The cracked neighbour's wall
Excavating for a slab next to a boundary, a concreter's work coincides with cracking in the neighbour's brick wall. Whether public liability responds depends on the policy's removal of support and vibration terms.
Insurance for Concreters
Understand the cover concreters commonly use, what clients and sites ask for, and when it gets more complicated.
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The short answer
What insurance does a concreter need in Australia?
Concreters in Australia usually carry public liability insurance, commonly $10 million or $20 million, plus tools, vehicle and plant cover for mixers, pumps and machinery. Cracking, damage to neighbouring property and underground services are common claim areas. Concrete pumping, cutting and structural work can change what insurers will accept.
- Most common cover
- Public liability, tools, vehicles, plant and equipment
- Limits clients ask for
- $10m to $20m on builder and commercial sites
- Common claim
- Damage to driveways, neighbouring property or underground services
- Gets complicated when
- Concrete pumps, structural pours, cutting and coring, excavation
Common cover
What cover do concreters commonly use?
Most concreters build their insurance from a few separate policies. These are the ones that come up most, and why they matter for this kind of work.
Public liability
Covers damage and injury from your work, including slurry on a neighbour's car or damage to existing paths and buildings.
Plant and equipment
Mixers, pumps, bobcats and screeds are expensive and often financed.
Commercial vehicles
Utes, tippers and trucks used to cart materials and gear.
Tools and equipment
Power floats, vibrators, saws and hand tools.
When it gets harder
When does insurance get more complicated for concreters?
Residential slabs and paths are routine. These parts of concreting are where policies differ most.
Removal of support and vibration
Excavating, cutting or vibration can weaken a neighbouring structure. Many liability policies exclude this or limit it unless it is bought back.
Concrete pumping
Pump trucks combine a registered vehicle and a working machine. The gap between motor and liability cover is worth checking.
Cutting and coring
Cutting into existing slabs risks hitting cables, pipes and post-tensioning tendons. Some policies apply a higher excess or sub-limit to underground services.
Structural work
Structural slabs and suspended pours carry more risk than flatwork and may need specific declarations.
Illustrative examples
What does this look like in practice?
These are illustrative examples, not real clients, showing how the work changes the insurance.
The cut tendon
Coring a hole in a commercial slab, a contractor cuts a post-tensioned tendon. The repair is complex and expensive, and the policy's terms for this kind of damage matter.
Cost
What affects the cost of insurance for concreters?
These are the factors that usually move premiums for concreters.
| Factor | Impact | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Type of concreting | Major | Flatwork, structural, pumping and cutting are rated differently. |
| Plant and vehicle values | Moderate | Pumps and trucks add significantly to the overall cost. |
| Turnover and crew size | Moderate | More work means more exposure. |
| Removal of support cover | Moderate | Buying back this cover, where available, adds premium. |
| Claims history | Moderate | Previous property damage claims affect pricing. |
Common questions
Questions concreters ask about insurance
Does public liability cover cracking in a neighbour's property?
It depends on the policy. Damage from removal of support, excavation or vibration is often excluded or limited unless specifically included, so it is worth checking before work near boundaries.
Is my concrete pump covered by motor insurance?
Motor insurance typically covers the pump truck on the road. Damage it causes while pumping on site may fall under liability or plant cover instead, depending on the policies.
Do concreters need plant insurance?
If you own or hire machinery such as mixers, pumps or bobcats, plant and equipment cover protects them against damage and theft. Financed equipment usually needs it.
Related trades
This page is general information only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs, and it is not a recommendation to buy any insurance product. Always read the policy wording and, where applicable, the Product Disclosure Statement.
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