Similar to carpenters, handymen, electricians, gas fitters and general contractors, plumbers must have business insurance in place as part of their operation to ensure their financial protection and a safety net if things go wrong. Plumber insurance grants the comprehensive protection plumbers need against lawsuits, accidents on the job, and other risks related to plumbing business operations. You might also need this if you're a newbie who want to start a plumbing company.
It’s important to get a countermeasure in case your employee or your business is held liable for accidents that result in bodily injuries or property damage to third parties.
Consider getting general liability insurance for plumbers.
Also called plumbing liability insurance, general liability insurance grants protection if a claim for bodily injury or property damage is filed because:
A client or supplier slipped and fell while in your plumbing business’s office
An independent contractor experienced an occupational accident while working for you
The client’s pipe exploded while you were cleaning it
Your plumbing company gets a minimum of $300,000-$2 million from general liability insurance. This can be used to cover:
The claimant’s medical treatment
The claimant’s property damage reimbursement
Defense costs
Court judgments
The general liability insurance in plumbers insurance packages is a broad-form policy. It will also help if you face these exposures:
Slander, copyright, and libel claims
Damage to a rented commercial space
Claims for bodily injuries or property damage filed against a completed plumbing service
This table compares the quotes of the companies that underwrite general liability insurance for plumbers. The figures come from online quotes that the companies below issue to prospective customers:
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 |
| Products and completed operations aggregate limit | $2 ,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Personal and advertising injury coverage aggregate limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Tenant legal liability coverage aggregate limit | $100,000 | $1,000,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Non-owned/hired auto liability coverage limit | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Equipment breakdown floater | Excluded | $2,500-$5,000 | $2,500-$5,000 | Excluded |
| Employment benefits liability floater | Included | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $0 | $0 | $0 | $500-$2,500 |
Plumbers public liability insurance covers bodily injuries or property damage sustained by third parties because of your business. This doesn’t grant protection against other exposures. In the USA, public liability insurance is included in the language of general liability insurance.
Comprehensively designed plumber insurance programs offer professional liability insurance aside from general liability insurance. It's because plumbing projects, similar to water restoration projects, can have leakage and other defects caused by errors and mistakes.
Professional liability insurance grants protection if a client files a claim because your business or its employee caused issues while working.
You can use this insurance to cover settlements, defense costs, and court judgments if you’re held liable for:
Negligence
Misrepresentation
Violation of good faith
Violation of fair dealing
Breach of contract
Most plumbing company insurance packages offer professional liability insurance with a $250,000-$2 million per occurrence limit.
Moreover, this is underwritten as a claims-made or per occurrence policy.
This table compares the features and limits of the professional liability insurance of companies that underwrite small business insurance for plumbers. Figures, you see below, are based on online quotes:
| CoverWallet (Best) | NEXT | Thimble | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $10,000/25,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $250,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $20,000/$50,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $250,000 |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Deductible | $0 | $0 | $500 | $500 |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Aside from lawsuits, the damage or destruction of your office, equipment, and other commercial property can result in significant drawbacks for your plumbing business.
Commercial property insurance protects your business’s tangible assets. This will reimburse your losses and helps you recover if these exposures happen:
Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Civil commotion
Riot
Volcanic action
Lightning
Impact
Vehicle
Aircraft
Rain
Winds
Snow
Hail
Note that commercial property insurance doesn’t only cover the equipment and building of your business. This inclusion in plumbing contractors insurance packages can also reimburse your losses if pipes to be sold and installed get damaged or destroyed while in the business premises.
Remember that commercial property insurance doesn’t grant protection against floods, mudslides, landslides, and earthquakes. You need to purchase floaters to enjoy protection against these.
This table compares the limits and features of commercial property insurance from the recommended companies. The figures provided below are based on the respective quotes we collected online.
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $110,000 | $100,000 | $15,000 |
| Contents coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $15,000 | $100,000 | $15,000 |
| Outdoor signs | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded |
| Accounts receivable | Excluded | Excluded | $5,000/10,000 | Included |
| Money and securities | Excluded | $2,500 | $1,000 | Included |
| Lock and keys | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded |
| Business interruption floater | Excluded | Included | Included | Included |
| Equipment breakdown floater | Excluded | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
| Inland marine insurance floater | Excluded | Excluded | $10,000 | Excluded |
| Employee dishonesty floater | Excluded | $5,000 | $2,500 | Included |
Commercial plumbing insurance packages might offer a business owner’s policy.
