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STRUCTURAL STEEL FABRICATION INSURANCE (UK)
Insurance Built for Structural Steel Fabricators
Structural steel fabrication sits at the high-end of fabrication risk. You’re dealing with heavy sections, lifting operations, strict tolerances, welding and hot works, and often a supply-and-erect model where site exposure increases the severity of incidents. Clients and principal contractors typically require robust liability limits, clear evidence of employers’ liability, and (where applicable) cover for contract works, hired-in plant responsibility and professional services.
Insure24 arranges tailored insurance programmes for UK structural steel fabricators - from workshop-only fabricators to full fabrication-and-erection contractors. We help you align cover to your contracts, your methods (cranes/MEWPs), your workforce model, and the value you have at risk in machinery, tools, stock and works in progress.
What Is Structural Steel Fabrication Insurance?
Structural steel fabrication insurance is a package of commercial covers designed to protect businesses that manufacture, supply, and often install structural steel elements such as beams, columns, frames, stair cores, platforms, mezzanines, gantries, supports, bracing, and connection details for construction and industrial projects.
Because structural steel work typically includes heavy lifting, work at height, hot works, and strict project deadlines, the insurance programme needs to cover both liabilities (injury and property damage claims) and assets (workshop premises, machinery, tools, materials and completed work). If you install/erect on site, you also need to consider contract works cover and the reality of project risks during transit, unloading, positioning and handover.
The right setup is not “generic steelwork insurance”. It’s cover that reflects your actual methods - for example, whether you use cranes or HIABs, MEWPs, scaffolds, or subcontract lifting; the type of projects you work on (commercial builds, industrial plants, refurbishment, warehousing); and how often you work in occupied sites or public environments.
- Cover tailored to fabrication-only or fabrication + erection contractors
- Designed for heavy steel, lifting operations, hot works and height exposure
- Supports contract requirements (limits, extensions, evidence certificates)
- Protects workshop assets, tools, plant and materials
- Optional PI where drawings/design responsibility is taken on
Public & Products Liability (Core Cover for Structural Steel)
Public liability covers third-party injury and property damage arising from your activities - including site surveys, deliveries, fabrication operations that affect others, and on-site erection/installation work. Products liability covers claims where a steel component you manufacture or supply causes injury or property damage after it has left your control.
For structural steel, insurers and principal contractors often focus on severity: heavy components and height work can lead to high-value claims. That’s why many contracts require £5m or £10m public liability as standard (and sometimes higher, depending on the project). Getting the right limit is not just about compliance; it is about protecting the business against one serious incident.
The key to strong cover is accurate disclosure: the nature of your work (primary steel frames vs secondary steel; platforms/gantries; staircases; refurb vs new build), how often you do installation, and any higher-risk environments (occupied premises, public spaces, petrochemical/industrial sites). This reduces “underwriting uncertainty”, which can lower premiums and avoid awkward restrictions.
- Third-party injury & property damage protection
- Products liability for supplied fabricated steel components
- Limits aligned to principal contractor requirements
- Includes legal defence costs (subject to policy terms)
- Designed for workshop + site exposure when declared correctly
Employers’ Liability (Usually Required If You Employ Staff)
Structural steel fabrication and erection brings exposure to manual handling injuries, crush risks, welding burns, eye injuries, slips/trips, noise, fumes, and (on-site) work at height and lifting operations. If you employ staff, employers’ liability insurance is typically required in the UK (subject to limited exceptions).
It covers compensation and legal costs if an employee is injured or becomes ill due to their work. It also supports contractor onboarding and compliance checks where clients want to see evidence of cover and limits.
Workforce structures can be complex in steelwork: employees, apprentices, labour-only subcontractors, and bona-fide subcontractors. The way you engage and supervise labour affects how insurers view risk, so it is important your disclosures match reality. Insure24 can help you set up cover that aligns with how your teams work on workshop and site projects.
- Typically required if you employ staff (UK)
- Covers employee injury/illness claims and legal costs
- Supports compliance portals and contractor onboarding
- Relevant to workshop hazards and on-site erection exposures
- Can be aligned to your actual labour model and supervision
Workshop, Property & High-Value Equipment (Protect What You Own)
Structural steel shops often hold significant value in machinery and equipment: cutting systems, presses, drills, welders, compressors, extraction, cranes/gantries, and specialist tooling. Property and contents insurance protects buildings (if owned) or tenant improvements (if leased), plus contents, machinery and stock, against insured events such as fire, theft, flood and malicious damage.
Fire is a major premium driver in fabrication - because the loss isn’t only the physical damage; it is also the downtime and missed project deadlines. That’s why it’s often sensible to pair property cover with business interruption and to structure the policy around realistic sums insured (tools, machinery, stock, materials and completed work awaiting collection).
Insurers care about risk controls: housekeeping, electrical safety, segregation of combustibles, storage of cylinders and flammables, and what happens outside working hours. Improvements here can materially improve pricing and insurer appetite.
- Buildings/tenant improvements, contents, machinery and stock
- Supports high-value fabrication equipment and workshop assets
- Fire/theft/flood protection (subject to terms)
- Options to add business interruption and increased cost of working
- Sums insured set properly to avoid underinsurance problems
Contract Works / Erection Risk (If You Install on Site)
If you supply-and-erect structural steel, your risk doesn’t end when it leaves the workshop. Losses often occur during transit, unloading, lifting, positioning, temporary works, and before practical completion. Public liability responds to third-party injury/property damage - but it does not automatically cover damage to the works themselves.
