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METAL FABRICATION MANUFACTURING INSURANCE (UK)
Insurance That Matches How Metal Fabricators Actually Work
Metal fabrication manufacturing is a mix of workshop risk, product risk and (often) on-site work risk. You might be cutting, welding, forming, machining, painting, assembling, installing, lifting and delivering - sometimes all in the same week. That’s why metal fabrication insurance is rarely a single “off the shelf” policy.
Insure24 helps UK metal fabrication manufacturers arrange the right blend of cover: liability for people and third parties, protection for buildings, tools, stock and high-value machinery, and business interruption to protect cashflow if production stops. We also help you present your risk clearly to insurers so your policy reflects your true operations and you avoid common activity gaps.
Whether you fabricate structural steel, sheet metal, architectural metalwork, handrails and balustrades, gates and fencing, mezzanines, plant guarding, HVAC ducting, frames, brackets, prototypes, jigs and fixtures - we can help structure cover around your processes and contracts.
What Is Metal Fabrication Manufacturing Insurance?
Metal fabrication manufacturing insurance is a set of covers designed to protect fabrication businesses against the most common and most severe loss scenarios in the trade - injuries, fire, theft, equipment breakdown, defective parts claims, contract disputes, and prolonged downtime. It is typically built from several policies or sections, combined into a package that matches your risk profile.
For many fabricators, the “core” is: Employers’ Liability (for employee injury claims), Public & Products Liability (for third-party injury/property damage and product risks), Property (buildings, contents, stock), and Business Interruption (loss of gross profit if an insured event stops production). Depending on your machinery and process criticality, Engineering / Machinery Breakdown is often a key addition.
The right structure depends on the details: how much hot works you do, whether you paint or powder coat, how you store flammables and gases, how you control quality and traceability, whether you install on-site, whether you work at height, and whether your products are safety critical.
Insure24 focuses on aligning cover with these realities - not just matching a generic “manufacturing” template.
- Built for workshop + product + (often) on-site installation exposures
- Core: EL, PL/Products, Property, BI - plus Engineering where needed
- Structured around hot works, machinery dependency and contract requirements
- Designed to reduce “activity gaps” between workshop and site work
- Can be tailored for structural steel, sheet metal, architectural metal and more
Who Needs Metal Fabrication Insurance?
If you manufacture, fabricate, modify or install metalwork, you likely need a tailored insurance programme - especially if you: employ staff, operate a workshop, use welding/cutting, run forklifts or cranes, store metal stock, or supply fabricated parts into third-party projects.
Typical Insure24 clients in this space include:
Structural steel fabricators (beams, columns, frames, stairs, platforms, mezzanines, gantries), sheet metal manufacturers (ducting, enclosures, panels, guards, cabinets), architectural/decorative metalwork (balustrades, handrails, gates, balconies, cladding), general fabrication workshops (brackets, frames, skids, pipe supports), on-site installers (erection, fitting, fixing, snagging), and specialist production (prototypes, low-volume batches, jigs, fixtures and tooling).
If you’re working under principal contractors, councils, commercial property owners or industrial customers, you may also have contractual requirements for higher liability limits, specific endorsements, or evidence of insurance wording - which a broker can help you get right.
The key is accurately describing your activities. Many “cheap” quotes fail when the risk is misclassified (for example as “light engineering” when the work is actually structural fabrication with heavy plant and site erection). Correct classification often improves both cover quality and underwriting acceptance.
- Workshop-based fabricators (welding/cutting/forming/machining)
- Structural steel and architectural metalwork manufacturers
- Sheet metal, ducting, enclosures and guard manufacturers
- Fabricators who install on-site or work at height
- Businesses supplying parts into third-party projects and contracts
What Does Metal Fabrication Manufacturing Insurance Cover?
Below are the main covers metal fabricators typically consider. Not every business needs every section, but these are the most common building blocks of a robust programme.
1) Employers’ Liability Insurance (EL)
Employers’ liability is typically required in the UK if you employ staff (subject to limited exemptions). It can cover compensation and legal costs if an employee is injured or becomes ill due to their work (subject to policy terms). In fabrication, insurers pay close attention to: hot works, manual handling, lifting operations, machine guarding, LOTO procedures, forklift/crane controls, and supervision.
2) Public Liability Insurance (PL)
Public liability can cover third-party injury and property damage arising from your business activities (subject to terms). It’s important for fabrication workshops because visitors, delivery drivers, contractors and clients can all be exposed to yard and workshop hazards. If you work on-site, PL also supports your exposure when operating in customer premises or construction environments.
3) Products Liability Insurance
Products liability addresses third-party injury or property damage arising from products you manufacture or supply (subject to terms). For fabricators, this often includes: defective parts, tolerance issues, failure of brackets/frames, faulty fixings, or inadequate design/spec compliance. Underwriters may ask about QA processes, traceability and whether your products are safety critical.
