Employers’ liability insurance
Employers’ liability (EL) insurance is compulsory for all employers under the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act. All firms who employ staff are legally required to hold employers liability Insurance.
All employers must get employers’ liability insurance as soon as they become an employer. The policy must cover them for at least £5 million and come from an authorised insurer. Employers can check to see if their insurer is authorised by looking at the Financial Conduct Authority register or by contacting the Financial Conduct Authority.
EL insurance will help pay compensation if an employee is injured or becomes ill because of the work they do for the employer.
Employers may not need EL insurance if they only employ a family member or someone who is based abroad.
Employers can be fined £2,500 every day they are not properly insured. Employers can also be fined £1,000 if they do not display their EL certificate or refuse to make it available to inspectors when they ask.
This article contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v2.0 ref Government.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- 3D animation for insurance risk analysis.
- Building Users' Insurance Against Latent Defects.
- Contractors' all-risk insurance.
- Contract works insurance.
- Directors and officers insurance.
- Flood insurance.
- Insurance for building design and construction.
- Integrated project insurance.
- JCT Clause 6.5.1 Insurance.
- Latent defects insurance.
- Legal indemnities.
- Making sure your builder has appropriate insurance.
- Professional Indemnity Insurance.
- Public liability insurance.
- Residual value insurance.
- Single project professional indemnity insurance
[edit] External references
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
Updated supplier guide can help electrical contractors engage with NHP.
CIAT confirm the winners of the 2026 architectural technology awards.
Government launches a one stop shop for flood preparedness.
Sir Edwin Lutyens: Britain's greatest architect? Book review.
CIOB publishes free template to help assess and manage risks.
ECA's reflections on Party Conference season
Burnham wants to be confident of winning before asking for a fresh mandate.
New Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser
Sergio Cavalaro, Professor of Infrastructure Systems at Loughborough University.
Building safety levy for England
CIAT publish estimator tool for members.
Water sector faces a growing crisis that could slow the delivery of vital infrastructure.
Undervaluing our industrial past
Heritage value changes as taste for building styles changes.
Changing expectations around competence and compliance
New information sheet from CIAT.
Grenfell investigation files passed to CPS
Angela Rayner apologises on behalf of the British state.

















