Scaffolding Insurance
Specialist broking for scaffolders whose height work, project mix or contract requirements need more than an online quote form.
$20M
Limits placed repeatedly
Specialist
PL market access
Australia-wide
Market access
Recognition
The Tank take
Scaffolding insurance is usually a package of covers led by public and products liability. The right structure depends on what you erect and dismantle, your maximum working height, your project types, and the contracts you sign.
Public liability is not a substitute for WHS compliance, licensing or workers compensation. It responds to insured third-party claims, subject to the wording. Your legal duties are a separate question.
Why scaffolding is a specialist risk
Height exposure, manual handling, temporary structures and public access make scaffolding hard to label. Underwriters need to tell a small residential operator apart from a contractor on high-rise, civil or suspended-scaffold projects.
Appetite narrows with maximum height, work above public areas, demolition or asbestos sites, labour-hire, imported components and claims history. A clear submission separates the work you do from the work you don't.
A limited market needs the right relationships
Insurer appetite for scaffolding and height work is narrower than for most trades, so fewer markets will quote it. The placements described on this page ran through specialist markets rather than standard channels.
For public liability - the anchor cover - the specialist markets we have access to include SURA, ASR Underwriting Agencies, Edge Underwriting and HSUA. Where the program needs more, such as fleet, commercial motor or a business pack, we place those sections with other markets. Every placement is tailored to the risk; which insurer quotes depends on your profile and their appetite at the time.
Insurer and underwriting agency names are examples of markets Tank has worked with for scaffolding risks. They are not an endorsement, and no market is obliged to quote a particular risk. Terms depend on the insurer's current appetite and the information disclosed.
The covers a scaffolding business may need
Public and products liability
The anchor cover. Responds when the business is legally liable for third-party injury or property damage, subject to the wording. Read the public liability guide.
Scaffold, tools and equipment
Liability cover doesn't insure your own stock. Theft, damage, transit and off-site storage may need separate sections that match how gear moves between depot and site.
Commercial motor and property
Trucks, trailers, forklifts and depots can need separate policies. Tell the broker what vehicles carry, whether cranes are fitted, and who operates them.
People and financial risks
Workers compensation runs under state schemes. Personal accident, management liability and cyber may become relevant as you grow. See the cover and exclusions guide.
Height work needs the right market, not more form-filling
Tell us your maximum height, project mix and the limit your contract requires. We take it to insurers with genuine scaffolding appetite.
What determines whether insurers will quote
Use the quote requirements checklist to prepare. Disclosure matters: an inaccurate height or activity description can affect both the quote and a later claim.
$20 million limits, placed repeatedly
Tank has placed $20 million public liability for scaffolding and edge-protection contractors on multiple occasions, from new ventures through to renewals. Each is a historical outcome, not a promise of future terms.
A NSW scaffolding contractor needed a $20 million limit in an occupation where mainstream appetite is limited. A complete submission covering heights, activities and safety systems secured a $20 million public liability placement at around $5,200 per year through a specialist market.
A new Sydney edge-protection venture needed a $20 million limit to meet principal contract requirements. Tank structured the submission around the founder's experience and documented safety processes, and took it to specialist markets with genuine height-work appetite; cover was placed at a premium of around $3,700 per year, with premium funding arranged.
An established Sydney scaffolder working to 12 metres renewed at a $20 million limit, with the height and 80/20 residential-commercial split disclosed and priced rather than discovered at claim time. Renewed at around $6,000 per year after the renewal was tested against the market and the incumbent offered the most competitive terms of the markets approached.
Premiums and outcomes described are specific to each client and indicative only. Your own terms will depend on your circumstances and the insurer.
Insurance sits behind prevention, not in place of it
Safe Work Australia identifies falls, scaffold collapse, work near powerlines and falling objects as among the common risks. Under Safe Work Australia's model guidance, scaffolding work where a person or object could fall more than four metres needs a high-risk work licence, and construction work with a fall risk over two metres needs a SWMS. State law applies, so check the jurisdiction where the work is performed.
Underwriters may ask for evidence of licensing, SWMS, inspection and handover systems, training and subcontractor controls. These help an insurer understand the risk; satisfying an insurer doesn't establish legal compliance.
Use the risk-management guide as a submission checklist, then confirm WHS requirements with the regulator or your adviser.
How to compare scaffolding insurance terms
Five steps that separate a defensible placement from a premium-only decision.
Define the business accurately
Record activities, scaffold types, maximum height, industries, geography and people before approaching any market.
Read the contract
Identify required limits, principals, waivers, cross-liability clauses and special endorsements before quoting begins.
Build one complete submission
Include claims information and risk documents rather than sending inconsistent answers to different markets.
Compare wording, not only premium
Check height and activity restrictions, subcontractor conditions, exclusions, excesses, defence costs and aggregate limits.
Confirm before work changes
Tell the broker before taking on a materially different project, height, location or activity.
Check the rules where the work is performed
Safety and licensing duties sit outside your insurance policy. These regulator sources are the starting point.
External government sources. Tank Insurance is not responsible for their content; confirm current requirements with the relevant regulator.
More scaffolding insurance guides
Questions about scaffolding insurance
Usually a package led by public and products liability, with equipment, commercial motor, property and personal accident covers added where relevant. The structure depends on your activities, heights and contracts.
Generally no. It is usually a commercial requirement imposed by builders, principals or site owners rather than a legal one. WHS, licensing and workers compensation duties apply separately regardless of insurance.
Height drives the severity of falls, collapse and dropped-object claims. A policy may restrict or exclude work above a stated height, so an accurate maximum is central to both pricing and cover.
Sometimes. A decline reflects that market's appetite and does not prove all markets will decline. Tank has placed $20 million limits for scaffolders through specialist markets where mainstream appetite was limited, but placement always depends on the complete risk information and the terms available at the time.
Usually not. Public liability responds to third-party claims, subject to its own conditions and exclusions. Your own scaffold stock needs separate cover such as portable property or general property sections.
General information only. This page does not take account of your objectives, financial situation or needs and is not legal or WHS advice. Cover depends on the insurer, policy wording, limits, excesses, exclusions and information disclosed. Read the relevant policy documents and obtain professional advice before deciding.
Put your scaffolding risk in front of the right markets
Tell us what you do, where you work and the limit your contract requires. We will explain the available terms and exclusions before you decide.