When your work damages someone else's property
Public & Products Liability in New Zealand
Public liability covers legal liability for injury or property damage caused by your business activities — the cover most New Zealand contracts and landlords ask for.
Meets contract requirements
Most principals and commercial landlords require $1m to $5m of liability cover.
Defence costs included
Legal defence is covered even when the allegation is ultimately unfounded.
Products liability
Extends to harm caused by goods you supply, install or repair.
The detail
What public & products liability covers
A typical New Zealand policy looks like this. Your final wording is set by the insurer we place you with — we walk you through it before you sign.
Usually included
- Third party property damage caused by your work
- Personal injury liability not covered by ACC
- Legal defence and investigation costs
- Products supplied or installed by your business
- Liability at client sites and events
Worth adding
- Increased limits to $10m or $20m
- Care, custody and control extension
- Hot works
- Worldwide jurisdiction (excluding USA/Canada)
Commonly excluded
- The cost of redoing your own faulty workmanship
- Professional advice claims (see professional indemnity)
- Deliberate or reckless acts
- Fines and penalties
Questions
Public & Products Liability FAQs
Keep exploring
Other business cover
Professional indemnity
Protection for the advice and designs you deliver
See coverCommercial vehicle
Utes, vans and fleets that earn their keep
See coverCommercial property
Buildings, fit-out, stock and plant
See coverCyber
Incident response the moment you're breached
See coverReady for cover that actually fits?
Tell us what you need protected. An adviser compares the market and comes back with options in plain English — usually within one business day.