Construction liability insurance should reflect the work you actually perform. Drilling near services, demolition beside occupied premises, underground work and mining services create different questions for underwriters and different gaps to check in a policy.
Mercantile Insurance Brokers helps Australian contractors present their operations clearly and examine available public and products liability terms. Our starting point is the declared activities, contract requirements and current policy wording.
Public liability and products liability
Public liability generally concerns third-party injury or property damage arising from your operations. Products liability can concern supplied products or completed work. The insured event, definition of products, exclusions, excesses and applicable limits determine the response.
What we examine
Third-party bodily injury and property damage; completed operations; principals and subcontractors; additional insured parties; contractual indemnities; underground services; vibration, weakening or removal of support; existing property; care, custody or control; hot work; pollution; asbestos; design and professional services; and changes in activities during the policy period. These are matters to assess, not a list of automatically included cover.
Why a specific submission matters
A label such as “civil contractor” may conceal trenching, tunnelling, blast work or work on live mine sites. We seek a turnover split by activity, maximum depths and project values, states and sites, subcontractor details, licences, risk controls, contracts and claims history. This lets underwriters assess the actual risk. Terms remain subject to insurer appetite and the policy wording.
Related insurance
D&C professional indemnity may address defined professional services. Contract works concerns insured physical works. Plant insurance concerns machinery and hire exposures. None replaces a review of liability terms.
Frequently asked questions
Is faulty workmanship covered?
The cost of correcting your own defective work is often treated differently from resulting third-party injury or damage. Check the exact defects and products provisions.
Does a principal’s certificate cover our company?
A certificate alone does not establish the full scope of cover. Review the contract, insured parties, schedule and wording together.
Are subcontractors automatically covered?
Definitions and contractual arrangements vary. Give us the subcontracting model and any secondary subcontractors for review.
Discuss your risk
Tell us what you do, where you work and what your contract requires. Call 1300 310 467 or send an enquiry.