Engineering Insurance
Engineering Insurance
built around your business, not a tick-box form
Specialist cover for UK engineering firms, mechanical, electrical, civil, precision and contract engineers. 40+ years, 60+ insurer partners, direct access to Lloyd’s of London.
- 01One combined policy, premises, tools, plant, employers’, public & product liability, plus professional indemnity where needed.
- 02We approach 60+ insurers including Lloyd’s syndicates, not just the first to quote.
- 03Cover for contract works, tools away from premises, specialist plant, and the work standard insurers exclude.
- 04One named broker at quote, renewal, and claim. No call queues, no offshore handover.
Get an engineering quote
Same-day response from a real broker. No call centres, no sales pressure.
+ over 50 other UK insurer partners, negotiating on your behalf
Before you call, have these to hand
Helps us quote accurately first time. Nothing formal — rough figures are fine.
One combined policy, everything your engineering firm needs
We build each policy around your discipline and how you actually work, so you’re not paying for cover you don’t need, and you’re not exposed to gaps you do.
Premises & workshop
Workshop, office or yard buildings, fixtures and fittings, plus loss of rent cover if you’re leasing.
Tools, plant & contents
Owned and hired-in plant, tools on site and away from premises, contents and stock in transit.
Contract works & PI
Contract works cover plus professional indemnity for design, consultancy and specification work.
Employers’ liability
Statutory UK minimum is £5m — we typically write cover to £10m to protect your workforce.
Public & product liability
Claims from visitors, clients and the public, plus product liability for anything you design, install or supply.
Business interruption
Lost gross profit, increased cost of working, and wages during insured periods of closure.
We understand engineering disciplines
Every discipline has its own risk profile, from specialist plant to contract works to PI exposure. We place cover across all of them.
Comparison sites can’t place engineering risk
Online forms are built for generic office risk. Engineering isn’t. Here’s what you actually get from a specialist broker.
Comparison sites & call centres
- Generic questionnaire that can’t capture contract works or plant exposure
- Decline or refer anything with hot works, specialist plant or PI requirements
- Different agent every call, no continuity at claim
- Policy chosen on price alone, not cover fit
- No access to specialist Lloyd’s of London syndicates
- You’re on your own at renewal and when something goes wrong
Thornhill Insurance Brokers
- Bespoke policy built around your discipline and how you actually work
- Place the hard risks others refuse, hot works, specialist plant, contract exposure
- Same named broker at quote, renewal, and claim, always
- We explain the trade-offs, not a single take-it-or-leave-it quote
- Direct access to Lloyd’s for the risks standard insurers won’t write
- Family-run since 1982, we’re still here when you need us
If we can’t improve on your current cover or price, we’ll tell you straight. No sales pressure, no wasted time, no obligation.
Four steps to proper cover
No forms that dead-end. No unexplained loadings at renewal. No offshore handover at claim.
Understand
A short call to talk through your operation, staff, premises and any past claims.
Place
We approach the right insurers for your risk. If Lloyd’s is right, we go to Lloyd’s.
Review
We present options and explain the trade-offs, not a single take-it-or-leave-it quote.
Support
One named contact at renewal, mid-term, and in the event of a claim.
Relationships, not transactions
Real reviews from real clients on Google. We’ve been looking after UK businesses since 1982.
“The team at Thornhill Insurance Brokers has taken care of all my business insurance needs for the last seven years. They are true professionals who make insurance simple; I would highly recommend them.”
“Amazing service and support provided by Thornhill Insurance. Nothing is ever too much trouble. This is a very special company who actually do what they say they’re going to do! Although we’re not based in Wakefield we wouldn’t use anyone else.”
“Very good company who listen to customers’ needs and find quality sensibly priced solutions. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them.”
Ready for an engineering quote?
Things we’re often asked
How much does engineering insurance cost?
Honest answer: it depends on your discipline and how you operate. A 2-person design consultancy is a completely different conversation from a 20-person precision engineering workshop with £500k of plant. Premiums are driven by turnover, wageroll, tools and plant value, contract work, PI exposure and claims history. Our job is to find the best cover at the best price for your specific situation, and tell you straight if we can’t beat what you have.
How quickly can I get a quote?
Most of the time we come back the same working day. Straightforward risks can be quoted within the hour. Engineering firms with complex PI, contract works or specialist plant may take a day or two while we approach the right underwriters.
Do I need professional indemnity cover?
If you design, specify, consult or sign off engineering work, yes. PI covers claims arising from alleged negligent advice, design errors or specification failures. Many engineering contracts now require it as standard. We can arrange PI either as part of a combined policy or standalone, depending on your risk.
Are you independent?
Yes. We’re an independent, family-run broker with no ownership links to any insurer. We work with over 60 UK insurers and have direct access to Lloyd’s of London, so we approach the market on your behalf, not the other way round.
What if I’ve had a claim before?
A previous claim doesn’t mean you can’t get cover. It means we approach a different set of insurers, some of whom specialise in claims-experienced risks. We’ve placed policies for engineering firms other brokers had given up on.
Do you cover tools and plant away from premises?
Yes. This is where generic policies fall short for engineering firms. We arrange tools and plant cover that properly reflects how your kit moves between site, workshop, vans and client premises, with realistic single-article and aggregate limits.
What level of employers’ liability cover do I need?
The UK statutory minimum is £5 million, and it’s a legal requirement if you employ staff. We typically place cover at £10 million as standard, employers’ liability claims can escalate quickly in engineering environments.
How does switching from my current broker work?
Straightforward. We time the new policy to start the day your current one ends, no gap in cover, no double-payment. We can usually handle the cancellation side too. Most clients switch at renewal with minimal admin on their end.
Company registration No. 08878096. Registered office: 334 Huddersfield Road, Mirfield, West Yorkshire, WF14 9DQ.