Renewing construction insurance is not just a “tick-box” admin job. It’s your chance to make sure your cover still matches the work you actually do, the contracts you sign, and the risks on site. A lot changes in 12 months: turnover increases, you take on new trades, you hire more labour-only subcontractors, you buy plant, or you start working on higher-risk sites.
If your policy details are out of date, you can end up with exclusions you didn’t expect, limits that are too low, or claims being reduced because the insurer says you didn’t disclose something material.
Use the checklist below as a step-by-step guide before your renewal date. It’s written for UK contractors, builders, and construction firms (including small and medium businesses) and focuses on the covers most commonly needed: Public Liability, Employers’ Liability, Contractors’ All Risks (CAR), Contract Works, Plant & Tools, Professional Indemnity, and related add-ons.
6–8 weeks before renewal: start gathering documents, review last year’s policy schedule, list changes in your business.
4–6 weeks before renewal: confirm upcoming projects, contract requirements, and any higher-risk activities.
2–4 weeks before renewal: get quotes, compare cover, negotiate terms, and fix gaps.
1–2 weeks before renewal: final checks, confirm evidence needed for compliance, and ensure no break in cover.
Before you do anything else, get the full set of documents:
Policy schedule(s)
Statement of fact / proposal form
Policy wording
Endorsements (these are often where restrictions hide)
Certificates (Public Liability and Employers’ Liability)
What to check:
Policy period dates (avoid a gap in cover)
Named insured (correct legal entity and trading name)
Business description / activities (accurate and complete)
Territorial limits (UK only, Europe, worldwide)
Limits of indemnity and excesses
Any warranties/conditions precedent (e.g., hot works rules, security requirements)
Insurers price and underwrite based on what you do. If your business changed, your policy needs to reflect it.
Update these details:
Turnover and projected turnover for the next 12 months
Payroll and wage roll (especially for Employers’ Liability)
Number of employees, labour-only subcontractors, and bona fide subcontractors
New trades or higher-risk work (e.g., roofing, demolition, basement works)
New locations or site types (schools, hospitals, heritage buildings)
Any work at height, use of heat, or structural alterations
Any design responsibility (even “minor” design can trigger PI needs)
Tip: Keep a simple “change log” during the year. It makes renewal faster and reduces the risk of missing a disclosure.
At renewal, insurers will ask about:
Claims (paid, outstanding, or declined)
Circumstances that could give rise to a claim
Near misses and incidents (depending on insurer)
Prepare:
A claims summary (date, cause, cost, outcome)
What you changed to prevent a repeat (risk improvements matter)
If you had a theft claim, for example, be ready to explain upgraded site security. If you had a liability incident, show updated RAMS (Risk Assessments and Method Statements) or training.
Many construction firms renew based on last year’s assumptions, then discover a new client contract requires different limits.
Collect and review:
Standard terms you sign (JCT, NEC, bespoke contracts)
Any client insurance schedules
Tender requirements
Common requirements to look for:
Public Liability limit (often £2m, £5m, or £10m)
Employers’ Liability (usually £10m in the UK)
Contract Works / CAR limits matching the contract value
Professional Indemnity (if you design, specify, or advise)
Indemnity to Principal clauses
Joint names requirements (where applicable)
Height/depth limits (e.g., work above 10m, below 3m)
Hot works conditions
Public Liability (PL) covers injury to third parties and damage to third-party property arising from your work.
Renewal checks:
Limit of indemnity (is it enough for your typical sites?)
Any height/depth restrictions
Exclusions for specific trades (roofing, cladding, basements)
Heat/hot works exclusions or strict conditions
Damage to property being worked on (this is often limited)
Vibration, weakening, removal of support exclusions
Use of plant (hired-in, owned, operator supplied)
Watch-out: PL is not the same as Contract Works. If you damage the work you’re building (or materials on site), that is usually a Contract Works/CAR issue, not PL.
In the UK, Employers’ Liability (EL) is a legal requirement if you employ staff. Many construction businesses also need EL for:
Labour-only subcontractors
Casual labour
Apprentices
Renewal checks:
EL limit (commonly £10m)
Correct wage roll / payroll estimates
Correct business description and trades
Whether labour-only subcontractors are included
Any work away from premises (sites across the UK)
Practical tip: If you use labour-only subcontractors, keep clear records of who supplies tools, who controls the work, and who provides supervision. Insurers may treat them as employees for EL purposes.
Contract Works (often within a CAR policy) covers the works in progress, materials, and sometimes temporary works.
Renewal checks:
Maximum contract value (largest single project you’ll do)
Maximum value of works in progress at any one time
Materials on site and in transit (is transit included?)
Off-site storage (if you store materials in a yard or unit)
Existing structures (if you work on refurbishments)
Handover and maintenance periods (defects liability)
Common underinsurance issue: Businesses insure for last year’s biggest job, then take on a larger project. If the maximum contract value is too low, the insurer can restrict what they’ll pay.
