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PEOPLE PROTECTION THAT HELPS YOU TAKE OFF
What Is Employers’ Liability Insurance?
Employers’ Liability (EL) insurance protects your business if an employee alleges injury or illness arising out of their work. In the UK, EL is usually a legal requirement if you employ staff, with limited exceptions. For plastic manufacturers, the exposure can be both immediate (accidents) and long-tail (illness developing over time).
Plastic manufacturing environments often involve moving machinery, hot surfaces, high pressure systems, material handling, forklifts, maintenance work, and occasionally hazardous substances (for example cleaning agents, solvents, additives, or fumes from certain processes). Strong health and safety reduces incidents — but EL insurance exists because even well-run sites can have claims.
Insure24 arranges employers’ liability insurance for plastic manufacturers across the UK, helping you place cover that reflects your operations: moulding, extrusion, thermoforming, finishing, assembly, warehousing, and on-site maintenance.
Employers’ Liability Risks in Plastic Manufacturing
EL claims in manufacturing can arise from accidents, but also from alleged exposure or repetitive strain over time. Underwriters consider your processes, site layout and controls, as well as claims history and safety culture. The most common claim types in plastics are typically linked to manual handling, machinery, slips/trips, and workplace ill health.
The right EL policy provides financial protection for compensation and legal defence costs. It also helps you meet contractual requirements, satisfy landlords, and operate with confidence when customers audit your compliance and safety arrangements.
If you use agency staff, contractors or labour hire, it’s important to clarify who is legally the employer and ensure the insurance programme reflects that reality.
Common EL Claim Scenarios
- Manual handling injuries moving material, tools or finished goods
- Machinery accidents during operation, changeovers or maintenance
- Burns from hot tooling, heaters or freshly formed parts
- Trips and falls in production areas, yards or warehouses
- Forklift-related incidents and loading bay accidents
- Hand/arm vibration and repetitive strain allegations
- Respiratory or dermatitis allegations from dust, fumes or chemicals
Even if a claim is disputed, defence costs can be significant. EL cover is designed to protect you through that process.
What Insurers Typically Look For
- Documented risk assessments and safe systems of work
- Training records and supervision for machine operators
- Machine guarding and lockout/tagout (where relevant)
- PPE policy and enforcement
- COSHH assessments for chemicals and fumes
- Accident/near-miss reporting and corrective actions
- Housekeeping and traffic management for forklifts
Presenting your controls clearly often improves terms — and reduces the chance of coverage disputes after an incident.
How Employers’ Liability Fits Into Your Manufacturing Insurance Programme
Employers’ liability protects your people risk. Most plastic manufacturers also need cover for third-party risk (public and product liability), physical assets (property and stock), and operational disruption (machinery breakdown and business interruption). EL is the foundation — but it’s rarely the only policy you need.
Building a cohesive programme matters because claims can overlap. For example, a forklift incident could cause employee injury (EL) and third-party property damage (public liability). Or a machinery incident could cause employee injury (EL) and also shut down production (BI, breakdown).
Insure24 can help you align covers, limits and policy wording so the programme works together when incidents don’t fit neatly into one category.
Typical Cover Mix for Plastic Manufacturers
- Employers’ Liability
- Public Liability
- Product Liability
- Property & Stock
- Machinery Breakdown
- Business Interruption
If you hold customer-owned tooling or do design/spec advice, you may also need tools and dies cover or professional indemnity.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming contractors are covered when they aren’t your employees
- Undeclared hazardous processes, chemicals or maintenance activities
- Incorrect business description (e.g., omitting assembly or on-site installs)
- Understating staff numbers or wage roll
- Gaps between EL, PL and product liability limits
A clear submission and accurate declarations reduce surprises at claims stage.
“We invested in guarding and training, but accidents can still happen. Employers’ Liability gives us confidence that if a claim is made, we’ll have defence support and financial protection.”
H&S Manager, UK Plastics ManufacturerPROTECT YOURSELF
- EL cover aligned to your plastics processes and site activities
- Support presenting safety controls and risk management to insurers
- A joined-up programme across EL, PL, product and property covers
- Guidance on contractor/agency worker arrangements and liability
- Fast quotes from insurers familiar with manufacturing risks
Insure24 helps plastic manufacturers arrange employers’ liability insurance that reflects real operational risk. If you want a quick review of your current EL cover — or need terms to satisfy a customer or landlord — call 0330 127 2333.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Is employers’ liability insurance legally required in the UK?
In most cases, yes — if you employ staff in the UK, employers’ liability insurance is usually a legal requirement, subject to limited exceptions. It protects your business if employees claim injury or illness connected to their work.
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What does employers’ liability insurance cover?
EL typically covers compensation and legal defence costs if an employee alleges injury, illness or death arising out of their work. Coverage depends on policy wording and accurate disclosure of your business activities and hazards.
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Are agency workers covered under employers’ liability?
It depends on who is legally the employer and the contract with the agency. Some agency workers may be covered under your EL if you direct and control their work, but arrangements vary. It’s important to disclose agency labour and confirm how insurers want it treated.
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What limit of employers’ liability do plastic manufacturers need?
Many UK EL policies are written with standard limits that meet legal requirements, but the appropriate level depends on your workforce, activities and contractual requirements. We can help confirm typical limits for your operation and any customer/landlord requirements.
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How do insurers price employers’ liability for plastics manufacturing?
Pricing is influenced by your wage roll, claims history, activities, machinery hazards, safety controls, training, and risk management. Insurers may also consider how much manual handling you have, forklift use, and any exposure to fumes, dusts or chemicals.
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How do I get a quote for employers’ liability insurance?
Call 0330 127 2333 or request a quote online. We’ll ask about staff numbers, wage roll, processes, site activities, safety controls and claims history to approach suitable insurers for terms.