Public liabilty insurance claim to damaged property?please advise?

Question

Hi,

I got a contract testing ports at a big computer firm. They insisted I had public liability insurance and employees liability.

I duely got back policies.

On the 1st day of the job we damaged an expensive piece of testing equipment.

Do I claim against the public liabilty insurance? am I in fact even covered?

Thanks

Answer 1

In general, Public Liability Insurance covers you for any damages that a member of the public may be awarded as a result of injury or damage to them or their property caused by your business. It also covers legal fees and other expenses to do with defending any claim.  To be sure, read the policy document as it should outline what is and isn't covered, or just phone up your insurer.

Answer 2

You will need to check with your insurers, it will depend on what has happened and who the test equipment belongs to. If it belongs to your client it is likely to be covered, however there may be an exclusion on your policy, relating to damage to property you are working on.

Answer 3

What your policy should give you is insurance against CONTINGENT LIABILITY. The covers you for damage or loss due to the work you are doing and has nothing to do with public liability.

Answer 4

no you cannot claim on a public liabilty insurance

this insurance is for accidents say for exaple a member of the public was walking down stairs in a building you owned and the stairs where not safe and they fell and ijured them self then they would claim of your public liabilty insurance that is what this insurance is for

Answer 5

Did this piece of testing equipment belong to you? If yes then liability insurance will not cover this. A property policy would, depending on how the item was damaged and your coverages. If no, was this a piece of equipment that you were working on (i.e. repairing or testing)? If yes, then the liability policy would not respond as no liability policy makes good faulty workmanship. If other property was damaged (i.e. you were working on a piece of equipment that caught fire and damaged equipment in the rest of the room that you weren't working on) then the damage to the other property would be covered, but not the item you were working on. If no then your liability policy would respond, as it covers bodily injury and property damage caused by your business actions, however check to see if the amount of damages is well above your deductible or else it would not be worth making a claim..

Answer 6

If you have tools cover on your policy then maybe yes - if not then no. However I'd be surprised if there wasn't an exclusion against you working on or near computer equipment.