Insuring contractors and subcontractors?

[likeitorlumpit]

Its is always neccesary to have employers liability unless you are a contract climber and you are the subby.

 

I am surprised an insurance company says otherwise, probably they are referring to contract climbers.

 

In order to officially be classed as a subby you must work un supervised using your own tools and equipment, i.e. you turn up on site and someone says "its that one" and points to a tree, from then on you go to work without the main contractor.

 

If the contractor and subby work together, i.e. as a groundy and climber then one is the employer of the other. This is regardless of how the "subby" is paid. I often employ self employed workers, they work along side our PAYE staff and invoice me when they are done, they are not subbys though in the official sense of the word, and they are covered by my EL policy.

 

if you read the terms of your insurance there will probably be a clause about your duty of care when taking on subbys, i.e. you should check that the subby has his own insurance and ask for a copy of the certificate.

 

Why so Tom= why the need for them to have their own insurance.

I regularly use self employed or otherwise employed climbers and don't ever check their insurance as I understand they are covered by mine