UK and Ireland
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HSB Construction Insurance

Our range of solutions designed to mitigate construction, building, and civil engineering project risks

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    All construction, erection, and installation work contain an element of risk

    Whether created by the nature of the work to be carried out, by the contractual liability, or by the perils of the location in which the works take place, at HSB we recognise the importance of providing the right insurance covers for the construction industry; with a range of policies available to mitigate the risks.

    What is construction insurance?

    Construction insurance is designed to minimise the disruption to a construction project; from contractors' plant and contract works to machinery movement and installation. Risks such as third party liability, delays in the project start-up and completion, commissioning and testing of machinery, and owned and hired-in plant can all be covered by having the right insurance in place.

    What types of construction insurance can we provide?

    What is our construction insurance underwriting appetite?

    • Building fit out in isolation
    • Buildings - extension to an existing building
    • Buildings - concrete/steel framed
    • Buildings - factories and warehouses (ex composite panels) - Residential | commercial | retail | educational
    • Buildings – modular or modern methods of construction (non-combustible materials)
    • Cladding - non timber
    • Electrical contractors/other wiring installation contractors
    • Finish carpentry contractors
    • Flooring contractors
    • Glass and glazing contractors
    • Groundworkers
    • Insulating contractors
    • Painting and wall covering contractors
    • Plastering
    • Private dwelling houses (except timber frame)
    • Road surfacing
    • Shop-fitting contractors
    • Tile and terrazzo contractors
    • Roofing contractors
    • Silo bunkers/hoppers1
    • Structural steelwork
    • Water treatment/sewage works
    Territorial limits

    UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

    1. Low contract value
    • Buildings: Factories and warehouses (composite panels included)
    • Buildings: Large timber frame
    • Buildings: Modular or modern methods of construction (combustible materials)
    • Canal construction
    • Cladding: Timber
    • Land reclamation
    • Masts chimneys or towers (erection of)
    • Pipelines on land: Sewage/water (excluding yield testing)
    • Pipelines on land: Cross country (excluding yield testing)
    • Piling, underpinning, or foundations
    • Silo bunkers/hoppers (concrete)
    • Silo bunkers/hoppers (steel)
    • Tanks, silos, storage vessels, etc: Concrete or steel other than welded plate
    • Tunnels (open cut)
    • Turbines (inc. Turbo generator sets) installation
    • Weirs, intake structures, outfalls construction
    Territorial limits

    UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

    • Airport runways/aprons, excluding tunnels, bridges, land reclamation, and work adjacent to water
    • Bridges
    • Coastal and offshore works 
    • Dams/reservoirs (all types)
    • Flood control barrier construction
    • Pipelines underwater
    • Power station construction
    • Railways construction under 
    • Road construction excluding tunnels and bridges
    • Tanks, silos, storage vessels etc:  Welded plate
    • Tunnels: Bored (underwater)
    • Tunnels: Immersed tube
    • Tunnels and shafts: Bored (dry)
    • Building fit out in isolation
    • Buildings - extension to an existing building
    • Buildings - concrete/steel framed
    • Buildings - factories and warehouses (ex composite panels) - Residential | commercial | retail | educational
    • Buildings – modular or modern methods of construction (non-combustible materials)
    • Cladding - non timber
    • Electrical contractors/other wiring installation contractors
    • Finish carpentry contractors
    • Flooring contractors
    • Glass and glazing contractors
    • Groundworkers
    • Insulating contractors
    • Painting and wall covering contractors
    • Plastering
    • Private dwelling houses (except timber frame)
    • Private dwelling houses (timber frame)
    • Road surfacing
    • Shop-fitting contractors
    • Tile and terrazzo contractors
    • Roofing contractors
    • Silo bunkers/hoppers1
    • Structural steelwork
    • Water treatment/sewage works
    Territorial limits

    UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

    1. Low contract value
    • Buildings: Factories and warehouses (composite panels included)
    • Buildings: Large timber frame
    • Buildings: Modular or modern methods of construction (combustible materials)
    • Canal construction
    • Cladding: Timber
    • Land reclamation
    • Masts chimneys or towers (erection of)
    • Pipelines on land: Sewage/water (excluding yield testing)
    • Pipelines on land: Cross country (excluding yield testing)
    • Piling, underpinning, or foundations
    • Silo bunkers/hoppers (concrete)
    • Silo bunkers/hoppers (steel)
    • Tanks, silos, storage vessels, etc: Concrete or steel other than welded plate
    • Tunnels (open cut)
    • Turbines (inc. Turbo generator sets) installation
    • Weirs, intake structures, outfalls construction
    Territorial limits

    UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

    • Airport runways/aprons, excluding tunnels, bridges, land reclamation, and work adjacent to water
    • Bridges
    • Coastal and offshore works 
    • Dams/reservoirs (all types)
    • Flood control barrier construction
    • Pipelines underwater
    • Power station construction
    • Railways construction under 
    • Road construction excluding tunnels and bridges
    • Tanks, silos, storage vessels etc:  Welded plate
    • Tunnels: Bored (underwater)
    • Tunnels: Immersed tube
    • Tunnels and shafts: Bored (dry)

