What is employers’ liability insurance on a self-build?

Employers’ liability insurance covers your liability for injury or illness suffered by people who work for you as employees.

Last reviewed 23 October 2026 3 sources

Quick answer

Who needs it: Anyone who employs people. On a self-build that can include you, if the people you pay directly count as your employees, and each trade that has staff.
What to ask a trade for: A current certificate, with the limit and expiry date. A sole trader with no employees may not hold it, but should confirm that in writing.
Who decides status: The facts of the work, not the label. Paying someone directly does not settle whether they are an employee, so tell your broker how everyone is engaged.
Where it sits: Separate from public liability, which covers people who are not working for you.

How it works in Ireland

When a main contractor builds the house, the contractor employs the workforce and holds employers’ liability for it. The cover you arrange as owner usually does not need to include it, but the contract should say so.

When you hire trades yourself, the picture changes. Each trade that has employees should carry employers’ liability for them, and you should ask to see it. Separately, tell your broker how everyone on site is engaged: your own employees if any, independent trades, subcontractors and unpaid helpers. Employment status turns on the facts and on the policy’s definitions. Paying someone directly does not settle it.

Ask each trade for a certificate that shows the cover, the limit and the expiry date. Ask whether they use subcontractors and whether those are insured. A sole trader should confirm in writing whether anyone works for them. If someone works alongside them informally, ask who that person is and how they are covered.

A certificate is evidence to review, not a guarantee that every claim will be paid. Check that the business name matches the quote, that the dates span the job, and that the limit makes sense for the work.

As the client you also have safety duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013, including appointing project supervisors where the thresholds are met. Insurance does not replace those duties. See direct labour for what the client role involves.

Employers’ liability is about people working for you. Injury to visitors, neighbours and passers-by falls under public liability.

A common mistake

Accepting a certificate with no expiry date, or one that lapses before the job ends. Diary the expiry date for each trade and ask for the renewed certificate before the old one runs out. A related company’s insurance is not evidence that the business you hired is insured.

The full guide

This page defines the term. The guide below covers what to do about it.

Insurance when you project manage your own build

Hiring trades directly instead of a main contractor shifts insurance checks to you. What to ask each trade, what to ask your insurer, and what to keep.

6 min read