Plumbers Insurance
Get your plumbing business covered with Viz - Certificate of Currency emailed instantly, no fees for paying monthly, and a real person on the phone when you call.
Why do plumbers need insurance?
A burst fitting, a bad joint or a slip with a grinder can turn a routine job into an expensive one fast - especially once water gets involved. A Viz public & products liability insurance policy is designed to cover your business for third-party injury and property damage claims arising from your covered plumbing business activities.
Most builders and principal contractors will also ask to see a Certificate of Currency as proof your cover is in place before they let you start on site.
What can you get covered for as a plumber?
Viz is built for how plumbers actually work.
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Put multiple occupations under one policy and one premium.
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Pay Monthly at no Extra Cost
Cashflow matters. No fees or interest for paying monthly.
One Policy. Multiple Occupations.
Put multiple occupations under one policy and one premium.
Get your Viz Tradie Pass
A Certificate of Currency & insurance hub in your phone's digital wallet.
What can plumbers insurance cover?
Third party property damage
Third party property damage
If your work accidentally damages someone else's property, public liability insurance can cover the costs you're legally liable to pay. For plumbers, that might mean a failed compression fitting soaking a client's floorboards and cabinetry, or cutting into a wall and hitting something that no one knew was there.
Theft of your tools
Theft of your tools
Add Tools of Trade cover to your Viz policy and you can insure up to $50,000 of tools and equipment against theft from a locked vehicle or building.
Injuries to third parties
Injuries to third parties
If someone is accidentally injured because of your work, public liability insurance can cover the costs you're legally liable to pay. For a plumber, that might mean a client slipping on a wet floor from a leak that you are fixing.
Damage to your tools
Damage to your tools
Tools of Trade cover can also insure your tools and equipment against damage from a fire, explosion, flood, or a vehicle collision while you're on the road.
Legal costs
Legal costs
Defending a claim can cost money even when the claim goes nowhere. If a claim is made against your business that you may be legally liable to pay, the public and products liability in your plumbing policy can cover the legal costs of defending or settling it.
Loading and unloading vehicles
Loading and unloading vehicles
Viz's public liability insurance can cover damage to third party property that happens while loading or unloading a registered vehicle during your business activities.
What can't plumbers insurance cover?
Every insurance policy has exclusions - they keep premiums fair and help reserve cover for genuine, unexpected events. We've listed some of the exclusions that every insured plumber should be aware of.
Faulty workmanship
Faulty workmanship
Public liability can cover the damage faulty workmanship causes. It can't cover the cost of doing that work again. Solder a joint poorly and it has to be cut out and redone - that part is on you. If the same joint let go and soaked the floor below, the damage to the floor can be covered.
Licensed plumbers in Victoria have a separate extension for rectifying defects in their own domestic plumbing work - see the Victorian Plumbers section below.
Work other than plumbing
Work other than plumbing
Your policy is designed to cover work that's reasonably expected of a plumber. If your business also offers other services, make sure that you are covered for those business activities as well.
Viz policies let you select multiple occupations, so you could get plumbing and another trade covered under one policy and only pay a single premium.
Excavation and underground work
Excavation and underground work
We can't cover personal injury or damage to third party property from underground work beyond 3.5m deep.
For work up to 3.5m in depth, relevant regulations and Australian Standards must be followed, including searches for underground services.
Non-compliant hot works
Non-compliant hot works
If you weld, braze, solder, oxy cut or do any other heat or spark producing work, it needs to meet Australian Standard 1674.1 for fire precautions. Work that doesn't follow the standard can't be covered.
Tools theft from open air
Tools theft from open air
If your tools or testing gear are stolen from an open job site or an unlocked vehicle, they won't be covered.
Viz's tools cover applies to theft from a securely locked building or vehicle where there's evidence of forced entry. Covering open-air theft would mean every policyholder's premium pays for the few who don't lock up, so it's left out.
The above is not a complete list of the exclusions in your policy. Refer to the policy wording for the full details of your cover.
