Window cleaner insurance UK: what cover you need and what it costs
Templates and forms for UK window cleaners: Window Cleaner business templates →
TL;DR: A UK window cleaner usually needs public liability insurance, plus cover for tools and for damage to the glass you're cleaning. Taking on a helper? Check GOV.UK's employers' liability page first. Simply Business says 10% of its window cleaners paid £79.65 or less a year for up to £2m public liability (January to June 2026). Check the height limit first.
What insurance does a window cleaner need?
| Cover | What it pays for | Window cleaning example |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability | Injury to people or damage to their property | Your ladder falls onto a customer's car |
| Damage to what you're cleaning | The glass, frames or surfaces you're working on | You scratch a conservatory roof panel |
| Tools and equipment | Your poles, brushes, ladders and water kit | Your pole system is stolen from the van |
| Employers' liability | Injury or illness to your staff | Your helper falls from a ladder |
| Van insurance | Your vehicle | A van with a water tank fitted |
| Loss of keys | New locks if a customer's keys are lost | You lose a key for an inside clean |
What should you check before you start?
- Helpers. Before anyone works on your round, read GOV.UK's employers' liability insurance page and ask your broker what you need.
- Your van. Tell your insurer it's for business use. GOV.UK's vehicle insurance page covers the basics.
- Your customers. Commercial clients often ask to see a public liability certificate before you start, and so do some domestic customers.
How much is window cleaner insurance in the UK?
These are insurer and broker figures, not a market survey. Your price depends on your work, height, limits, staff and claims history.
| Source | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Simply Business | 10% of window cleaners paid £79.65 or less a year (£6.64 a month equivalent) | Up to £2m public liability, 1 Jan to 30 Jun 2026. 78% choose £1m, 22% £2m |
| Simply Business example quote | £78.58 a year (£6.55 a month) | Sole trader, no staff, Falkirk, residential, no ropes or cables. £1m public liability |
| Simply Business example quote | £748.11 a year (£62.34 a month) | Four employees, Kirklees, residential. £5m public liability, £10m employers' liability, £100,000 legal expenses, £2,000 tools |
| Protectivity example quote | £4.92 a month | Real quote on 1 Oct 2026: £50,000 turnover, £1m public liability, £250 equipment, £2,500 damage from cleaning |
| Suited | From £8.50 a month or £102.00 a year | £1m public liability, 1 person, income up to £50,000. Page updated 26 Jul 2026 |
| Markel Direct | From £6 a month | £1m public liability. Average monthly equivalent of the annual premium. Undated |
Simply Business says its examples are real quotes from its system, made between March and June 2026.
The jump between the two Simply Business quotes is mostly staff. Employers' liability and higher limits cost more.
Simply Business also says its average window cleaner claim was £2,508 (17 successful claims, 1 Sep 2025 to 31 Aug 2026). That's one broker's customers, not the whole market.
Does the height you work at change your insurance?
It can. Read the height wording before anything else.
- Protectivity says it can't cover any work more than 5 metres above the surrounding ground.
- Simply Business's two examples are for work that "does not involve hanging from ropes or cables".
If you use a water-fed pole from the ground, tell the insurer. If you use ladders, say how high. Rope access and cradle work usually need specialist cover.
Our window cleaning start-up guide covers the HSE work at height basics.
Is damage to the glass you're cleaning covered?
Don't assume it is. Some insurers list it as its own section.
Protectivity includes up to £2,500 for damage to the item or surfaces you're cleaning, which can be raised to £5,000. It also covers damage caused by the chemicals you use.
Ask every insurer: "If I scratch a pane or crack a conservatory roof while cleaning it, what's paid, and up to how much?"
What about your van and pole kit?
Van. Tell your insurer it's for business use. A fitted water tank, pump or roof rack may need declaring.
Tools. A pole system stolen overnight can stop the round. Check if tools are covered in a locked van overnight. Protectivity's equipment cover starts at £250 and can go up to £12,000.
