Demolition is one of the highest-risk activities in construction. You’re dealing with unstable structures, heavy plant, hazardous materials, tight urban sites, public interfaces, and strict legal duties. One mistake can mean serious injury, property damage, environmental harm, project delays, and expensive claims.
That’s why demolition insurance matters. It’s not usually one single policy—it’s a package of covers designed to protect demolition contractors, principal contractors, developers, and specialist subcontractors from the most common (and most costly) risks.
This guide explains what demolition insurance is, what it typically includes, who needs it, and how to choose the right cover for your projects.
Demolition insurance is a set of construction insurance policies tailored to demolition work—soft strip, partial demolition, full structural demolition, façade retention, internal strip-out, and enabling works.
Depending on the contract and the risk profile, demolition insurance can include:
Public liability insurance
Employers’ liability insurance
Contractors’ all risks (CAR) / contract works insurance
Plant and tools insurance
Professional indemnity (PI) insurance (where design, surveys, or advice are involved)
Pollution/environmental liability
JCT/contractual liability extensions
Legal expenses cover
Personal accident cover
The right combination depends on the type of demolition, the site conditions, the contract value, and the parties involved.
Insurers treat demolition differently from general building work because:
The risk is immediate and severe. Structural collapse, falling debris, and vibration damage can happen quickly.
Third-party exposure is high. Many demolition sites are in town centres, near roads, rail, utilities, and neighbouring properties.
Hazardous materials are common. Asbestos, lead paint, contaminated land, fuel oils, and chemicals can trigger complex claims.
Plant-heavy operations increase severity. Excavators, crushers, shears, and high-reach machines create high-value loss scenarios.
Regulatory duties are strict. Health and safety failures can lead to enforcement action, fines, and reputational damage.
Because of this, demolition insurance is often underwritten with more detailed questions, tighter terms, and higher premiums than standard construction cover.
Public liability (PL) insurance protects you if your work causes injury to a third party or damages third-party property. For demolition, this is usually the most important policy—and the one clients will ask about first.
Injury to members of the public (e.g., a pedestrian struck by debris)
Property damage to neighbouring buildings (e.g., cracking from vibration)
Damage to client property (where not excluded)
Legal defence costs
A section of wall collapses beyond the exclusion zone and damages a parked vehicle.
Dust and debris enter a neighbouring retail unit, damaging stock.
Vibration from breaking works causes cracking to an adjacent property.
A temporary hoarding fails in high winds and injures a passer-by.
Many demolition contracts require £5m public liability as a minimum, with £10m common on larger sites or public-sector work. Higher limits may be required near rail infrastructure, airports, or high-footfall areas.
Demolition PL policies can include restrictions such as:
Height limits (e.g., work above a certain number of metres)
Exclusions for certain methods (e.g., explosives)
Vibration and weakening of support exclusions or sub-limits
Heat work restrictions
Work near water, rail, or airports requiring prior approval
Always check the method statement and scope of works against the policy conditions.
If you employ staff (including labour-only subcontractors in many cases), UK law generally requires Employers’ Liability (EL) insurance.
Injury or illness suffered by employees due to their work
Legal defence costs
Compensation awards and settlements
Demolition work increases exposure to:
Falls from height
Crush injuries from plant
Silica and dust inhalation
Noise-induced hearing loss
Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
Asbestos exposure (historic and ongoing)
Most EL policies are written with a standard limit (often £10m), but the key is ensuring the insurer accepts demolition as an activity and that you comply with risk controls.
Contractors’ All Risks (also called Contract Works insurance) covers damage to the works in progress and, often, materials on site.
For demolition, CAR can be relevant where you are responsible for:
Enabling works
Temporary works
Partial demolition with retained structures
Site clearance and preparation
Any rebuild element under the same contract
Fire, flood, storm damage affecting the works
Accidental damage during operations
Theft of materials (subject to security conditions)
Existing structures: Many CAR policies exclude damage to the existing structure unless specifically included.
Retained façades/party walls: If you’re retaining elements, you may need specific cover and strict temporary works controls.
Contractual responsibility: Some contracts place responsibility for the existing structure on the contractor—this must align with insurance.
Demolition relies heavily on plant—often high-value and frequently hired-in.
Theft from site (subject to immobilisers, tracking, and security)
Accidental damage (e.g., rollovers, impact damage)
Fire damage
Transit risks (if included)
If you hire excavators, attachments, crushers, or generators, the hire agreement typically makes you responsible for loss or damage. A dedicated hired-in plant section can prevent nasty surprises.
Hand tools and smaller equipment can be covered under a tools policy or as part of plant cover, but insurers often impose:
Overnight storage requirements
Forced entry conditions
Limits per item and per claim
Not always—but many do.
