Public Liability Insurance in QLD: $5m, $10m & $20m Rules

Is public liability insurance compulsory in Queensland? In Queensland, the requirement to hold public liability insurance usually comes from a licence, permit, council or contract (business.gov.au). For example, licensed electrical contractors must hold public and products liability insurance of at least $5 million (WorkSafe Queensland).

Public liability insurance is designed to cover claims that someone was injured or their property was damaged in connection with your business. Products liability insurance is designed to cover claims that a product you made, sold or supplied caused injury or damage after it left your hands.

The two are usually arranged together as public and products liability insurance. Public and products liability cover may include compensation and any settlement you are legally liable to pay, subject to the policy terms.

Cover depends on the policy and insurer you choose. Check the policy wording and its terms and conditions for what is and isn't included.

Which Queensland rules set a public liability limit?

Each limit below comes from a different regulator, council or department, and applies to a specific licence, approval or agreement.

These are examples, not every Queensland requirement. We checked each one on 25 September 2026. Regulators, councils and departments can change these conditions. The body that issues your licence or permit, or the other party to your contract, can confirm the current requirement.

What does the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 change?

The Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 commenced on 1 September 2026 and replaced the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 (WorkSafe Queensland). WorkSafe says the changes are "primarily structural and drafting improvements" and that existing electrical safety requirements "remain unchanged". Every section was renumbered, and the transitional provisions sit in Part 16.

The licence insurance requirement is now section 165 of the 2026 regulation (WorkSafe Queensland). In the 2013 regulation it was section 51 (Electrical Safety Regulation 2013), so older contracts and licence paperwork may still cite section 51.

WorkSafe Queensland says the contractor's policy must:

• provide public and products liability with a limit of indemnity of at least $5 million
• include consumer protection insurance of at least $50,000
• be issued in the legal name of the business applying for the licence
• cover liability arising from testing and certification of work under the Electrical Safety Regulation
• cover injury or damage arising from faulty design work you perform, including where you didn't charge a specific fee for it
• cover injury or damage arising from incorrect advice, including where you didn't charge a specific fee for it
• cover goods in your care, custody or control

WorkSafe lists consumer protection insurance as part of the same policy, with its own minimum of $50,000. What it covers varies between policy wordings, so always check with your insurance broker or the team at upcover.

Because the requirement covers these activities as well as the limit, the policy wording needs to include them. The certificate of currency shows the limit, and the policy wording sets out what is included. Our guide to public liability insurance for electricians covers the wider picture, and you can see electrician insurance in Queensland.

Who needs public liability insurance in Queensland?

The requirement usually reaches a Queensland business in one of four ways:

• A licence condition. Electrical contracting is the clearest example, with the limit set in regulation.
• A permit or approval. Councils and Transport and Main Roads ask for a certificate of currency at a stated limit. You provide it before you trade, hold an event or work in a road corridor, and each council sets its own conditions.
• A contract or site. Head contractors, principals and clients may ask subcontractors to hold their own cover and show a certificate before starting.
• A lease. Landlords and shopping centre managers may write a liability requirement into the lease.

Where more than one applies, each has to be met. A licensed electrical contractor meeting the $5 million licence minimum may still be asked for a higher limit by a head contractor.

What public liability limit do Queensland businesses need?

No single minimum applies across Queensland. Any minimum requirement comes from the licence, permit or contract in front of you. The limits Queensland businesses commonly see are $5 million, $10 million and $20 million or more.

Above any minimum requirement, the limit a business chooses depends on its work, its sites and the number of people around it. An upcover team member or an insurance broker can talk through what those limits mean for a business like yours. Our guide to what level of public liability insurance you need explains the other factors.

What doesn't public liability insurance cover in Queensland?

Two Queensland schemes sit outside public liability insurance:

Workers' compensation: Queensland employers must cover their workers for work-related injury or illness (WorkCover Queensland). The majority do this through WorkCover Queensland. Large organisations with more than 2,000 full-time employees in Queensland may be able to self-insure (Business Queensland). A contractor with an ABN can still count as a worker if they work under a contract of service (WorkSafe Queensland).

