Painting and decorating produces small, frequent claims rather than catastrophic ones, and almost all of them are damage rather than injury: overspray on a car, paint on a carpet, a ladder through a window, a customer's furniture that was not moved far enough. The liability limit is rarely the issue. What decides whether a claim is paid is usually whether the policy reaches the property you were working on at all.
Overspray, and the neighbours' cars
Spraying outdoors is the claim decorators are most likely to make and the one most likely to catch them out, because the damage lands on property belonging to somebody who never hired you. Public liability answers for it where you are liable, and some policies restrict or exclude spraying unless declared. If you spray at all, have it on the schedule by name rather than assuming that painting includes it.
The property you were working on
General public liability commonly excludes property in your care, custody or control, and for a decorator that can mean the room itself. Paint on a floor you were not painting, a damaged cornice, a carpet you covered but not well enough: these sit in the gap the exclusion opens. A treatment or custody extension is the section to look for, and its limit is usually much lower than the policy headline.
Ladders, towers and the height rules
Most decorating happens off a ladder or a tower, and the Work at Height Regulations 2005 set out what is expected: avoid working at height where reasonably practicable, prevent falls where it is not, and mitigate the consequences where a risk remains. Insurers ask what height you work to and whether scaffolding or towers are used, and both the premium and the defence to an injury claim follow from the answer.
Older buildings, lead and the dust
Paint in properties built before 1992 may contain lead, and sanding or burning it off brings duties under the lead regulations and real exposure for the people doing it. That is an employers' liability question as much as a method one, and it has a long tail: a claim for exposure can arrive years later against the policy that was in force at the time.
Questions people ask about painter and decorator insurance
How much public liability do painters and decorators need?
One or two million pounds covers most domestic work. Five million is the usual requirement on managed sites and for main contractor, housing association and local authority contracts, and it is checked before you go on site.
Does the policy cover overspray on a car?
Where you are legally liable for the damage, yes, though some wordings restrict or exclude spraying unless it has been declared. If you spray, have it named on the schedule.
Am I covered for damage to the room I am decorating?
Not necessarily. Property in your care, custody or control is commonly excluded from general public liability, and for a decorator that reaches a lot of the job. Look for a treatment or custody extension and check its limit.
Do I need cover for working at height?
Working at height is a rating question rather than a separate policy. Insurers ask what height you work to and what access equipment you use, and a claim is judged against the Work at Height Regulations and what you actually did.