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METAL FABRICATION & ENGINEERING INSURANCE THAT HELPS YOU TAKE OFF
Specialist Insurance for Metal Fabricators Across the UK
Metal fabrication is a high-risk, high-skill industry. Whether you’re cutting, welding, machining, forming, bending, or assembling structural components, you’re working with heat, heavy materials, machinery, and strict delivery deadlines. A single fire, equipment breakdown, or liability claim can cause costly delays and significant financial strain.
Insure24 arranges tailored Metal Fabrication & Engineering Insurance for UK businesses ranging from small fabrication workshops to multi-site engineering manufacturers. We structure cover to protect your premises, plant and machinery, stock, staff, contracts, and third-party liabilities — so you can focus on production and delivery with confidence.
Why Metal Fabrication Insurance Matters
Fabrication and engineering businesses face a unique combination of hazards: hot works, sparks and combustible dust, fork-lift traffic, heavy lifting, high-value CNC machinery, and complex client contracts. Many jobs are bespoke, time-critical, and supplied into larger construction or manufacturing supply chains — increasing the impact of delays, defects, or third-party claims.
The right insurance programme doesn’t just “tick a box” — it helps protect your balance sheet, supports contractual compliance, and provides a safety net if an unexpected incident disrupts your operations.
Who This Metal Fabrication Insurance Is For
We arrange cover for a wide range of metalworking, fabrication, and engineering operations. If you work with steel, aluminium, stainless steel, brass, copper, or specialist alloys, we can tailor an insurance package around your processes and risk profile.
- General metal fabrication workshops
- Structural steel fabricators and manufacturers
- Sheet metal fabrication and forming
- Welding and coded welding operations
- Laser, plasma and waterjet cutting businesses
- Machining and CNC milling/turning workshops
- Handrail, stair, balustrade and architectural metalwork
- Gates, railings and security fabrication
- Industrial fabrication and plant maintenance engineering
- OEM component manufacturing and sub-assemblies
- Agricultural and quarrying attachments / buckets
- Pressure-rated parts and specialist engineering
- Powder coating and finishing (where applicable)
- Prototype manufacturing and one-off builds
- On-site fitting / installation alongside manufacture
- Exporting fabrication and engineering businesses
Core Covers for Metal Fabrication & Engineering
Metal fabrication insurance is typically arranged as a tailored package combining property cover, business interruption, liability insurance, and optional specialist covers. The exact structure depends on your workshop setup, processes, contract terms, and turnover.
Property, Buildings & Contents
Covers your premises, office contents, and workshop equipment against insured events such as fire, theft, storm, flood, and accidental damage. Fabrication risks often require careful underwriting due to hot works, flammable materials, and high fire load.
- Buildings (owned premises) and trade fixtures
- Contents, office equipment and IT
- Tools, benches, racking and storage
- Optional cover for accidental damage
Stock, Materials & Work-in-Progress
Fabrication businesses often hold valuable raw materials (sheet, bar, tube), plus part-built assemblies and finished items awaiting collection or delivery. Cover can be arranged for stock, consumables, and work-in-progress to protect cashflow and production continuity.
- Raw materials (steel, stainless, aluminium, etc.)
- Part-fabricated projects and bespoke builds
- Finished goods awaiting dispatch
- Optional cover for customer materials in your care
Plant & Machinery / Engineering Equipment
CNC machinery, press brakes, guillotines, rollers, welding sets, extraction systems, forklifts and cranes represent significant investment. Insurance can cover sudden loss or damage, and can be extended to include breakdown where appropriate.
- CNC machines, lathes, mills and machining centres
- Press brakes, guillotines, rollers and forming machines
- Welding sets, compressors and extraction equipment
- Forklifts, hoists and workshop lifting gear (where insurable)
Machinery Breakdown & Business Interruption
If key equipment fails, production stops. Machinery breakdown cover can respond to sudden and unforeseen failure, while business interruption insurance can cover loss of gross profit and increased costs of working after insured damage or breakdown (subject to policy terms).