You may need PI insurance if you provide:
Surveys or pre-demolition assessments
Advice on sequencing or temporary works
Design of temporary works (even informally)
Consultancy as part of enabling works
PI covers claims arising from professional negligence—financial loss due to errors in advice, design, or specification.
Example: You advise on a sequence that results in unexpected structural movement and additional remedial costs. Public liability may not respond if the claim is purely financial and not linked to physical damage.
Demolition can trigger environmental exposures, including:
Asbestos disturbance
Fuel spills from plant
Contaminated run-off entering drains/watercourses
Release of hazardous dust
Waste handling issues
Standard public liability often has limited pollution cover, commonly restricted to “sudden and accidental” events. Demolition projects may need:
Environmental impairment liability (EIL)
Asbestos liability extensions (where available and appropriate)
Waste carrier and disposal compliance support
This is especially important for brownfield sites and older industrial buildings.
Demolition insurance requirements often appear in:
JCT contracts
NEC contracts
Principal contractor / developer insurance schedules
Local authority tender documents
Typical requirements include:
Public liability £5m–£10m (sometimes higher)
Employers’ liability £10m
Contract works to full contract value
Indemnity to principal clauses (where required)
Cross-liability / severability of interests
Non-negligence cover (JCT 6.5.1 / 21.2.1 where applicable)
Professional indemnity (where design responsibility exists)
A common pitfall is assuming your “standard construction policy” automatically meets these clauses. Demolition often needs explicit acceptance and endorsements.
To get competitive terms, expect insurers to ask about:
Types of demolition (soft strip, structural, high-reach, partial)
Maximum height of structures demolished
Use of explosives (often excluded)
Work near rail, water, highways, or airports
Percentage of work that is demolition vs general construction
Asbestos procedures and licensed contractors used
Dust, noise, and vibration controls
Temporary works design and sign-off
Site security (CCTV, hoarding, alarms, immobilisers, tracking)
Claims history and risk management improvements
The more clearly you can evidence controls, the more likely you are to secure broader cover and better pricing.
Insurers love practical risk controls. For demolition, the most persuasive ones include:
Detailed RAMS: Risk assessments and method statements tailored to each site.
Pre-demolition surveys: Structural surveys, asbestos surveys, utilities mapping.
Exclusion zones and traffic management: Clear signage, marshals, pedestrian routes.
Vibration monitoring: Especially near sensitive neighbouring structures.
Dust suppression: Water suppression, sheeting, negative pressure where needed.
Competence evidence: Training records, CPCS/NPORS, supervisor qualifications.
Plant controls: Daily checks, maintenance logs, attachments inspected.
Waste management: Segregation, licensed carriers, documented disposal.
These don’t just help with insurance—they help you win contracts.
When comparing policies, don’t just look at the premium. Focus on:
Whether demolition is explicitly included in the business description
Any height limits, method restrictions, or special conditions
Vibration/weakening of support cover (or exclusions)
Cover for work in basements, confined spaces, or near water
Treatment of labour-only subcontractors under EL
Hired-in plant responsibilities and limits
Contract works: existing structures, retained façades, and temporary works
Claims handling support and construction expertise
A specialist broker can help you align cover with your contracts and avoid gaps that only appear when a claim lands.
Sometimes, but often only for minor strip-out. Many “builders” policies exclude structural demolition or apply strict limits. Always confirm demolition is accepted.
Typically public liability, employers’ liability, and tools/plant cover. If you’re responsible for parts of the structure or temporary works, consider contract works cover.
Yes. Principal contractors will usually require your own PL and EL, plus evidence of plant cover if you bring equipment on site.
Not always. The building may be considered “property in your care, custody, or control” and excluded. Contract works or specific endorsements may be needed.
Commonly £5m or £10m, but higher limits may be required depending on location, contract size, and third-party exposure.
Asbestos removal is specialist and tightly controlled. Some insurers will only cover it if you use licensed subcontractors and follow strict procedures. Always disclose asbestos exposure.
Not always. Many policies need hired-in plant added as a specific section with its own limit.
Public liability covers injury/damage to third parties. Contract works covers damage to the works/materials you’re responsible for under the contract.
Demolition insurance is about more than ticking a box for a tender. It’s a critical part of protecting your business against high-severity claims—especially where you’re working near the public, neighbouring properties, or sensitive infrastructure.
If you’re taking on demolition work—whether soft strip, partial demolition, or full structural demolition—make sure your insurance reflects the real risk profile of your jobs, your contract obligations, and the way you actually operate on site.
Need a demolition insurance quote? Speak to a specialist broker who understands demolition, construction contracts, and the UK regulatory environment—so you can get the right cover without nasty exclusions.
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