How do you buy window cleaner insurance? Step by step
- Write down your work: domestic, commercial, conservatories, gutters, solar panels, inside cleans.
- Note your method and the highest point you reach.
- Choose your public liability limit. Check any commercial contract for a minimum.
- Add cover for damage to the surfaces you clean.
- List your kit and what it would cost to replace.
- Get at least three quotes with the same limits.
- Read the exclusions: height, rope access, pressure washing, chemicals.
- Keep the certificate on your phone for customers, and diary the renewal.
Where LaunchKit fits
The Window Cleaner Business Documents — Premium (£19.99) has 17 templates. They include a Work At Height Risk Assessment, Property Site Assessment, Accident Incident Report and Business Insurance Declaration.
The Window Cleaner Startup Guide (£4.99) is a 12-section PDF covering setup, insurance, work at height and pricing.
They're paperwork, not insurance.
FAQ
Do window cleaners need insurance?
Most carry public liability, because customers and commercial clients often ask for it. If anyone works for you, check GOV.UK's employers' liability page too.
How much is window cleaner insurance in the UK?
Simply Business says 10% of its window cleaners paid £79.65 or less a year for up to £2m public liability (Jan to Jun 2026). Its sole-trader example was £78.58 a year.
Am I covered if I work off a ladder?
It depends on the policy. Protectivity won't cover work more than 5 metres above the ground. Tell every insurer how you work.
Does public liability cover a window I break while cleaning it?
Not always. Ask if damage to the surface you're cleaning is included, and the limit.
Sources
All accessed 1 October 2026.
- Simply Business, "Window cleaning insurance" (10% of window cleaners paid £79.65 or less a year / £6.64 a month for up to £2m PL, 1 Jan–30 Jun 2026; 78%/22% £1m/£2m; example quotes £78.58 and £748.11 a year; average claim £2,508 from 17 claims, 1 Sep 2025–31 Aug 2026; page updated 29 Sep 2026)
- Protectivity, "Window cleaning insurance" (example quote £4.92 a month on 01/10/2026, rechecked 3 Oct 2026; damage from cleaning £2,500 standard, up to £5,000; equipment £250, up to £12,000; no cover above 5 metres)
- Suited, "Public liability insurance for window cleaners" (from £8.50 a month / £102.00 a year for £1m; last updated 26 Jul 2026)
- Markel Direct, "Window cleaners insurance" (from £6 a month for £1m PL)
- GOV.UK, "Employers' liability insurance"
- GOV.UK, "Vehicle insurance"
This article is general information, not insurance advice. Read the policy wording and speak to an FCA-authorised broker or insurer before you buy.
Next useful links
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Window Cleaner Business Documents — Premium
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Templates mentioned in this guide
Window Cleaner Business Documents — Premium
17 business-record templates for Window Cleaner businesses, each supplied as a fillable PDF and an editable DOCX file. Every template is also included in one fill-online HTML bundle: add your business details and brand colour in the sidebar of each template (they are saved per document, not shared between templates), then send clients a locked copy they can fill in with one click. Answers you haven't changed for 60 days are deleted the next time you open the form, and ‘Prepare copy for clients’ clears them; your business details and colour are kept. Type into the PDF fields or use a DOCX-compatible editor to change the business name, logo and wording. The exact delivered-file list is shown on this page. These practical templates do not provide legal, clinical or regulatory advice or certification, and do not replace any official records your work requires.
Window Cleaner Startup Guide
Launching a window cleaning business means handling business registration, public liability insurance, work at height regulations (with water-fed pole work as the safer default), pure water production via RO/DI, vehicle setup for tank or trolley work, GDPR for round records, and clear payment systems for a recurring-revenue model. This guide covers business setup, insurance, the practical realities of water-fed pole versus traditional methods, pricing per house versus per pane, route-density planning that drives margin, conservatory and gutter add-ons, and the first-90-days checklist for moving from a few neighbours to a profitable round.
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