Theft and accidental damage to tools and plant is a frequent claim area.
Renewal checks:
Updated list of owned plant (make/model/serial, replacement cost)
Tools sum insured (realistic replacement cost, not book value)
Hired-in plant cover (and whether it includes continuing hire charges)
Any unattended vehicle restrictions
Overnight security requirements (containers, alarms, tracking)
Tip: If you can, keep photos and serial numbers. It speeds up claims and can deter theft.
Professional Indemnity (PI) covers claims arising from professional negligence—design, specification, advice, project management, and sometimes “design and build” responsibility.
Renewal checks:
Do you provide drawings, calculations, specifications, or sign-off?
Do you use subcontracted designers under your contract?
PI limit (often £250k to £5m depending on work)
Retroactive date (how far back you’re covered for past work)
Run-off needs (if you stop trading or change structure)
Watch-out: If you do any design responsibility, relying on Public Liability alone can leave a major gap.
If you supply products or install components that later cause damage or injury, product liability and “completed operations” exposure matters.
Renewal checks:
Does your PL include product liability automatically?
Any exclusions for specific products (e.g., cladding, fire safety products)
Any work involving critical safety systems (fire doors, alarms, sprinklers)
Depending on your work, these covers can be the difference between a manageable incident and a business-threatening one:
Contractors’ JCT/NEC contract requirements extensions
Non-negligent liability (JCT 6.5.1) where required
Legal expenses (contract disputes, tax investigations, employment disputes)
Personal accident (especially for directors/working owners)
Business interruption (if you have premises, storage, or a workshop)
Cyber insurance (if you rely on email, cloud systems, or handle client data)
A cheaper premium can hide a higher excess.
Renewal checks:
Excess per claim (and whether it applies per section)
Higher excesses for specific risks (theft, escape of water, hot works)
Any aggregate excesses
Underwriters are more comfortable (and often more competitive) when you can show you manage risk.
Useful evidence to have ready:
RAMS templates and examples
Health & safety policy
Training records (CSCS, IPAF, PASMA, SSSTS/SMSTS)
Plant inspection records (e.g., LOLER where applicable)
Hot works permit system
Site security plan (especially for theft-heavy areas)
Subcontractor vetting process
Employers’ Liability certificate must be displayed or made available to employees.
Ensure your business description and activities are accurate—misdescription can cause claim issues.
If you operate vehicles, check motor insurance and any fleet changes separately.
When you get renewal terms, compare:
Limits and sub-limits
Exclusions and endorsements
Conditions precedent (especially hot works and security)
Claims handling reputation and speed
Whether cover is “any one occurrence” or aggregate
If you’re unsure, ask your broker to provide a simple comparison table.
Before you confirm renewal:
Are the policy dates correct with no gap?
Is the insured name correct?
Are your key activities included?
Are your biggest contracts covered by limit and scope?
Are tools/plant sums insured realistic?
Do you have PI if you have any design/advice exposure?
Do you understand the hot works and security conditions?
Understating turnover or wage roll: can cause premium adjustments or claim issues.
Not declaring higher-risk work: insurers may exclude it or decline claims.
Assuming PL covers the works: it usually doesn’t—check Contract Works/CAR.
Forgetting hired-in plant: hire agreements often make you responsible for loss/damage.
No PI for design responsibility: a serious gap for design-and-build or specification work.
Ignoring endorsements: restrictions are often hidden in endorsements.
To speed up renewal, prepare:
Last year’s policy schedule and wording
Turnover and projected turnover
Payroll/wage roll and headcount
Claims summary (last 3–5 years)
List of trades/activities and any changes
Largest contract value and typical contract values
Plant/tools list and sums insured
Details of any high-risk work (height, depth, hot works, basements)
Example contract requirements (JCT/NEC or client schedule)
Ideally 6–8 weeks before renewal. Complex risks, higher limits, or unusual trades can take longer, especially if underwriters need more detail.
Insurers may adjust your premium at audit, and in some cases incorrect disclosure can affect how a claim is handled. It’s best to be realistic and explain any expected growth.
If you have any design responsibility, provide specifications, advise clients, or operate on a design-and-build basis, PI is strongly recommended. Public Liability typically won’t cover professional negligence.
Usually not. Damage to the works in progress is normally covered under Contract Works/CAR (subject to terms).
Labour-only subcontractors typically work under your direction and may be treated like employees for Employers’ Liability. Bona fide subcontractors usually control their own work, supply their own tools, and carry their own insurance.
Yes—just make sure your renewal is confirmed before the expiry date and time. If you’re changing insurer, confirm the new policy starts immediately as the old one ends.
If you want a second pair of eyes on your renewal, it’s worth getting a broker to review your activities, contracts, and sums insured—especially if you’ve grown, taken on new trades, or started signing more demanding contracts.
If you’d like, tell me your main trade(s), your largest contract value, and whether you do any design-and-build work, and I’ll suggest the most important renewal items to prioritise.
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