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Insurance requirements for contractors
Need to get your contractor's licence? Check what insurance your state requires below.
Victoria
Plumbers Insurance Victoria
Licensed plumbers in Victoria must hold insurance that complies with the Licensed Plumbers General Insurance Order 2002, a Ministerial Order made under the Building Act 1993 (Vic).
Viz's public liability policy for plumbers complies with all requirements of that Order. It's designed to cover the cost of rectifying certain defects in plumbing work you've carried out, and compensation to a building owner over a defect in, or the non-completion of, domestic plumbing work.
Cover is up to $50,000 for domestic plumbing work requiring a Compliance Certificate and up to $100,000 for non-domestic work, with a $1,000 excess per claim.
To get the Vic Plumbers coverage on your policy, select the 'Plumbers (Victoria)' occupation. This will make sure that your policy and your policy documents meet the requirements of the Ministerial Order.
Tasmania
When applying for your plumbing contractor's licence in Tasmania, you need to hold at least $5 million in public liability insurance and submit your Certificate of Currency as a part of your application.
All other states & territories
When applying for a plumbing contractor's licence in:
- NSW
- QLD
- WA
- SA
- ACT
- NT
There is no specific requirement to hold public & products liability insurance in order to get licensed, although it is generally recommended anyway - for trade businesses in particular.
Cover for gasfitting, drainage and air conditioning work
If your business also does work such as:
- ● Gasfitting*
- ● Air conditioning
- ● Gutter installation and maintenance
- ● Bathroom renovations
- ● Kitchen installation
- ● Waterproofing
You can add these trades to the same policy and only pay one premium.
*when you select 'Plumbing and Gas Fitting' on your policy, you will be asked to select whether or not you do gasfitting.
What goes into a plumbers insurance policy?
Build your policy from the three types of cover that Viz offers.
Public & products liability insurance
Why you might need it
Public liability is the part of your cover that can protect you if your work injures a third party or damages their property. For plumbers, that can mean a burst pipe flooding a client's kitchen, or someone hurt tripping over gear left on site. Products liability can respond when products that you have installed or completed work causes injury or damage later - like a joint you fitted failing months down the track and flooding a property after you've already left the job.
Public and products liability insurance is something that plumbers usually need before you're allowed on site - builders and any commercial clients will likely ask for a Certificate of Currency as proof your cover is in place before you start.
How it works
Public & products liability is included in every Viz policy. When setting up a policy, after selecting you 'Plumbing and Gas Fitting' or 'Plumbers (Victoria)', will be asked whether you do gas work and whether you do work that is over 3 storeys.
Since July 2026, we cannot cover plumbing businesses that take on work over 3 storeys.
You can select from $5 million, $10 million, or $20 million of public and products liability cover.
Tools & equipment insurance
Why you might need it
Your tools are how the work gets done and how you get paid. Press guns, drain cameras, jetters, locators - without them, jobs stop. If you include Tools of Trade cover on your policy, your gear can be covered if it's stolen or damaged, so you can repair or replace it and get back to work.
How it works
Tools of Trade cover is an optional extra that you can add to your policy. There are two ways to cover your gear. Cover for Unspecified Items is a pool - $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000 - for items worth up to $2,500 each.
Specified items are listed on your policy individually, each with its own description and value, up to $30,000. All up the tools section maxes out at $50,000. You can add or remove tools once the policy is in place.
Tax audit insurance
Why you might need it
The ATO can audit any business, plumbing businesses included, at their discretion - whether or not there's been a mistake. Some are selected at random, others based on tax lodgements. For someone running their own plumbing business, a tax audit can mean dealing with accountants and professional fees while responding to the ATO. If you choose to include tax audit cover, it can cover those costs and help protect your cashflow.
How it works
Tax audit cover is optional and can be added or removed from your policy at any time. It provides $50,000 of cover if selected, with the option to choose an excess that suits you.
What might a plumber's claim look like?
