Employers Liability Insurance
What is Employers Liability (EL) Insurance?
Employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees while they are at work. Your employees may be injured at work or they, or your former employees, may become ill as a result of the work whilst in your employment.
Employers' liability (EL) Insurance enables you to meet the costs of damages and legal fees for employees who are injured or made ill at work through the fault of their employer.
Why do I need Employers Liability Insurance?
Under UK law, an employer must have EL insurance and be insured for at least £5 million.
However, there are exceptions. For example, if you are the only employee or you only employ close family members, you do not need EL insurance.
Generally, someone is defined as your employee if:
- they are under a contract of service
- you deduct National Insurance contributions and income tax from the salary you pay them
- you control when, where and how they work
- they cannot employ a substitute when they are unable to work
Wilsons have a wealth of experience of Employers Liability Insurance and can advise you on whether EL insurance is needed or not to ensure you are fully protected.
Do I need to keep copies of EL insurance certificates?
Since 1 October 2008 there has been no legal requirement for employers to keep copies of certificates. However, we do advise you to keep a record of certificates as some illnesses can appear years after exposure. Being able to produce previous insurance details makes claiming far easier.
You must also display a copy of your current EL certificate in a place your employees can easily read it. This can be in electronic format providing all employees know how to access it easily.
Examples of claims made under EL insurance.
- Employee tripping over a cable in an office
- Person falling off a ladder on site
- Asbestos related claims (i.e mesothelioma)
- Vibration related claims
For further information, please contact one our advisers on Nottingham (0115) 9420111