Plasterer insurance, banking and accounting — built into one app.
Plasterers move fast, leave little behind and earn well — but a £4k floor damage claim from a slipped mixer drum can wipe out a week's takings. Onsite bundles PL, tools, van and EL with banking, accounting and CIS so the claim doesn't have to.
Powered by Admiral. Authorised and regulated by the FCA. 14-day cooling-off on every policy. Cancel anything any time.
What insurance does a UK plasterer actually need?
Plastering is a low-frequency, low-severity claim profile — but when claims do happen, they're almost always damage to existing finishes (oak floor, kitchen, carpet) during the wet phase. Onsite's PL is built around that real-world claim shape.
- Employers' liability — legally compulsory. Required from your first labourer or apprentice. £10m of cover.
- Public liability — contractually required. £2m is the standard ask from main contractors and letting agents. £5m for new build and any large commercial job. Onsite asks the right questions to land the right tier.
- Damage to existing finishes — the claim that hurts. Spilt mixer drum on engineered oak. Plaster splash on a customer's painted skirting. Wet plaster vs polished concrete. All standard plasterer claims and all covered by Onsite PL.
- Tools cover — mid-value but high-replacement-frequency. Refina paddle mixer £300. Whisk drill £200. Hawk and trowel kit £400. Most plasterers carry £2,000-£5,000 of kit — easily replaced new-for-old.
- FPDC / FPSA scheme membership. Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors and the Finishes and Interiors Sector both confer competence-scheme recognition. Onsite recognises both for premium discount.
Every cover a UK plasterer needs — in one place
Tick what you need. Skip what you don't. The bundle saves more than buying each cover from a different insurer, and you get one renewal date, one login and one team to call.
Build your plasterer bundle in 60 seconds
Real Admiral and partner panel quotes. No broker shuffle. Certificate of insurance in your dashboard the same day.
How to get plasterer insurance with Onsite
Four steps. Two minutes. Certificate same day.
Tell us what you skim
Domestic plastering, new build, dry lining, heritage lime, mixed. Add typical contract value.
Pick your cover levels
£1m, £2m or £5m PL; tools; van; EL. Lime plastering and heritage work toggle on if declared.
Get a quote in 60 seconds
Admiral and partner quotes return instantly. Damage-to-existing-finishes risk is asked once and priced fairly.
Bind it and download certificates
PL, EL in your dashboard within 60 seconds. Main-contractor- and letting-agent-ready.
Real plasterer claims Onsite settled this year
Anonymised but representative — the claims that pay back the policy in a single incident.
Why Onsite beats a traditional broker for plasterers
Brokers sell you cover and walk away. Onsite is the platform you live in between renewals — banking, accounting, expense capture, CIS handling, an AI assistant that knows your business. The insurance pricing is competitive on its own. The platform is the differentiator.
| What you get | Traditional broker | Onsite |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability, tools, van, EL | Yes | Yes |
| One login for all policies | No — separate insurers | Yes |
| Business bank account + Mastercard | No | Free with bundle |
| Live expense categorisation | No | Yes |
| CIS scheme registration + filing | No | Yes (£39/mo) |
| Mid-term changes (add a labourer, lift a tools limit) | Via email + admin fee | In-app, instant |
| Certificate of insurance issuance | 1-3 working days | Within 60 seconds |
| Powered by Admiral | No | Yes |
UK-specific regs and risks every plasterer should price into a policy
These are the bits a generic broker policy gets wrong. Onsite quotes around them on purpose.
Damage to existing finishes — the top claim
Plasterer PL claims overwhelmingly involve damage to the customer's existing floor, cabinets or carpet during the wet phase. Onsite's PL specifically covers this without contributing-cause excess disputes.
Slip/trip — wet plaster as a site hazard
Wet plaster is a slip hazard for site visitors and other trades on the same job. RAMS and wet-area signage are the standard mitigation. PL claim defence after a slip depends on the documentation.
Heritage lime plastering
Listed buildings require lime plaster — not gypsum — for breathable substrates. Heritage specifiers require evidence of lime competence (SPAB / Building Limes Forum). Onsite stores certs.
FPDC / FPSA membership
Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors / Finishes and Interiors Sector membership confers credibility with specifiers. Onsite recognises both for premium discount.
CIS for plasterers
Sub-contracted to a builder? You're inside CIS. Onsite Accounting reconciles deductions automatically and applies for gross-payment-status when you qualify.