Getting a business owner’s policy is a good idea if you only plan to get commercial property insurance and general liability insurance.
A business owner’s policy combines general liability insurance and commercial property insurance into one coverage that’s cheaper and easier to manage.
It might also allow you to get optional policies such as business interruption and employee dishonesty insurance.
You can’t only insure business property but also employees too. This is done by purchasing workers' compensation insurance.
Workers' compensation is a plumbing insurance coverage that provides a helping hand when an employee experiences a work-related injury or disease.
So how does it function? Workers' compensation insurance provides the money your business can use to pay an employee’s:
Medical treatment
Hospitalization
Medication
Rehabilitation and retraining
Lost wages
Funeral expenses and allowance to dependents in case of death
Employer’s liability insurance is offered as part of commercial plumbing insurance plans. This plumbing business insurance covers settlements, defense costs, and court judgments if an employee holds your business liable for occupational disease or injury.
You can choose to remove or add employer’s liability insurance to workers' compensation insurance.
It’s also possible for workers' compensation insurance to automatically have this. In such a case, employer’s liability insurance can’t be removed.
Tools and equipment insurance is offered as a stand-alone policy or as a floater to commercial property insurance or general liability insurance of plumbing company insurance programs.
Also called plumbers tools insurance, this protects the drills, wrenches, welding machines, and other implements for fixing or installing plumbing systems.
Tools and equipment insurance kicks in when plumbing equipment and tools you own get damaged or lost because of:
Fire
Theft
Operator error
Electrical breakdown
Electrical shorts
Mechanical breakdown
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | |
|---|---|---|
| General liability insurance | $50.08 | $600.96 |
| Professional liability insurance | $60 | $720 |
| Commercial property insurance | $53.08 | $636.96 |
| Workers compensation insurance | $80.25 | $963 |
| Business owner’s policy | $52 | $624 |
General liability insurance for plumbing contractors costs $50.08 per month or $600.96 per year for a $1 million coverage. This plumbing liability insurance cost estimate assumes that you have 5 employees and make $500,000-$750,000 per year. Get cheap plumbing insurance by:
Having high deductibles
Removing floaters if they’re useless
Getting policy bundle discounts
To determine plumbing insurance cost, carriers use your location, business history, claims history, annual revenues, and number of employees.
In connection, here’s a table showing the cost of the recommended companies:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $29.50 | $354 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for plumbing businesses |
| CoverWallet | $32.75 | $393 | Plumbing insurance quotes comparison online |
| Tivly | $33 | $396 | Comparing plumbing insurance quotes over the phone |
| Thimble | $34.91 | $418.92 | Short term plumber’s insurance |
| Hiscox | $49.39 | $592.68 | Independent contractors looking for comprehensive coverage that’s tailored to their industry at affordable rates |
| State Farm | $50 | $600 | Customizable plumbing insurance |
| GEICO | $59 | $708 | Commercial auto insurance for plumbers |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Read the reviews below to know the pros, cons, and $1 million general liability insurance rate of the best plumbing insurance companies.
| Insuranks rating | 7/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for plumbing businesses |
| Average cost | $29.50 per month |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| CEO | Guy Goldstein |
| Headquarters | 75 California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, United States |
Best overall
Get an online proof of insurance and send as a text message, email, or social media post
Fastest general liability insurance for plumbing businesses
Great customer service and reputation
Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
Outstanding value for money
Bundle two or more insurance policies and get a 10% discount
No reason to
NEXT offers streamlined online solutions in its plumber's insurance. Through its platform, the company allows customers to add or remove insurance policies, pay premiums, and get instant proof of insurance. Policies included in NEXT’s plumbing business insurance are general liability with tools and equipment coverage, workers compensation, commercial auto, and commercial property insurance. Get a 10% discount if you buy more than one policy from NEXT.
| Insuranks rating | 10/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Plumbing insurance quotes comparison online |
| Average cost | $32.75 per month |
| Year Founded | September 2015 and acquired by AON at 2020 |
| CEO | Inaki Beringuer (former) |
| Headquarters | 101 Avenue of the Americas 18th Floor New York, NY 10013 United States |
Has an online quotes generator that allow you to compare the offers of different insurance companies
Get insured online
Offers more than 17 types of business insurance products
Not an insurance company. Therefore, the policies CoverWallet offers are underwritten by its partners
CoverWallet isn’t really an insurance company. It’s an insurance broker selling plumbing insurance to its partners such as CNA and Progressive. Nonetheless, we included it in our list because it also offers tailored plumbing insurance by customizing the insurance products of partners.
