Many self-builders assume that if they use a contractor or builder, they would have their own insurance cover for the entire build from start to finish, but sadly, this is rarely the case. Your builder may say they are fully insured, but the likelihood is they only have a public liability policy which covers them if they cause damage or injury to a third party following a negligent act, which you would have to prove. Most builder’s policies don’t cover issues like storm damage, arson, theft of materials or plant, to name just a few — essentially all the uncontrollable things you do need to protect yourself against.
One substantial potential pitfall is if you are carrying out work close to your neighbour’s foundations. If work on your project damages a neighbour’s property, this won’t be covered by public liability insurance. You need to make sure you have a self-build site insurance policy to cover your whole build from plot to completion.
Why use Self-Build Zone for your self-build insurance?
- Expertly designed self-build site insurance policies, including public liability and employers’ liability as standard
- Personal service from our expert team, with over 20 years of experience
- Ability to cover most construction methods, including unusual build types such as ICF, Strawbale, SIPs and more
- In-house technical team who can facilitate your technical audit site visits to help streamline the self-build process
- Flexible site insurance policy lengths – cover available from 3 months to 24 months
- Standalone public liability insurance for your plot if you wait for planning permission.
Here’s what a robust site insurance policy should include:
- Comprehensive Property Coverage: Your policy should cover the entire property during the extension or renovation, even if it’s unoccupied for extended periods.
- Protection for New Works and Materials: Ensure the policy includes coverage for all ongoing work and materials until the project is complete.
- Tools and Equipment Coverage: Opt for a policy that protects tools, equipment, and other valuables left on-site.
- Employer’s and Public Liability Insurance: This is essential to cover injuries to workers or damage to third-party properties during construction.
- Structural Warranty: If you’re using a lender to fund your build or plan to sell the property in the future, a 10-Year Structural Warranty is essential. This is often a requirement for securing a mortgage and ensures peace of mind for any structural issues that may arise after completion.
Protect your Investment
Self-build site insurance is necessary to protect your investment when renovating, converting, extending, or building a new home. Our policies cover the new work, the existing structure, and the rest of the site. They protect against losses such as fire, theft, flood, storm damage, vandalism, and accidental damage.
Looking for a self-build site insurance quote?
When Should I Arrange a Warranty?
A structural warranty should always be arranged before you start on site (usually when you arrange your site insurance). This is because, for a structural warranty to be issued on completion, your project must be signed off by an approved inspector for the required technical inspections of the insurer. You should always opt for an ‘A’ Rated insurer.
Call the Self-Build Zone team on 0345 230 9874 or visit our website