Broker-arranged
Scaffolding insurance
Scaffolding is high-risk work with a licence to match, and insurers treat it that way. Here are the covers scaffolders hold, the high risk work licence rules Safe Work Australia sets out, and why a licensed broker arranges scaffolding insurance rather than an online quote.
- Public liability for height work
- Scaffold stock, tools and trucks
- One short form, then a licensed broker takes it from there
What insurance does a scaffolder need?
Public liability first, because a dropped standard or a collapse can injure people and damage property far below. Head contractors usually ask for $20 million. Then cover for your scaffold stock, which is valuable, portable and stolen from sites; commercial motor for the trucks that carry it; and personal accident for owner-operators who aren’t covered by workers compensation. Once you employ staff, workers compensation is compulsory.
Scaffolding sits in the high-hazard trades, so insurers want the details: heights, the types of scaffold you erect, your licence classes and your safety systems. That’s why it’s arranged through a broker.
Licensing: what Safe Work Australia says
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| High risk work licence | Scaffolding work involving a platform with a fall over 4 metres requires a high risk work licence |
| Licence classes | There are three classes of scaffolding licence: basic, intermediate and advanced |
| Below 4 metres | Work where the fall risk is 4 metres or less doesn’t need the licence, but a safe work method statement is still needed for work with a fall risk above 2 metres |
| Inspections | Scaffolds are inspected before use and at regular intervals, and after any incident or alteration |
Insurers ask for your licence classes and your inspection records. Keeping them current is part of staying insurable.
What’s usually covered, and what isn’t
Usually covered
- Injury and property damage below and around the scaffold, under public liability.
- Scaffold stock stolen from a site or damaged in transit, under a tools or stock policy.
- Trucks and trailers, under commercial motor.
- Owner-operator injury, under personal accident.
Usually not covered
- Work outside your licence class.
- Employee injuries. That’s workers compensation.
- Faulty erection you have to redo, in most policies.
- Fines from the regulator.
How to get scaffolding cover through us
Scaffolding insurance questions
Do scaffolders need a licence?
Safe Work Australia says scaffolding work involving a platform with a fall over 4 metres requires a high risk work licence, in basic, intermediate or advanced class.
How much public liability does a scaffolder need?
Head contractors and builders commonly ask for $20 million. Check your contracts before you buy.
Is scaffold stock covered by tools insurance?
Some tools policies cover it up to a limit, but scaffold stock is usually worth more than that. A broker insures it for its full value.
Can scaffolders compare insurance online?
Not yet. Scaffolding is a high-hazard trade, so insurers assess the details and a licensed broker arranges it.
Does public liability cover a scaffold collapse?
Injury to others and damage to their property from a collapse is what public liability is for, subject to the policy conditions. Redoing the scaffold itself usually isn’t covered.
Keep reading
More industries arranged by a broker
Sources
Scaffolders