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If you’re a tradie, the last thing you want to do it make a claim. But even worse is not being able to make a claim because you didn’t have insurance…

Tradies face a range of risks on the worksite, but thankfully there are a range of insurance products designed to protect tradies and their businesses.

The most common claims on tradies insurance tend to be for tool insurance, however there are still claims for other covers such as public liability and income protection which go through every day in Australia.

In this guide we will take a look at some of the most common claims for tradies in Australia.

Stolen or Damaged Tools

A tradies tools are vital to earning an income. Without them most tradies will be unable to work, and will have no choice but to dip into their own pocket to replace their tools.

Stolen Tools

Tool insurance protects against this risk by covering the cost of your tools. If your tools have been stolen, it is important to report the theft to the police, as your insurance company will need a copy of the police report in order to pay your claim.

Once the police have been notified, the next step is to contact your insurance company or broker and advise them of the claim.

The insurance company will require evidence of your ownership, which can generally be met through receipts or other evidence which links to you the item, such as instruction manuals or packaging for the stolen items.

Property Damage & Personal Injury to Others

Some of the largest insurance claims for tradies insurance are for property damage or personal injury that they cause to other people as a result of their business activities.

In the case of this type of incident occurring, you must let the insurance company know about the details as soon as possible.

It is also important not to accept any blame or responsibility for the incident, as your insurance company will first need to investigate the incident before any blame can be apportioned.

Loss of Income

Being a job which involves plenty of manual work, it is not uncommon for tradies to need time away from work due to injuries or illness.

For a tradie on wages this won’t be such as issue, since they have access to sick leave, but for a self-employed tradesman there is no sick leave, and therefore no income.

An income protection claim can be lodged with your insurance company once you have been away from work for long enough to satisfy your waiting period. It is a good idea to contact your insurance company or adviser early however, rather than waiting until the end of the waiting period.

Unless you provided evidence at the time of applying for the income protection insurance, you will have to provide the insurance company with evidence of your currency earnings. This is generally done through the provision of recent tax returns.

Making a Claim

Whenever you need to make a claim on your insurance, regardless of what type of tradesman insurance you have, the best bet is to speak with your insurance adviser or insurance company immediately to notify them of the details.

Your insurance company may give you specific instructions to follow, especially in the case of a public liability insurance claim, and not following these instructions could put your claim in jeopardy.

The whole reason for a tradie to hold insurance is to ensure that they are protected. Insurance companies are more than happy to pay claims, but they need you to cooperate at all times to ensure a smooth and successful claim.

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