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ARCHITECTURAL METALWORK INSURANCE THAT HELPS YOU TAKE OFF
Why Architectural & Decorative Metal Fabrication Insurance Matters
Architectural and decorative metalwork sits at the intersection of manufacturing and construction. You’re not only fabricating items in a workshop - you’re often measuring, delivering, fitting and installing on client sites where members of the public, other trades, and high-value finishes are nearby. This mix creates exposures that generic “business insurance” frequently misses.
Whether you manufacture bespoke gates, balustrades, staircases, balconies, canopies, screens, handrails, steel features, signage frames, planters, or decorative architectural details, one incident can cause substantial cost. A scratched floor during install, a dropped section, a hot works fire, a tolerance issue that fails on site, or a claim that a finished installation is unsafe can quickly become a dispute involving solicitors, loss adjusters and contract managers.
Insure24 arranges specialist insurance packages for UK architectural metalworkers, decorative fabricators and bespoke metalwork businesses. We help you select the right liability limits, insure your premises and stock, protect your tools, and reduce the most common coverage gaps for “supply and fit” metalwork contracts.
Public Liability for On-Site Measuring & Installation
Most architectural metalwork businesses attend sites to survey, measure, deliver and fit. Public liability insurance is designed to protect you if your activities cause injury to a third party or damage to their property - including accidental damage during installation in residential, commercial or public settings.
Typical claims include accidental damage to glass, stone and flooring; injuries from trip hazards; falling items; or damage caused by the use of grinders, drills and access equipment. If you work on construction sites, you may be asked to evidence specific limits (often £2m, £5m or £10m), and some principals require confirmation of “work away” extensions.
- Cover for injury to third parties and damage to property
- Protection while measuring, delivering and fitting on site
- Legal defence costs included within the policy
- Limits aligned to principal contractor and client requirements
- Options for higher-risk or higher-footfall environments (disclosure dependent)
Products Liability for Finished Metalwork
Architectural metalwork is often installed as part of a building’s “use and safety” environment - staircases, handrails, balustrades and balconies are safety-critical. Products liability insurance helps protect you if a product you manufactured and supplied causes injury or property damage.
This is particularly important where you supply to third-party installers, provide components to a main contractor, or where your fabricated product is used in public-facing locations such as apartment blocks, retail spaces, schools and leisure facilities.
When we arrange cover we consider: what you manufacture (gates, railings, staircases, balconies, canopies), how it’s installed, load-bearing or safety exposure, and the contract terms you work under.
- Covers claims from products you manufacture and supply
- Suitable for bespoke one-off builds and batch production
- Supports supply-only and supply-and-fit business models
- Helps meet contract and tender insurance requirements
- Can be structured alongside workmanship / installation exposures (subject to underwriting)
Employers’ Liability Insurance (Required If You Employ Staff)
Most architectural metalwork businesses employ fabricators, welders, fitters, drivers, apprentices, and project coordinators. If you employ staff in the UK, employers’ liability is a legal requirement and protects you if an employee is injured or becomes ill due to work.
Common fabrication and installation exposures include manual handling injuries, cuts and abrasions from sharp edges, burns from hot works, falls from height during installation, and respiratory issues linked to fumes and dust.
- Legal requirement for UK employers (subject to exceptions)
- Covers employee injury and illness claims
- Includes legal defence costs
- Relevant for shop floor, welding bays, finishing and on-site fitting work
- Supports contracts requiring evidence of EL and risk controls
Workshop, Stock, Materials & Contents Insurance
Architectural metalwork relies on a mixture of workshop assets and high-value inputs: raw materials (steel, aluminium, stainless), consumables (gas, wire, abrasives), finishing materials (powder coat, paint systems), and finished goods awaiting installation. Property and contents cover protects you against insured events such as fire, theft, flood, storm and malicious damage.
For decorative fabricators, finishes matter. An event that damages powder-coated stock or finished polished stainless can create both direct cost and deadline pressure. We help you insure values accurately and add extensions where needed.
- Buildings (if owned) and/or tenant’s improvements
- Workshop contents and fabrication equipment
- Raw materials, consumables and finished goods (stock)
- Theft cover aligned to your security measures and policy conditions
- Options for high-value finishing materials and stored completed installations
Tools, Portable Equipment & Off-Site Cover
Decorative metalwork often requires portable tools taken to site: drills, grinders, saws, fixings equipment, welding sets, generators and access gear. Theft and damage to tools can halt projects and create urgent replacements at short notice.
Tool cover can be structured for workshop storage and use away from premises. We’ll help you set realistic sums insured and ensure policy terms align with how tools are stored, transported and secured.
- Portable tools and equipment cover (on and off premises)
- Options for theft from locked vehicles (subject to strict conditions)
- Cover for tools while on construction and client sites
- Helps prevent avoidable project delays and replacement costs
- Can sit alongside hired-in plant exposure (where applicable)
Goods in Transit & Delivery Risk
Gates, railings, balustrades and bespoke features can be awkward loads. Damage often happens not because the metalwork is weak, but because of movement during transit, loading impacts, inadequate edge protection, or poor restraint. Goods in transit cover can protect your business against loss or damage while items are being transported.
This is especially important for painted or powder-coated items where cosmetic damage can require full refinishing, or for large installations that are time-sensitive. We can arrange cover for deliveries using your own vehicles, couriers or haulage.
- Protection for fabricated metalwork while being transported
- Options for own vehicles, couriers and third-party hauliers
- Useful for coated finishes, bespoke items and large assemblies
- Supports “supply and fit” contracts with delivery obligations
- Reduces the financial impact of accidental damage and loss events
Business Interruption & Loss of Income
For many architectural metalwork firms, the workshop is the production engine. If a fire, flood, theft or major insured event prevents you from operating, business interruption cover can replace lost gross profit and contribute to fixed costs while you recover.
