BT Contractor Insurance Requirements

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Insurance guidance for contractors and subcontractors working for BT, Openreach and related telecoms projects – public liability, employers’ liability, professional indemnity and more.

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We work with leading UK insurers for telecoms & utility contractors

INSURANCE TO MEET BT / OPENREACH CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

  • PUBLIC LIABILITY LIMITS

  • EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY

  • PROFESSIONAL RISKS

  • DATA & NETWORK WORK

Why BT Contractors Need the Right Insurance

Whether you’re working directly for BT, via Openreach, or through a main contractor or agency, you will usually be asked to provide proof of insurance before starting work. This often includes minimum limits of public liability, employers’ liability (where applicable) and sometimes professional indemnity, motor and tools cover. Insure24 helps contractors understand the typical insurance requirements and put compliant cover in place quickly.

Typical BT Contractor Insurance Requirements

Core insurance covers commonly requested in BT / Openreach contractor and subcontractor agreements.


  • Public Liability – often with minimum limits (e.g. £2m, £5m or £10m) depending on activity.
  • Employers’ Liability – legally required if you employ staff or use labour-only subcontractors.
  • Professional Indemnity – for design, planning, surveying, consultancy or project management work.
  • Contractors’ All Risks / Tools – cover for tools, plant and equipment on site and in transit.
  • Motor / Commercial Vehicle – business use cover for vans and fleet vehicles.
  • Personal Accident – optional but often recommended for self-employed engineers.
  • Cyber / Data Liability – for certain IT and network-related roles handling sensitive data.
  • Higher Limits on Request – we can help match specific contract or framework requirements.

Common Risks for BT & Telecoms Contractors


  • Damage to third-party property such as pavements, buildings, cables or street furniture.
  • Injury to members of the public during street works or access works.
  • Damage to BT / Openreach network infrastructure or customer equipment.
  • Alleged errors in surveys, network design or planning and wayleave work.
  • Loss or theft of tools and specialist telecoms equipment.
  • Motor accidents while travelling between jobs or sites.
  • Delays in providing proof of insurance causing start date issues.
  • Non-compliance with minimum insurance limits set out in contractor frameworks.

Why Choose Insure24 for BT Contractor Insurance?


  • Experience working with telecoms, utilities and civil engineering contractors.
  • Policies tailored around BT / Openreach-style framework and subcontractor agreements.
  • Ability to place higher public liability limits where requested.
  • Combined packages – PL, EL, PI, tools and vehicles under one programme where appropriate.
  • Fast documentation so you can evidence cover to clients and main contractors.
  • Support whether you trade as a sole trader, limited company or through a PSC.
  • Guidance on aligning cover with IR35 and contractor working practices (not legal advice).

How to Meet BT Contractor Insurance Requirements


  • 1. Share details of your role – field engineer, surveyor, civils, IT contractor, project manager, etc.
  • 2. Provide any insurance clauses from your BT / Openreach / main contractor agreement.
  • 3. Confirm the type of work you do – street works, overhead works, cabinet work, IT/office-based, etc.
  • 4. We identify suitable insurers and match the required covers and limits.
  • 5. You receive a policy schedule and certificate suitable to send to the client or onboarding portal.

Contractor Roles Working on BT & Telecoms Projects We Cover

Insurance for a wide range of telecoms and network-related contractor roles.

Field & Network Engineers


  • Telecoms Field Engineers
  • Openreach Engineers & Subcontractors
  • Civils & Street Works Contractors
  • Cable Installers & Fibre Engineers
  • Cabinet & Exchange Engineers
  • Testing & Commissioning Engineers

Professional & IT Roles


  • Telecoms Surveyors & Planners
  • Network Designers & Solution Architects
  • IT & Systems Contractors working on BT-related projects
  • Project & Programme Managers
  • Health & Safety Consultants (Telecoms)
  • Specialist Subcontractors in the BT supply chain

I needed specific limits of public liability and proof of cover to work on a BT project. Insure24 understood the contractor requirements and had compliant documents with me the same day.

Lee M., Telecoms Contractor

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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What insurance do I need to work as a BT contractor?

Requirements vary by role and contract, but typically include public liability, employers’ liability (if you have staff) and sometimes professional indemnity, motor and tools cover. We can review any contract wording you have and help you match the requirements.

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What public liability limit do BT / Openreach contractors usually need?

Many telecoms and utility contracts require at least £2m or £5m public liability. Some frameworks and main contractors specify £10m. We can provide options at different limits depending on what your agreement states.

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Do I need employers’ liability if I’m a one-person limited company?

In many cases, yes. If you are a limited company, UK law usually requires employers’ liability, even if you are the only employee, and some contractor agreements insist on it as standard.

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Will my policy clearly show the limits and covers needed for onboarding?

Yes. We provide policy schedules and certificates that set out your covers and limits clearly so you can upload them to onboarding portals or send them to the main contractor or framework manager.

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Can I pay monthly for BT contractor insurance?

Yes – monthly payments are usually available through premium finance (subject to status), which can help smooth cash flow if you are working on short-term or variable contracts.

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