You might already know a fair bit about insurance given that it’s super important for tradies, especially those working on building sites, but here are some things about insurance that if you don’t know, well now you know!
Vehicle Insurance
Make sure you check this one out pretty carefully – if you have private vehicle insurance, some policies don’t cover damage if you’re using your own wheels for work purposes at the time of having a bit of a prang. You might need commercial vehicle insurance for this one to be covered in an accident, even if you’re just carrying your tools to and from work in it.
Also keep an eye on who you let in the driver’s seat. If your mate has a suspended license or a DIC, you might not be covered if he backs into a car/fence/your other mate.
Sub-Contractors
Whether you are one or you’re hiring one, make sure you cover these guys under your business’ insurance policy, or get them to get themselves sorted. Your Public Liability cover will cover your own ass and the asses of your employees, but it doesn’t cover any contractor that’s hired so check if they have their own liability cover before letting them on site!
Claiming
Keep ahead of the game and always keep your insurance team (hopefully that’s us bro!) up to date with all of your new tools, vehicles, etc. It’s a good idea to send through copies of receipts, photos and serial numbers of any new gear you buy so it can be kept on file to make it a super speedy process if you ever need to claim.
If any of your sh*t gets stolen, phone the cops ASAP because this is usually a must when making a claim. We know you’ll want to rage and find the b*stard that did it, but that’s what the police are for. We just want to help you get your cash back and replace your stuff as soon as, so help us help you!
Contract Works
If you’re working on a new build, you need to make sure that you’ve got a Contract Works Policy in place so you’re covered if all your hard work goes up in flames. If it’s just a reno that you’re working on, the homeowners should have this all under control, but it pays to check it’s sorted by either them or you/your boss before you start working on it.
If the job is taking a sh*t-tonne longer than you thought, you’ll need to have the Contract Works policy extended before it expires – it doesn’t take long and it saves you having to start the entire process all over again.
As with any kind of insurance policy, make sure you know exactly what you’re covered for – or if it’s not your problem, the big boss will need to have it all sussed. You’ll either impress him or piss him off if you ask, but it’s good for you to know what happens if the sh*t hits the fan.
If you have any q’s about your insurance, Cactus is here to help! Just flick us a message and we’ll get you sorted.