Contracts Works Insurance
Redwood Insurance Brokers makes contract works insurance clear, practical, and tailored to your build. We help protect materials and work in progress during construction, explain who is responsible, what conditions matter, and what is commonly excluded, and make sure the policy matches your contract and the real risks on site. If something goes wrong, we back you and help drive the claim through.
Why contract works insurance matters
During construction or renovation, projects are exposed to weather, theft, fire, vandalism, and accidental damage. One incident can derail timelines, increase costs, and trigger disputes about who pays.
Contract works insurance, also known as construction insurance, is designed to cover physical loss or damage to materials, work in progress, and temporary works, subject to the policy wording and conditions. The right structure helps protect the investment and keep the project moving when unexpected events occur.
What we help with:
We can help you organise cover for:
New builds, renovations, and extensions
Materials on site (and sometimes in transit or stored off-site, depending on wording)
Work in progress (the partially completed structure)
Temporary works such as scaffolding, formwork, and site structures (policy dependent)
Theft and vandalism (often with security conditions)
Weather events and accidental damage (policy dependent)
Existing structures during renovations (a common gap if not set correctly)
Owner-supplied materials where the principal supplies key items (needs to be addressed clearly)
We focus on aligning the policy with the contract and clarifying who is responsible at each stage.
Who should insure it? (the confusion we fix)
Most projects involve multiple parties, including the owner, builder, subcontractors, and sometimes a lender. The contract may state who must arrange contract works cover, but in practice, responsibilities can overlap and assumptions creep in.
Plain-English takeaway: someone needs to insure the build, and the policy needs to match who carries the risk at each stage. We help align the cover with both the contract and the reality on-site.
Setting the sum insured (do not insure “the quote”)
Contract works sums insured should typically reflect the total completed value of the project, not just what has been spent so far. We help you factor in:
Contract price and variations
Owner-supplied items
GST where applicable
Professional fees and demolition or debris removal, where included
Escalations and long lead-time materials
Plain-English takeaway: underinsurance on a build can be brutal. We aim to avoid it up front.
The gaps we look for (so you don’t find them mid-claim)
This is where a broker earns their keep. We check for:
Renovations vs new builds issues, especially cover for the existing structure
Defects and faulty workmanship exclusions (the cost to fix poor work is often excluded; resulting damage may be treated differently depending on wording)
Water ingress and gradual damage traps during weather exposure and renovations
Theft conditions, such as locked storage, fencing, alarms, and forced entry definitions
Unoccupied site rules and stand-down periods
Natural hazard limits and weather-related conditions
Subcontractor responsibility gaps for tools, plant, and liability
Delay costs (contract works covers damage; delays and penalties usually need separate planning)
Start, handover, and practical completion definitions so cover ends when you expect it to
If there is a gap, we will tell you straight and explain the practical options.
Contract works vs liability (different jobs)
Contract works covers physical loss or damage to the build and materials during construction.
Public liability covers claims from others for injury or property damage caused by your activities.
Plain-English takeaway: most projects need both. We’ll help structure them properly.
How Redwood does it differently
Independent
We compare options across insurers and specialist markets where needed.
Advice, not just a quote
We explain cover in plain English so you can make decisions with confidence.
A sharper risk lens
We look for gaps, exclusions, and contract mismatch risks before they cause problems.
Claims advocacy
If you need to claim, we are in your corner helping drive it through to a fair outcome.
Fast-moving
You deal with people who can make progress, not a maze of hand-offs.
Our process (simple, on purpose)
Quick chat: scope, contract party, timeline, and key risk points
Review: existing cover (if any) and contract requirements
Recommendations: clear options with differences in sums insured, conditions, and exclusions
Placement: we arrange the policy and confirm key details
Ongoing support: variations, extensions, renewals, and claims help
If you need to claim
Construction claims are time-sensitive and delays cost money. We help you:
Take the right first steps and prevent further damage
Lodge and progress the claim
Gather evidence (photos, invoices, quotes, reports)
Keep momentum with the insurer, assessors, and builders
Push for a fair, timely outcome
FAQ’s
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Often yes. Commercial use, multiple driveOften yes, and it needs to be structured properly so the existing building is not accidentally left out.
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Usually not for the cost to fix defective work itself. Resulting damage may be treated differently depending on wording. We’ll explain how it applies.
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Sometimes, but not always automatically. We’ll confirm what is included.
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Typically the full completed value of the project, including variations and owner-supplied items. We’ll help you set it properly.
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Often yes, but security conditions matter. We’ll check what is required and what evidence is needed.
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No. We help homeowners, developers, and businesses. This page is focused on NZ contract works cover.
Want a free second opinion on your contract works insurance?
Bring your current policy (or just tell us what you want covered). We’ll review it, explain what matters, and show you options.