Marcus, from Clearpoint Plumbing Services
Marcus fitted a new mixer tap in a client's kitchen and the seal let go overnight, staining and cupping the floorboards. The homeowner wanted it sorted straight away and the repair quote came to just over $6,500, which was covered under Marcus's public liability insurance.
John, from Munro Plumbing
John's locked toolbox on the back of his ute was broken into overnight while the ute was parked in his own driveway. A press gun with a set of interchangeable heads and a wet-and-dry vac were taken, together worth just over $3,000, which were covered under his tools of trade cover.
Craig, from Crystal Plumbing & Gas Richmond
Craig fixed a leak at a client's place, and a few weeks later the repair let go and water got through into the property again. The owner held Craig's business liable for the resulting water damage. The claim came to just over $8,300, which was covered under his public liability insurance.
The names and businesses above have been changed for privacy. Every claim is different and assessed on its individual circumstances and policy coverage.
What might a plumber's claim process look like?
Claim time is when your insurance needs to deliver, especially with a builder or homeowner waiting on you. At Viz, claims are managed by our specialist claims partner, Sedgwick. Their role is to guide you through your claim and help you get back to your pre-loss position as quickly as possible, with minimal disruption.
1.
Lodge your claim
Fill out the claim form, call the claims team on 1300 850 491, or send the details to vizclaims@au.sedgwick.com. You'll get confirmation once your information has been received.
2.
A representative will get in touch
A Sedgwick representative will be in touch, likely to gather more detail about your claim. That can include a police report, proof of ownership, and an account of what happened, when and where.
3.
Claim assessment
Once the claims team has everything they need from you, they aim to make a decision within 1 to 10 business days, depending on the complexity of the claim.
Even plumbers find insurance draining - Viz makes getting covered easy.
Rather speak to someone? Call us on 1300 216 226.
Frequently asked questions
For a sole trader, plumber public liability insurance with Viz starts at about $40 per month for $5 million of cover without gas work, or about $60 per month with gas work. For $10 million of cover, it starts at about $50 per month without gas work, or around $70 per month with gas work. Your exact premium depends on your cover limit, whether you do gas work, the number of workers in your business, and your state.
In most cases, yes. Principal contractors and builders in Australia typically require subcontract plumbers to hold current public liability insurance, often with a minimum limit of $10 million or $20 million, before they're allowed to start work.
Once you take out a policy with Viz, your Certificate of Currency and other documents are emailed to you within seconds. You can also sign up for the Viz Tradie Pass, which keeps an up-to-date copy on your phone whenever you need it.
Yes. If your plumbing work accidentally damages a client's property - a floor, ceiling, cabinetry or fitting - your Viz public liability policy is designed to cover the third-party property damage claim, including legal costs and compensation. Subject to policy terms and conditions.
Yes. An interested party, such as a builder, head contractor or property owner, can be added to your Viz policy by phone or email.
Public liability insurance is expected for plumbers working on most Australian building sites. Principal contractors and builders typically require subcontractors to hold current public liability insurance before starting work. Viz provides plumber cover up to $20 million.
Yes. Gas fitting is treated as higher risk, so if you do gas work as part of your plumbing business, your premium will generally be higher than for a plumber who doesn't. You'll be asked whether you do gas work when you get a quote, so your price reflects the work you actually do.
Yes. Viz's public liability policy for plumbers includes a Victoria-specific extension designed to comply with the Licensed Plumbers General Insurance Order 2002.
Things to know
Monthly payments vary by state due to state-based stamp duty charges. Viz charges an annual $25 Policy Fee plus $2.50 GST, payable in addition to your premium. The prices shown are based on selecting a $500 excess and are an indication only. Your premium will be calculated based on the information you provide to us during the insurance application process.
You can add up to two occupation categories on to your quote online. Some of these categories contain two different trades, e.g. 'Plumbing and renovations'. If you need additional business activities covered or have any questions about our policies, give us a call on 1300 216 226 or email us at hello@vizinsurance.com.au.