4) Property Insurance (Buildings, Contents, Stock)
Property cover protects your premises, machinery, tools, fixtures and stock against insured perils such as fire, flood, storm and theft (subject to policy terms, sums insured and any exclusions/excesses). Fabrication property risk is heavily driven by hot works, housekeeping, electrical condition, storage of flammables and gases, and how well hazards are separated (for example paint/solvents away from welding bays).
5) Business Interruption (BI) / Loss of Income
BI is often the difference between “a serious incident” and “a business-ending incident”. If a fire, flood or major damage event stops production, BI can cover loss of gross profit and increased cost of working while you repair and restart (subject to the policy trigger and terms). For fabricators dependent on a few machines (laser cutter, press brake, CNC, compressor, crane), BI should be structured with realistic recovery times.
6) Engineering / Machinery Breakdown
Machinery breakdown insurance can cover sudden mechanical or electrical breakdown of insured plant (subject to terms). This is particularly relevant for high-value or critical machines such as CNC plasma/laser cutters, press brakes, rollers, compressors, extraction systems, forklifts (depending on policy structure) and control panels. Many businesses pair this with BI for breakdown to protect income after an insured mechanical failure.
7) Tools, Plant & Portable Equipment
Fabricators often carry expensive tools and portable equipment between workshop and site: welders, grinders, torque tools, measuring kit, magnetic drills, generators and specialist installation tools. Portable equipment cover can protect against theft or damage (subject to limits and conditions such as “no tools left in vehicles overnight”).
8) Goods in Transit / Own Goods
If you deliver fabricated items, components or finished metalwork, transit cover can protect your goods while being transported (subject to terms and vehicle/security conditions). This can be important for bespoke jobs where one damaged delivery can trigger rework and delays.
9) Optional Specialist Extensions
Depending on your business, you may consider: Professional Indemnity (if you design, advise, provide drawings/specifications), Contract Works / Installation Risks (if you’re responsible for works in progress on site), Management Liability (directors’ & officers exposures), Cyber (CAD/CAM data, ransomware interruption), and Environmental Liability (where pollution exposures exist).
Insure24 will help you select the right sections, limits and excesses for your trade, contracts, and risk tolerance - and ensure they fit together properly.
- Core cover: EL + PL/Products + Property + BI (plus Engineering where needed)
- Products liability is key when parts go into third-party projects
- Property/BI often drives premium due to fire and downtime severity
- Portable tools and transit cover protect day-to-day operational assets
- Specialist extensions available for design, installation and cyber exposures
Common Claim Scenarios in Metal Fabrication
Understanding “how claims happen” helps you choose cover and also improves how insurers view your risk. Here are typical loss scenarios fabricators face:
Workshop fire / smoke damage: hot works, electrical faults or poor separation can trigger fires that damage the building, contaminate machinery and destroy stock. Even when the fire is contained, smoke can stop production for weeks.
Theft from yards, vans or stores: tools, copper, stainless and high-value components are theft targets. Repeated theft claims can drive premium increases.
Machinery breakdown: a failed compressor, control panel, laser source or press brake component can halt output. Lead times on parts can extend downtime.
Accidental damage on-site: during installation, lifting or positioning, damage can occur to third-party property (floors, glazing, vehicles, existing structures).
Defective parts / rework: tolerance drift, incorrect material grade, missed QA checks or wrong fixings can cause rejection and rework. If a defective component causes third-party damage, products liability can become relevant.
Injury claims: manual handling, crush injuries, forklift incidents, falls from height (during installation), and hand injuries from cutting/grinding are recurring claim drivers.
Insure24 can help you structure cover so that these scenarios are addressed appropriately - and help you present your controls (hot works permits, QA, maintenance, security) in an insurer-friendly way.
- Fire and smoke damage can drive long downtime - BI matters
- Theft of tools/metal stock is common and impacts premium over time
- Breakdown of critical machines can halt production instantly
- On-site installation creates third-party property damage exposure
- QA/traceability helps defend defective parts and product claims
Common Exclusions & Policy Gaps (What to Watch For)
Every insurer and wording is different, but metal fabricators often run into similar issues. The best time to fix gaps is before you bind cover - not after a claim.
Hot works conditions: insurers may impose warranties or conditions around hot works permits, fire watch, and separation. If controls are not followed, claims can become complicated.
Working away / installation activities: some policies restrict higher-risk on-site activities (height work, erection, structural installation) unless disclosed and specifically accepted.
Defective workmanship vs third-party damage: many liability wordings exclude the cost to repair your own defective work, but may cover resulting third-party damage. This distinction matters in fabrication projects.
Design responsibility: if you provide drawings, calculations, specifications or design advice, you may need professional indemnity. Relying on public/products liability alone can leave a gap for pure financial loss claims.
Wear and tear: machinery breakdown policies generally don’t cover gradual wear and tear; they cover sudden breakdown events (subject to terms). Maintenance records can be important.
