When looking for insurance make sure you:
- Shop around
- Get good advice
- Know what cover you’re going to get
A question that often comes up on forums and social media groups is what insurance a new PAT testing business should have (or an established one for that matter).
PAT testers must have, as a minimum Public Liability Insurance; and dependent on the services they offer and the size of their company they should also consider:
- Employers Liability
- Professional Indemnity
- Tools Cover
Why a PAT tester needs liability insurance
A PAT tester goes into another business to conduct a very important task; they are going to conduct a portable appliance test to ensure the business is compliant with health and safety.
However safe some people say this is, accidents do happen.
You may leave your PAT testing machine on the floor, and someone trips over it for example, and hurts them-self – that’s why public liability is important.
Public liability protects you and your own business from the costs incurred by unexpected accidents and incidents, that you are held liable for; for which you are going to need financial protection if you are held accountable for.
Public liability insurance, despite not being compulsory is recommended by the Portable Appliance Testing Trade Association as indispensable in ensuring your business’ longevity.
These are the three most common claims against a PAT Testers public liability:
- They fail to notice damaged wires and someone receives an electric shock
- They drop machinery which damages flooring or furniture
- They spill a drink on a client’s equipment causing it damage
Furthermore, if you have valuable equipment you may want to consider tools cover against tools being stolen.
Employers Liability insurance
If you are going to have employees then you are going to need employers liability cover. As the health and safety of employees is your responsibility it is importance to take precautions to ensure their wellbeing.
Unfortunately though, accidents do happen; so to protect you, you need employer’s liability cover.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
If you are planning to offer advice then you need this cover; it protects you from the potentially costly risks of client lawsuits, and also covers the costs of a solicitor who will be needed to defend the claim against you.
Tools Cover
Tools cover is essential for anyone that uses tools and cannot afford to replace them if they are stolen or lost. Usually taken as an extension of a public liability policy this is an extra cover worth considering.
These are the three most common claims against a PAT Testers public liability:
- They fail to notice damaged wires and someone receives an electric shock
- They drop machinery which damages flooring or furniture
- They spill a drink on a client’s equipment causing it damage
PATTA is not an insurance company and accepts no responsibility for anyone acting or not acting on the suggestions in the content of this article. PATTA is a membership association and therefore provides guidance to assist its members and other persons in the industry.