- Repair or replacement of critical equipment
- Loss of income following insured events
- Overtime, temporary hire and subcontracting costs
- Indemnity periods aligned to your lead times
Liability Insurance for Fabrication & Engineering Businesses
Metal fabrication businesses frequently face third-party exposure: visitors to your premises, delivery drivers, subcontractors, on-site installations, and end-users of fabricated products. Liability insurance is crucial — particularly when supplying into construction, utilities, industrial plant, or OEM supply chains.
Employers’ Liability (Required in the UK)
If you employ staff (including apprentices and many labour-only arrangements), Employers’ Liability is typically a legal requirement. It covers claims arising from employee injury or illness connected with work activities.
- Injury from machinery, lifting and material handling
- Welding fume exposure and respiratory risks
- Noise-induced hearing loss
- Slips, trips and workplace accidents
Public Liability
Public liability covers claims from third parties for injury or property damage arising from your business activities. This is essential if customers visit your site, or if you deliver, install, or work on client premises.
- Damage caused during site visits or installation
- Injury to visitors at your workshop
- Damage from sparks, hot works, or tools on-site
- Contractual requirements from main contractors
Products Liability
If you manufacture, supply, or fabricate items that are installed or used by others, products liability is vital. Claims can arise from defects, weld failure, incorrect tolerances, or design/spec errors where responsibility rests with you.
- Fabricated parts failing and causing damage or injury
- Structural components not meeting specification
- Batch issues (multiple units supplied)
- Worldwide exports (if required)
Professional Indemnity (Where Design/Advice Applies)
Many engineering firms provide design input, drawings, tolerances, calculations, or technical advice. If you’re responsible for design elements (not just “build to print”), professional indemnity may be essential.
- Claims for financial loss due to design/spec errors
- Errors in drawings, measurements or tolerances
- Misinterpretation of client requirements
- Contractual demands for PI cover
Common Risks in Metal Fabrication
- Hot works (welding, grinding, cutting) and fire exposure
- Machinery accidents and tool-related injuries
- Forklift impacts, yard risks and loading incidents
- Theft of tools, metals and high-value materials
- Damage to customer-supplied materials in your care
- Project delays due to breakdown or supply chain disruption
- Quality disputes and tolerance failures
- On-site installation risks and third-party property damage
- Contractual penalties and liquidated damages exposure
- Defective welds / fatigue failure leading to claims
- Hazardous substances (fumes, solvents, paints) where applicable
- Power outages and equipment calibration issues
- Cyber risk (CAD files, drawings, client specs, invoices)
- Transport risks (goods in transit, loading/unloading)
- Environmental incidents (spillage, contamination) in some operations
- Uninsured under-declared sums insured and stock values
Optional Covers for Metal Fabricators
Depending on your contracts and operations, you may benefit from additional covers that extend protection beyond a standard package policy. We’ll help you select options based on the real-world risks you face.
Tools, Equipment & Hired-In Plant
- Portable tools (theft and accidental damage options)
- Hired-in plant / machinery (if required by hire terms)
- Owned plant used away from the premises (where applicable)
- Calibration and specialist tooling exposure
Goods in Transit & Contract Works
- Goods in transit (own vehicles or carriers)
- Loading/unloading risks
- Contract works / installation risks (if fitting on-site)
- Overseas exports and international deliveries (if needed)
Management Liability & Legal Expenses
- Directors’ & Officers / management liability (optional)
- Employment disputes and HR issues
- Tax investigations (optional extensions)
- Commercial legal expenses support
Cyber & Data Protection
- Cover for ransomware, cyber extortion and recovery costs
- Business interruption following cyber incidents
- Data breach response (client drawings/specs, employee data)
- Invoice fraud / business email compromise options
Risk Management Tips to Reduce Premiums
Insurers look closely at fire controls, hot works procedures, housekeeping, and security in fabrication environments. Improving risk management can reduce claims and help keep premiums competitive.
