It is important to get not only the best price on your pest control insurance but also to ensure that the cover you have in place is suitable for your requirements and includes cover in respect of your activities as a pest control contractor.
What sort of pest control insurance do I need?
The primary cover you will need as a pest control business is a suitable public liability insurance policy. Public liability protects the policyholder against claims made against them in respect of their legal liability to third parties for personal injury and property damage occurring during the course of the business.
This essential cover not only provides you with protection against any awards made against you but also pays for your legal costs associated with any legal defence of a claim.
If you have any employees in the business, employers liability insurance is a legal requirement for most businesses, there are a few exceptions to this requirement and more information is available on this on our main employers liability insurance page. Employers liability cover protects you against claims made by any employees in respect of your legal liability for personal injury or disease arising from their employment.
Limits of indemnity for pest control insurance
Both the public liability and employers liability policy are subject to a limit of indemnity. These limits represent the maximum amount the insurer will pay under the policy in respect of a claim.
The minimum legal requirement for employers cover is £5M although insurers generally issue policies with a standard limit of £10M.
As their is currently no legal requirement for public liability you are free to choose the limit under your policy, common limits are £1M, £2M and £5M with others available upon request.
Often the driving force behind your choice of limits for a public liability policy may be contractual requirements of your employers who may insist on a certain minimum level of cover.
Am I covered for use of firearms and poisons in pest control insurance?
Not all public liability policies will cover you automatically for the use of firearms and poisons. In the case of firearms, certain insurers distinguish between the use of shotguns and the use of air rifles.
Similarly the use of poisons also needs to be addressed specifically, whilst specialist insurance policies may accept the use of poisons, there may be conditions attaching to this for example that you only use recognised branded products and not you own concoctions.
However, the cover you need is available, but you should seek professional advise from a specialist broker to ensure that the policy you buy actually meets with your requirements. Not all insurance agents will be in a position to provide you with the broadest range of cover.
How much does pest controllers insurance cost?
Despite the cautionary tales above, the cost of a basic public liability insurance policy that provides you with cover in respect of firearms and poisons is actually quite low with premiums starting from under £150 a year. The actual price you pay will of course be affected by the limit of indemnity you require, how many people are involved in the business, your activities and whether you have previously had any claims.
How do I buy pest control insurance?
Quotes for public and employers liability are available on-line and as a specialist liability broker, we have a team of brokers on hand that you can contact to discuss your particular requirements and they will be happy to assist you in obtaining our best price.