Car Mechanic Public Liability Insurance

Car mechanics can work with customer vehicles, tools, ramps, diagnostics, oils, parts, test drives, workshop visitors and third-party property. Quote Monkey can help arrange a specialist broker referral for mechanics who need to discuss public liability insurance and related motor trade cover.

Cover is subject to underwriting criteria, insurer acceptance, terms and conditions.

Request a Specialist Broker Referral

Specialist Car Mechanic Liability Insurance Referrals

Car mechanic public liability insurance may be needed by mobile mechanics, garage owners, repair workshops, diagnostic technicians, servicing businesses, MOT support businesses and small motor trade firms.

A specialist broker referral can help you discuss public liability, employers' liability, tools, equipment, customer vehicles, road risks, premises cover and other motor trade exposures that may be relevant to your work.

This page is for referral support, not a direct insurance quote. Any insurance offered will depend on your activities, premises, vehicles, turnover, claims history, insurer acceptance and policy terms available.

Car mechanic public liability insurance

Why Car Mechanics May Need Public Liability Cover

Mechanic work can involve lifts, jacks, tools, diagnostic equipment, fluids, parts, customer vehicles and public access to a garage or workshop. If a customer, visitor, supplier or member of the public is injured, or if property is damaged because of your business activities, a claim could be costly.

Public liability insurance may help protect against third-party injury or property damage claims. This can be important whether you work from a garage, visit customers as a mobile mechanic, service vehicles at business premises or operate from a shared workshop.

Public Liability For Garage And Mobile Work

Public liability cover may respond if a third party claims they were injured or their property was damaged because of your business activities. Examples could include a visitor tripping over tools, damage to a customer’s property during mobile work, or an incident linked to your workshop area.

Insurers may ask whether you carry out servicing, repairs, diagnostics, tyre work, welding, bodywork, valeting, recovery, test drives or work on high-performance, classic or commercial vehicles.

Customer Vehicles, Parts And Completed Work

Mechanics should discuss how customer vehicles are handled, stored, moved and test driven. Standard public liability may not automatically cover every risk involving vehicles in your custody, so motor trade or road risks cover may also need to be considered.

If you supply parts, tyres, batteries or accessories, product liability may be relevant. Completed work can also matter where a repair or fitted part is later alleged to have caused injury, damage or loss.

Car mechanic specialist broker referral

Employers' Liability And Subcontractors

If you employ mechanics, apprentices, valeters, reception staff, temporary workers or other helpers, employers' liability may be required. This can also apply where people work under your direction in a garage, workshop or mobile repair setting.

If you use subcontractors, insurers may ask whether they are labour-only or bona fide subcontractors, and whether they carry their own insurance. These arrangements should be discussed clearly during the referral.

Information To Have Ready

Before requesting a specialist broker referral, it helps to gather details of your mechanic activities, annual turnover, years trading, premises, tools, staff, vehicle types, whether you are mobile, and whether you drive customer vehicles.

You may also be asked about claims history, ramps, welding, diagnostics, tyres, recovery work, valeting, subcontractors, courtesy cars, trade plates, road risks, storage of customer vehicles and any contract or landlord insurance requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions - Car Mechanic Public Liability Insurance

It is often recommended, especially if customers visit your workshop, you work at customer premises, use tools or machinery, or have third parties near your work.

No. Public liability deals with third-party injury or property damage claims, while motor trade insurance may deal with road risks, customer vehicles and other motor trade exposures. A specialist broker can discuss both.

Mobile mechanic work may be considered, subject to insurer terms. You should tell the broker where you work, what repairs you carry out and whether you drive customer vehicles.

Employers' liability may be required if staff, apprentices or temporary workers work under your direction. Subcontractor arrangements should also be explained to the specialist broker.

No. Any cover is subject to underwriting criteria, insurer acceptance, terms and conditions. Your activities, premises, vehicle handling, claims history and risk controls may all affect availability.