    Trade equipment installations appetite

    • Brewing, distilling, canning, and bottling 
    • Computers and telephones
    • Concrete and quarrying; crushing and screening
    • Electric power transmission/distribution (including transformers, generators and switchgear)
    • Electrical contractors/other wiring installation contractors
    • Food, bakery, dairy and processing equipment
    • Gas production
    • General manufacturing
    • Grain and flour processing
    • Injection moulding machines
    • Lifts and escalators
    • Machine tools
    • Motors, pumps, compressors, engines, fans, and blowers
    • Paint varnish manufacturing
    • Plastics and rubber production
    • Plumbing, heating, and air conditioning
    • Power presses
    • Printing
    • Refrigeration plant and cold stores
    • Textile, clothing, and footwear production
    • Woodworking

    Territorial limits

    UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

    • Crane equipment
    • Furnaces, kilns, and ovens
    • Chemical, pharmaceutical and petrochemical equipment
    • Landfill gas technology
    • Masts, chimneys, or towers (erection of)
    • Turbines (including turbo generator sets) installation

    Territorial limits

    UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

    • Smelting and metal production equipment
    • Airside plant
    • Building contractors
    • Demolition contractors
    • Groundworkers
    • Internal and secondary fix traded, such as plastering, joinery, painting, glazing, and flooring
    • Mechanical and electrical installers
    • Mobile plant associated with manufacturing
    • Plant hirers
    • Plumbing, heating, and ventilation
    • Rail-adapted plant
    • Residential, commercial, and educational building projects
    • Steel erectors
    • Warehousing, distribution, and haulage

    Territorial limits

    UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

    • Bridgework
    • Drain and land surveyors
    • Drilling contractors
    • Forestry/logging
    • Sawmills
    • Scrap metal 
    • Timber processing 
    • Waste transfer, landfill, recycling
    • Wet civil engineering

    Territorial limits

    UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

    • Mining
    • Offshore/wet risks
    • Rolling stock
    • Shaft sinking
    • Tunnelling

    Why should you consider construction insurance from HSB?

    Our underwriters and risk engineers have extensive experience in providing construction insurance and are recognised as experts in this field. Drawing on our vast expertise in the construction sector, we are able to provide insurance products to meet the insurable risks of a specific project.
     

    • Policy wordings specifically designed with contractors, property developers and construction plant owners in mind
    • Extensive underwriting expertise
    • Specialist engineering knowledge of plant and machinery
    • Cover available across the UK and Ireland
    • Access to experienced in-house construction loss control risk engineers
    • Access to in-house claims handlers, and loss adjusters, with specialist knowledge of the construction industry

    UK-based arm of
    HSB Group

    The equipment breakdown insurance and inspection market leader since 1866.

    Part of
    Munich Re

    A world leader in risk solutions, consistent risk management, and financial stability.

    Rated A++ (Superior) by
    A.M. Best Company

    Financially strong and stable.

    Member of the Institute of
    Customer Service

    Demonstrating our commitment to continually improving customer service performance and professionalism.

    HSB is committed to providing a superior customer experience through our specialist claims service
    HSB Claims Team

    Frequently asked questions

    Contractors' All Risks Insurance (also known as 'Contract Works Insurance' or CAR Insurance') provides cover for any damage that occurs during construction projects. Available on a single risk or annual basis, our policy can be arranged in the name of the contractor, the principal or joint names depending on the project requirement.

    HSB's policy can be extended to include advance loss of profits, owned contractors' plant and hired-in plant, and employees' tools and personal effects.

    Learn more

    Erection All Risks Insurance provides cover for construction and non-construction mechanical and electrical machinery installation and refurbishment across projects; available on a single risk or annual basis. HSB's policy can be arranged in the name of the contractor, the principal, or joint names depending on the project requirement.

    Learn more

    Contractors Plant Insurance provides cover for unforeseen loss or damage to owned or hired-in plant and machinery; for the construction industry's commercial and residential projects, and non-construction manufacturers and businesses.

    Learn more

    Machinery Movement Insurance is an element of cover for the loss and damage caused to plant and machinery during the transit and installation process across commercial, residential, and civil engineering projects; for one-off moves or on an annual basis.

    Learn more

    Our construction all risks/contract works and erection all risks insurance policies can be arranged in the name of the contractor, the principal or joint names depending on the project requirement. 

    Our contractors’ plant insurance, available for owned or hired-in plant, is targeted at equipment owners, hirers, and construction industry contractors/sub-contractors. However, it is also relevant for manufacturers and businesses that often need to hire in machinery and equipment.

    No - we can provide cover within the UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.
    Our underwriters and risk engineers have extensive experience in providing construction insurance and are recognised as experts in this field. Drawing on our vast expertise in the construction sector, we are able to provide insurance products to meet the insurable risks of a specific project.