Contract works (often packaged under contractors’ all risks or installation works) can cover the value of works in progress if steel sections are damaged, stolen, or impacted before handover (subject to policy terms and the way the policy is arranged). This is particularly important where contracts place responsibility on you until completion - even if items are stored on site.
Erection risk also includes height work, MEWPs, crane lifts and rigging, and hot works on site. Insurers need accurate declarations of your methods and typical site conditions to offer appropriate cover. We help you align your programme to how you actually operate so there are fewer surprises at claim stage.
- Cover for works in progress before completion (where arranged)
- Supports supply-and-erect structural steel exposure
- Important for site storage and staged deliveries
- Works alongside public liability and employers’ liability
- Helps prevent expensive “we pay twice” remake scenarios
Tools, Plant Responsibility & Goods in Transit
Steel fabrication and erection relies on valuable tools and equipment - and when you take equipment to site, theft and accidental damage exposure increases. Tool cover can be arranged for portable equipment (on/off premises), subject to policy terms and security conditions.
If you hire in access or lifting equipment (for example MEWPs or telehandlers), you may also need hired-in plant responsibility, depending on your contract and who is responsible for loss/damage. Structural steel components also need careful transit and handling; goods in transit cover can protect against loss or damage while being transported.
These covers are often where policies fail in practice: tool theft from vans is frequently subject to strict conditions. We help you align cover to your real storage and security practices so claims don’t get stuck on technicalities.
- Tools and portable equipment cover (on/off premises)
- Options for hired-in plant responsibility (subject to need)
- Goods in transit for fabricated sections and assemblies
- Supports deliveries to sites and loading/unloading exposure
- Security conditions aligned to how you actually operate
Professional Indemnity (If You Provide Drawings, Design Assist or Spec Responsibility)
If you provide drawings, connection details, design-assist input, tolerances, or technical advice that a client relies on, you may need professional indemnity (PI) insurance. PI is designed for “financial loss” allegations - for example, rework costs, delay costs, and claims arising from errors/omissions in professional services.
Many structural steel fabricators unintentionally accept design responsibility through contract wording or email-based value engineering. If your contracts require PI, or if you regularly provide professional services, we can arrange PI as part of the overall programme to reduce gaps between operational liability and professional exposures.
PI is typically written on a claims-made basis (so continuity matters). We can help you set limits and terms that align to your project types and client requirements.
- Protection for design/drawings/specification and advice allegations
- Covers financial loss claims (rework and delay) where insured
- Supports contracts requiring PI for structural steel work
- Claims-made structure: continuity and retro dates matter
- Reduces disputes where responsibilities are blurred
We were asked for £10m public liability and contract works cover on a major build. Insure24 arranged a package that matched our erection methods and helped us meet onboarding requirements quickly.
Contracts Manager, Structural Steel Fabricator (UK)PROTECT YOURSELF
- Liability protection for high-severity steelwork incidents
- Workshop/property cover for machinery, materials and stock
- Erection/contract works options for supply-and-erect projects
- Tools, transit and hired-in plant responsibility where needed
- A clear insurance programme that supports tenders and compliance checks
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What insurance do structural steel fabricators typically need?
Most structural steel fabricators need public & products liability, employers’ liability (if you employ staff), workshop/property cover for machinery and stock,
tools cover, and often goods in transit. If you install/erect, contract works/installation works is commonly relevant. If you provide drawings, design-assist or specification advice,
professional indemnity may also be required.
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Do I need contract works cover for steel erection?
In many cases, yes. Public liability focuses on third-party injury/property damage. Contract works/installation works can cover the value of works in progress
before completion/handover if items are damaged or stolen (subject to policy terms). If your contract keeps responsibility with you until practical completion,
contract works can reduce the risk of uninsured remake costs.
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What liability limits are common for structural steel contracts?
Many principal contractors require £5m or £10m public liability, sometimes higher depending on the project and site environment.
Employers’ liability is commonly required where you employ staff. Limits should reflect contract requirements and worst-case exposure - Insure24 can help you set these appropriately.
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Does public liability cover crane and lifting operations?
Public liability can respond to third-party injury/property damage arising from your activities, including lifting operations, subject to policy terms and correct disclosure.
However, liability does not automatically cover damage to the works themselves - contract works/installation works may be needed for that exposure.
Always declare typical lifting methods (crane, HIAB, MEWP use, rigging) so the insurer underwrites correctly.
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When do structural steel fabricators need professional indemnity (PI)?
If you provide drawings, connection details, design-assist, specification advice, or accept design responsibility in contract wording, PI may be needed.
PI is designed for financial loss claims (rework, redesign, delays) linked to professional services rather than injury/property damage.
If a client asks for PI as part of onboarding, it’s best to arrange it properly rather than hoping liability cover will respond.
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What information is needed to quote structural steel fabrication insurance?
Typically: turnover and work split (fabrication vs erection), number of staff and labour model, claims history, premises details and security,
hot works exposure (workshop and on site), work at height and lifting methods, and sums insured for machinery/tools/stock. Contract requirements (limits, contract works, PI) are also important.
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How can a structural steel fabricator reduce insurance premiums?
The biggest improvements usually come from reducing claims frequency and improving risk controls: strong hot works procedures, workshop fire protection,
theft prevention (tools/materials), documented training, and clear QA/traceability. Presenting these controls clearly to underwriters can improve appetite and pricing at renewal.