WA Government, 20 April 2026
  49. Licensing, NT Plumbers and Drainers Licensing Board, 25 January 2024
  50. Deemed workers (table 4.2), Safe Work Australia, 2023