Theft conditions: requirements for alarms, security, locked compounds and restrictions on leaving tools in vehicles can impact cover.
Underinsurance: if buildings, machinery or stock values are too low, claim settlements can be reduced. This is common in manufacturing due to inflation and machinery replacement costs.
Insure24 helps fabricators avoid these problems by aligning disclosure, cover sections and contract requirements from the start.
- Ensure hot works controls and warranties are realistic and followed
- Disclose on-site installation/erection and any higher-risk activities
- Consider PI if you design, advise or provide drawings/specifications
- Understand theft/security conditions and vehicle tool exclusions
- Avoid underinsurance with proper valuations for buildings and machinery
We were being treated like a generic “engineering” risk. Once Insure24 clarified our processes, hot works controls and installation split, insurers understood the business - cover improved and renewals became far smoother.
Director, UK Metal Fabrication ManufacturerHow Metal Fabrication Insurance Quotes Are Calculated
Premium is influenced by both the size of your business and your risk profile. Insurers typically look at:
Turnover and payroll: drives liability exposure. Higher turnover can mean more product/contract exposure; higher payroll usually means more staff exposure.
Sums insured: buildings, machinery, contents and stock values heavily influence property premiums.
Process profile: amount of hot works, cutting methods, coatings/solvents, extraction systems, and hazardous storage.
Premises risk: construction type, roof, electrical condition, housekeeping, fire protections, security, and proximity to other hazards.
Claims history: frequency and severity over the last 3–5 years.
Contractors and on-site work: the split between workshop-only manufacturing and on-site installation/erection, plus any work at height, lifting and principal contractor environments.
You can often improve pricing by reducing uncertainty: clear process descriptions, photos, documented controls, and accurate values. Insure24 can help you build a concise “insurer-ready” pack so underwriters price the risk based on facts rather than assumptions.
- Premium is driven by size (turnover/payroll/values) and risk profile (controls/claims)
- Property + BI often dominates due to fire and downtime severity
- Installation/erection activities must be disclosed to avoid gaps
- Clear documentation reduces insurer “worst case” pricing
- Accurate valuations reduce underinsurance and claim friction
PROTECT YOURSELF
- Insurance aligned to your workshop processes and on-site activities
- Right limits for tenders, principal contractors and customer requirements
- Property, machinery and BI structured for real-world recovery
- Support with underwriting presentation and disclosure to avoid gaps
- A broker-led approach designed for claims resilience and smoother renewals
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What insurance does a metal fabrication manufacturer need in the UK?
Most metal fabrication manufacturers arrange a programme including employers’ liability (usually required if you employ staff), public & products liability, property insurance for the workshop and assets, and business interruption to protect income after an insured event. Many also add machinery breakdown for critical plant, plus tools and transit cover depending on operations (all subject to policy terms).
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Is products liability important for fabricated components?
Yes. If your fabricated parts or assemblies go into third-party projects, products liability can cover third-party injury or property damage arising from those products (subject to terms). Insurers typically want to understand your QA processes, traceability, materials control and whether components are safety critical.
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Does public liability cover on-site installation work?
Often it can, but only if your on-site activities are properly disclosed and accepted by the insurer. Higher-risk activities (work at height, structural erection, lifting operations, welding on site) may affect terms or require specific underwriting. It’s important that the policy description matches what you actually do.
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Why is property and business interruption so important for fabricators?
Fabrication businesses often rely on a workshop, stock and a few key machines. After a fire, flood or major damage event, replacing machinery and recommissioning can take time. Property insurance helps repair or replace assets (subject to sums insured), while business interruption helps protect cashflow during downtime (subject to policy trigger and terms).
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Do I need professional indemnity if I provide drawings or design advice?
Potentially, yes. If you provide design, specifications, calculations, drawings or professional advice, you may face “pure financial loss” claims that public/products liability may not cover. Professional indemnity is designed for these design/specification exposures (subject to terms) and is especially relevant for architectural metalwork and contract fabrication.
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How can a metal fabricator reduce insurance premiums?
Insurers respond to fewer claims and stronger controls. Hot works permits, improved housekeeping, fire protections, better security for tools/stock, documented QA and maintenance, and clear underwriting information can all improve insurer confidence. Optimising limits and using a sensible excess strategy can also help, provided it matches your cashflow.
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What information do insurers need to quote metal fabrication insurance?
Typically: turnover and activity split (workshop vs installation), payroll/headcount, claims history (3–5 years), description of processes (hot works, coatings, machinery), premises details, security and fire protections, sums insured for buildings/machinery/stock, and (if needed) machinery schedules and QA/traceability information.
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Can Insure24 help review my current policy for gaps?
Yes. Insure24 can review your existing cover, endorsements and activity descriptions, check whether property/BI values look realistic, and identify likely gaps such as design responsibility, installation activities, theft conditions or underinsurance. We can then restructure the programme and approach suitable insurers for better terms.