BJP Insurance Brokers – working with sole traders to protect their business

You may be a sole trader working alone – or you might have a growing team who you employ for bigger projects, or because you’re expanding. Either way, you qualify as a SME (small to medium-sized business) and need to insure yourself against a range of risks and menaces.

At a bare minimum, your SME insurance policy needs to include Public Liability and Employers Liability covers. But this could leave you with many potential landmines in a trade as risky as construction. Read on to see how you can fully protect yourself and your business, and what makes BJP the best insurer brokers to do this with.

Worried about a bad claims history? You’re not alone.

Have you claimed on an SME sole trader insurance policy in the past and are worried about how this could affect your premium?

The construction industry is the most accident-ridden trade in Britain, and past claims are normal for sole traders. As specialists in construction insurance, we understand that accidents happen, and that you may have had complications in the past. Our 20-year history has given us relationships with a wide range of insurers, which means we have a better chance of getting you quality insurance at a decent price, whatever your history.

Warning: You might be tempted not to reveal a bad claims history – but this would invalidate your insurance and could lead to huge problems down the line. Talk to one of our brokers upfront today and get full, legal protection.

What insurance to I need as a sole trader SME?

As a sole trader, the first thing to do is check what insurances your customers expect you to have in place. Beyond that, there are two areas that you are likely to need cover for:

Sole traders’ Public Liability Insurance

Prosecutions are all-too-common in the construction trade, and could come from any direction. A minor lawsuit could put you out of pocket and seriously set back your earning power, while a serious lawsuit could put you right out of business.

Note: you can extend SME Public Liability Insurance to include Product Liability, which covers you against claims arising from any products you supply.

Sole traders Employer’s Liability Insurance

It sounds unlikely, but if you are to employ any staff in the future Employer’s Liability Insurance is a legal requirement for sole traders, so don’t get caught without it. You may only employ staff on a temporary, casual or part time basis, but Employer’s Liability is still essential, and will protect you against claims made against you by anyone you employee, either now or down the line.

What is risk management, and how can BJP help protect my SME?

Working in the construction trade, you face risks each and every day – some of which can be difficult or even impossible to insure yourself against. But if you had an HSE inspection, those weak areas could bring down your business.

So how do you protect yourself against the uninsurable?

Not all aspects of your business can be insured against (for example, materials shortages) – but with the right support, you can minimise the risks considerably. When you buy your insurance through BJP, we provide you with a free risk assessment tool that provides you with a personalised risk report. Following the results of your report, you can make use of our free legal advice hotline to get support reducing your worst areas of risk.

Who will handle my insurance policy?

Unlike other insurance brokers, at BJP you’ll be assigned a dedicated account handler who will deal with all aspects of your insurance – from the details of your policy to assistance with managing uninsurable risks and any MTAs. Your account handler will also be your first port of call in the event of a claim. If you’ve had past claims, you’ll know that this can be a stressful time – and more so if you have to deal with different people. At BJP we value personal relationships, as we know they make your life easier.

What are you waiting for? Call us to talk through your sole trader SME insurance needs and get a free quote today.

What makes BJP special?

Many companies claiming to be insurance brokers aren’t really experts in their field and have no real understanding of the construction trade. They’re likely to sell you a one-size-fits all policy that may over-insure you in some areas (for which you’ll pay) while leaving you vulnerable in others.

Get great value, robust insurance that covers your real needs with BJP.

At BJP we have 20 years’ experience sourcing the best insurance packages for sole traders like you. We understand the construction trade and the risks you face, as well as the kind of claims you may have made in the past. Our genuine, qualified brokers are on hand to help find you the right insurance for your SME, even when the odds are against you.

Apart from our expertise in the trade, we offer free risk management support, which will make your business as watertight as possible.