Fire & Hot Works Controls
- Formal hot works procedure and permits
- Fire watchers and cooling-off periods where appropriate
- Clear separation of combustibles from welding areas
- Maintained extinguishers and suitable fire detection
Security & Theft Prevention
- Alarm and CCTV covering yard, stores and entrances
- Secure metal storage (especially copper/alloys)
- Key control and access management
- Vehicle/loader keys removed and stored securely
Machinery Maintenance
- Planned preventative maintenance schedules
- Inspection logs for lifting equipment and cranes
- PAT testing and electrical safety checks
- Calibration records for critical measurement tools
Quality & Contractual Protection
- Clear purchase orders and scope control
- Documented checks, weld procedures and traceability
- Agreed tolerances and sign-off processes
- Prudent terms for limitation of liability where possible
How to Get Metal Fabrication Insurance
We keep the process straightforward while ensuring insurers get the right information to quote accurately. Where required, we’ll help you present your risk in the best possible light (including risk controls, housekeeping, and business continuity planning).
- 1. Tell us about your fabrication processes and premises
- 2. We identify key exposures (hot works, machinery, contracts, products)
- 3. We compare suitable insurers and negotiate terms
- 4. Choose cover limits and optional add-ons
- 5. Bind cover and receive documentation
- Turnover, contract values and key clients
- Details of machinery, sums insured and stock values
- Any on-site installation or contract works exposure
- Claims history and risk management controls
- Export territories (if applicable)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What does metal fabrication insurance typically include?
Metal fabrication insurance is usually a tailored package combining property (buildings/contents),
stock and work-in-progress, employers’ liability, public/products liability, and business interruption.
Optional covers can include machinery breakdown, professional indemnity, goods in transit, tools cover,
and contract works if you install on-site.
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Do fabricators need products liability insurance?
If you supply fabricated items that will be installed or used by others, products liability is strongly recommended.
It helps protect against claims where a defect, failure, or alleged fault in your supplied product causes
injury or property damage.
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Is employers’ liability legally required in the UK?
In most cases, yes — if you employ staff, employers’ liability is typically a legal requirement.
It covers claims arising from employee injury or illness linked to work activities such as welding,
cutting, lifting, and machinery operation.
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Can you cover CNC machinery and equipment breakdown?
Yes. Cover can be arranged for CNC machines, press brakes, guillotines, extraction systems, compressors,
and other key workshop equipment. Machinery breakdown cover can help respond to sudden and unforeseen failure,
and can be combined with business interruption to protect revenue after a major breakdown.
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Does the policy cover hot works and welding risks?
Fabrication risks are commonly insurable, including welding and hot works, but insurers will want to understand
your controls (e.g., hot works procedures, housekeeping, extraction, fire protection and storage of combustibles).
Accurate disclosure helps ensure suitable cover and fair terms.
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What if we install fabricated items on-site?
If you also install or fit fabricated items at client sites, you may need additional cover such as contract works,
tools away from premises, and a public liability policy that specifically includes off-site work. We’ll tailor
the programme to include these exposures where needed.
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Do I need professional indemnity for fabrication?
If you provide drawings, calculations, specifications, or design input (rather than strictly manufacturing to a client’s design),
professional indemnity may be required by your contracts and can help protect against claims for financial loss arising from
professional errors or omissions.
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How do you calculate the right sums insured?
Sums insured should reflect realistic rebuild costs for buildings, replacement values for machinery, and peak stock/work-in-progress levels.
Underinsurance can reduce claim payments, so we help you structure values that reflect your workshop and trading cycle.
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Can you cover exports and overseas deliveries?
Yes. We can arrange cover that reflects your trading territories, including goods in transit and products liability for overseas supply,
where required. Terms and limits depend on the nature of the goods and destination countries.
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How quickly can I get a quote?
Many fabrication risks can be quoted quickly, often same-day, depending on complexity. Larger premises, higher values, specialist processes,
or contract-driven requirements may need additional underwriting information — we’ll guide you through exactly what’s required.