This cover becomes even more valuable when your business operates with staged payments and project deadlines. A delay can impact cashflow, trigger contractual disputes, and lead to urgent outsourcing at premium rates. We can structure business interruption with a realistic indemnity period to reflect rebuild times and long lead-time equipment replacement.
- Lost gross profit following insured damage at premises
- Support for wages, rent, rates, utilities and finance agreements
- Options for increased cost of working (outsourcing / temporary premises)
- Indemnity periods aligned to realistic recovery timelines
- Helps stabilise cashflow during disruption
Common Risks for Architectural & Decorative Metalworkers
The biggest claims in architectural metalwork tend to fall into a few categories: on-site damage, injury events, hot works incidents, transit damage, workmanship disputes, and security-related theft. A strong insurance programme helps protect against the financial shock while you keep projects moving.
- Accidental damage to floors, glazing, stonework and finishes during installation
- Injuries from sharp edges, slips/trips, lifting and working at height
- Hot works fire and smoke damage (welding, grinding, cutting)
- Transit damage to coated and finished metalwork assemblies
- Theft of tools, materials and completed items from workshop or site
- Disputes over tolerances, alignment and fit of bespoke items
- Customer claims arising from alleged unsafe installation or failure
- Delays causing cashflow pressure and contract performance issues
How to Get Architectural Metal Fabrication Insurance
The best quote is achieved when insurers understand exactly what you do. “Metalwork” is broad - insurers price differently depending on whether you fabricate in-house only, supply only, or supply and install. They also look at hot works exposure, premises security, and the type of projects you undertake.
When you request a quote through Insure24, we’ll focus on the underwriting details that matter most: turnover, work at height, installation environments, equipment and stock values, claims history, and contract requirements.
- 1. Share your work types (gates, railings, balustrades, staircases, balconies, features)
- 2. Confirm supply-only vs supply-and-fit and where you work (domestic, commercial, construction sites)
- 3. Set liability limits and any contract-required endorsements
- 4. Insure what matters: premises, tools, stock, transit and interruption
- 5. Activate cover quickly with documents issued for tenders and client onboarding
We fabricate bespoke railings and staircases - Insure24 helped us set the right liability limits for site work and made sure our tools and finished stock were properly protected.
Director, UK Architectural Metalwork FirmPROTECT YOURSELF
- Claims and legal defence costs if your installation causes injury or damage
- Loss or damage to tools, equipment, and workshop contents
- Damage to finished items and stock stored prior to installation
- Loss of income if your workshop cannot operate after an insured event
- Transit damage to bespoke metalwork items being delivered to site
Compliance & Contract Requirements for Architectural Metalwork
Clients and principal contractors often require evidence of insurance before you can start work. Your policy should also align with the way you operate - particularly if you carry out installation work, hot works, or work at height.
We can structure cover to support common contractual expectations, including higher liability limits, off-site work extensions, and clear documentation for onboarding. If you tender for larger projects, we’ll help you present risk controls that can improve insurer confidence and pricing.
- Employers’ Liability - required by UK law for businesses with employees
- Public & Products Liability - commonly required for supply-and-fit contracts
- Higher limits for principal contractors and public-facing projects
- Hot works declarations - procedures, extinguishers and housekeeping matter
- Risk management - safe systems for lifting, access, and site controls
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What is architectural and decorative metal fabrication insurance?
Architectural and decorative metal fabrication insurance is specialist cover for businesses making and installing items such as gates, railings,
balustrades, staircases, balconies, canopies and bespoke metalwork. It can combine public & products liability, employers’ liability, workshop/property cover,
tools, goods in transit and business interruption - tailored to fabrication and on-site installation risk.
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Do I need public liability insurance for on-site installations?
Yes. If you attend client sites to measure, deliver, fit or install metalwork, public liability insurance is typically essential.
It can cover injury or property damage arising from your activities, plus associated legal defence costs.
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Does products liability cover gates, railings and balustrades that I supply?
Products liability can cover claims where a product you supplied (such as gates, railings or balustrades) causes third-party injury or property damage.
The best policy structure depends on whether you supply only, supply-and-fit, and whether components are safety-critical or subject to specific standards and client contracts.
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Is employers’ liability insurance required?
Yes. If you employ staff in the UK, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement. It protects your business if an employee is injured or becomes ill
as a result of their work in the workshop or on-site.
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Can I insure my workshop, tools and fabrication equipment?
Yes. Policies can include cover for your workshop contents, tools, welding equipment, fabrication machinery and stock against insured events such as fire,
theft, flood and malicious damage. Portable tools and away-from-premises options may be available subject to terms.
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Do I need goods in transit cover for fabricated metalwork deliveries?
Often yes. Fabricated assemblies can be awkward to secure and vulnerable to impact damage. Goods in transit insurance can cover loss or damage while items
are being transported to site or to customers, subject to policy terms and packaging/load restraint requirements.
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What is not typically covered?
Exclusions vary, but commonly include wear and tear, gradual deterioration, poor maintenance, known defects or pre-existing damage, and pure “making good”
of faulty workmanship where no third-party damage or injury occurs. Hot works claims may also be affected if declared procedures and safety conditions are not followed.
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How much does architectural metal fabrication insurance cost?
Costs depend on turnover, employee numbers, workshop security, hot works exposure, the value of tools/equipment, claims history,
and whether you carry out on-site installation. Many small fabricators start from a few hundred pounds per year for core liabilities,
with broader packages priced to match your risks and asset values.