Transparent pricing — no broker fees, no admin uplift
Below are the standard monthly starting points for plasterers on Onsite. Final quote depends on cover levels, postcode and underwriter answers. Bundle two or more covers and the bundle discount applies automatically.
| Cover | Starting price | Typical plasterer | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public liability insurance | from £14/mo | £14 – £42/mo | £1m, £2m or £5m. Covers damage to existing finishes (floors, cabinets, carpets), third-party injury, slip claims on wet … |
| Tools insurance | from £6/mo | £6 – £18/mo | Up to £10,000 new-for-old. Paddle mixers, whisk drills, hawks, trowels, sanders. Overnight van theft included.… |
| Van insurance | from £45/mo | £45 – £135/mo | Goods in transit for plaster bags, beads, mesh and customer-supplied finishes. UK cover. Multi-van discount. Powered by … |
| Employer's liability | from £12/mo | £12 – £36/mo | £10m of cover. Plastering EL premiums are mid-range — slip/trip risk is the main driver.… |
| Professional indemnity | from £14/mo | £14 – £42/mo | Useful for plasterers offering specification or sign-off on listed-building or heritage lime plastering. Most production… |
Plasterers insurance — frequently asked questions
The 12 questions UK plasterers ask us most often. Each answer is referenced into the FAQPage schema on this page so AI assistants and voice search can cite directly.
Do UK plasterers need insurance by law?
Employers' liability is legally compulsory once you pay a labourer or apprentice. Public liability isn't legally required for a sole-trader plasterer but is contractually required by virtually every main contractor and letting agent. Van insurance is legally required to drive.
How much does plasterer insurance cost per month in the UK?
Self-employed UK plasterers typically pay £14–£22/mo for £2m public liability, £6/mo for tools, and £45/mo+ for van. Bundled through Onsite, all-in for the standard plasterer bundle is £80–£110/mo — around £300-£400/yr cheaper than buying covers separately.
What public liability cover do I need as a plasterer?
£2m is the standard ask from main contractors and letting agents. £5m for new build, large commercial fit-out and any contract over £20k value. Onsite asks at quote time.
Does Onsite cover damage to a customer's oak floor during a skim job?
Yes — included as standard on every Onsite PL policy. Damage to existing finishes is the most common plasterer claim and Onsite covers it without contributing-cause excess disputes.
Are my paddle mixer and whisk drill covered if stolen?
Yes, on the standard tools policy, new-for-old. Most plasterers underestimate their kit value — add it up properly at quote time so the limit reflects reality.
Does Onsite cover heritage lime plastering?
Yes — declare heritage work at quote time and provide evidence of lime competence (SPAB course, Building Limes Forum membership). The heritage endorsement adds claim-defence cover for listed-fabric work.
Do I need professional indemnity as a plasterer?
Most production plasterers can skip it. PI is useful if you specify substrates for listed buildings, design heritage repairs or sign off lime-plaster method statements.
What happens if a site visitor slips on wet plaster?
Onsite PL covers third-party slip claims, provided RAMS were in place and wet-area signage was up. The slip-on-wet-plaster claim is well-known to underwriters and not contested when the documentation is on file.
Can Onsite cover dry lining as well as wet plastering?
Yes — both are in scope as standard. Dry lining is closer to drywall installation; PL covers both under the standard plasterer policy.
How does Onsite handle CIS for plasterers?
If you sub-contract to a builder, you're a CIS subbie. Onsite Accounting reconciles the gross-vs-net deductions from your bank account automatically. If you sub-contract another plasterer, Onsite registers you as a CIS contractor and handles the monthly return.
Can I add a labourer or apprentice mid-year?
Yes. Log in, hit "Team", add the person, and EL extends automatically. Certificate updates the same day. Mid-term adjustment fee is £12 and premium pro-rates to renewal.
How does Onsite compare to Direct Line for Business or Simply Business for plasterers?
Direct Line and Simply Business both quote competitively. Onsite is competitive on premium pricing (we benchmark monthly) and adds banking, accounting, CIS, expense tracking in one app — usually 4-6 hours of admin saved per week.
Get your plasterer insurance + bundle in 60 seconds
Real quotes from Admiral and our panel. Certificate of insurance, EL poster and schedule of cover land in your dashboard the same day.