Plumbing businesses can choose between four insurance options. Customers can get plumbing business insurance having general liability only, general liability and professional liability, general liability with professional liability and workers comp, or a customized insurance plan which can be added with any insurance policies needed.
| Insuranks rating | 10/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Comparing plumbing insurance quotes over the phone |
| Average cost | $33 per month |
| Year Founded | 2009 |
| CEO | Mark McClure |
| Headquarters | Norman, Oklahoma |
Responsive customer service
Call and compare quotes over the phone
A partner of many reputable insurance companies
You need to call to get a quote
Tivly (formerly CommercialInsurance.NET) grants coverage through its contractors insurance program. Policies you can get are general liability, workers compensation, commercial property, and other business insurance policies.
To get covered, you need to call a representative who will discuss the details of the policies you wish to purchase. That said, call Tivly now to compare quotes over the phone.
| Insuranks rating | 9/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Short term plumber’s insurance |
| Average cost | $34.91 per month |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| CEO | Jay Bregman |
| Headquarters | New York City |
Get covered online
Insurance for plumbers by the hour, day, week, or month
Some customers reported that Thimble took long to respond upon being asked about the status of claims
Thimble offers short-term general liability insurance for plumbing businesses and independent plumbers. Coverage can last for hours, days, weeks, or months. You can also get a long-term plumbing contractor insurance plan consisting of general liability, commercial property, and workers' compensation insurance.
| Insuranks rating | 6/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Independent contractors looking for comprehensive coverage that’s tailored to their industry at affordable rates |
| Average cost | $49.39 per month |
| Year Founded | 1901 |
| CEO | Aki Hussain |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia |
Offers hefty limits on its liability insurance for plumbers
Worldwide coverage
14-day money-back guarantee
Complaints from customers are considerably high
Hiscox offers general liability, business owner's policy, and professional liability insurance for plumbing businesses. This company is great for customers who want to get $300,000-$2 million worth of coverage with waiver of subrogation included.
| Insuranks rating | 5/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Customizable plumbing insurance |
| Average cost | $50 per month |
| Year Founded | 1922 |
| CEO | Michael L. Tipsord |
| Headquarters | Bloomington, Illinois, United States |
Affordable general liability coverage
Wide range of policies
Customizable policies
Pricey public liability policies
State Farm is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, and the company was founded in 1922. State Farm is known for using exclusive agents, ensuring that only their agents are the only ones who can sell State Farm insurance products.
State Farm plumbing coverage includes property coverage, installation insurance, mobile equipment coverage, and general liability. Also, the company allows clients to fully customize their policies.
| Insuranks rating | 7/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Business owner’s policy for plumbers |
| Average Cost | $59 per month |
| Year Founded | 1963 |
| CEO | Todd Combs |
| Headquarters | Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States |
Cheap prices for commercial auto insurance
Offers personal and advertising injury, cyber liability, and other business insurance coverage for small and big plumbing companies in partnership with Hiscox
Doesn’t have its own insurance for plumbers and offers policies from its partners
GEICO was founded in the 1930s as the Government Employees Insurance Company, and they are known for their marketing campaign that features their signature Geico. While the company mainly deals in auto insurance, they also specialize in business coverage.
GEICO plumbing commercial insurance is available to customers in partnership with Hiscox. This policy will cover plumbers in case of property damage, physical injuries, and advertising injury.
Use anyone except Employers. Period. They are non-transparent and shameful. After I complained long enough to warrant a call from a supervisor, the supervisor called back from a PRIVATE NUMBER (no caller ID), left a message that they are not reversing their decision (without any communication with me), and failed to leave a phone number for me to call back. She was hiding! They also fact find via email and phone calls, which is terrific for speed and communication. However, after setting a precedence of email or phone calls, they send time sensitive information via email, without any heads up... they are hoping you miss it and forfeit via expiration. Evil policies. Go elsewhere.
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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