Home warranty: The Queensland Home Warranty Scheme may assist homeowners where eligible residential work is left unfinished or defects are left unfixed (QBCC).

Public liability exclusions commonly include, but are not limited to:

• liability arising from using a registered motor vehicle. Some policies include cover, with limits, for injury or damage while loading or unloading goods from a registered vehicle. Other vehicle liability may sit with commercial motor insurance, designed to cover a business vehicle, and compulsory third party (CTP) insurance. CTP is included in Queensland vehicle registration fees and is designed to cover injury to other people in a crash your vehicle causes (MAIC)
• dishonest, fraudulent or wilful acts by you. Dishonesty by an employee may sit under the crime or fidelity section of a management liability policy, designed to cover losses from employee dishonesty, where you arrange one
• the cost to redo, correct or improve your own work or fix defects, although the policy may respond to resulting damage to someone else's property
• claims from professional advice or services for a fee. These generally sit with professional indemnity insurance, which is designed to cover claims that your professional advice or services caused a client financial loss. For licensed electrical contractors, the licence requires the policy to include injury or damage arising from faulty design work and incorrect advice. The requirement applies even where no specific fee was charged (see above)
• liability you take on only because of a contract (contractual liability exclusion)

Important: This list is not exhaustive. Exclusions vary between insurers. Always refer to the policy wording and its terms and conditions for the exclusions that apply to you, and if you have questions you should speak to your insurance broker or the upcover team.

Whether a policy covers property in your care, custody or control, or subcontracted work, varies between policy wordings, so always check with your insurance broker or the team at upcover.

How much does public liability insurance cost in Queensland?

Factors in your price include your activities, turnover, staff numbers, claims history and the limit and excess you choose. The excess is the amount you contribute to a claim. An upcover team member or an insurance broker can talk through these factors, or you can get a public liability quote.

How does Queensland insurance duty apply?

Queensland adds insurance duty of 9% of the premium paid, including GST (Queensland Revenue Office). On every $100 of premium including GST, duty adds $9. Duty on WorkCover Queensland policies is 5% of the net premium.

Eligible non-profit community organisations can apply to the Queensland Revenue Office for a duty exemption on public liability insurance for their community purpose activities. The exempt premium must be shown separately on the premium invoice for the exemption to apply (Queensland Revenue Office).

For national pricing, see our guide to public liability insurance cost.

What should a certificate of currency show in Queensland?

A certificate of currency confirms a policy is in force. The full policy wording sits in a separate document. The licences and permits above look at four details on the certificate:

• The insured name. WorkSafe wants the legal name of the business applying for the electrical contractor licence. Brisbane wants the same name as the event permit holder.
• The period. Brisbane asks for cover that is current for the whole event (Brisbane City Council). Transport and Main Roads asks for a current certificate (Transport and Main Roads).
• The limit. If your licence, permit or contract names a limit, the certificate needs to show at least that amount.
• Any notation. Brisbane asks for Council to be noted as an interested party for events on Council land (Brisbane City Council). Transport and Main Roads asks for the certificate to name the department as "Named Party" or "Interest Noted" (Transport and Main Roads).

Some approvals ask for more. A Road Corridor Permit application also needs a Deed of Indemnity, and Brisbane may ask to view the policy itself (Brisbane City Council).

How upcover can help

upcover arranges public and products liability insurance for Queensland businesses. upcover works with 80+ insurance partners and can arrange quotes from a range of insurers.

• 70,000+ businesses covered across Australia
• 4.9/5 customer rating
• 80+ insurance partners

Get a public liability quote, or read our guide to what a certificate of currency is.

Frequently asked questions

Is public liability insurance compulsory in Queensland?

In Queensland, the requirement to hold public liability insurance usually comes from a licence, permit, council or contract, such as the $5 million minimum for licensed electrical contractors.

How much public liability insurance do Queensland electricians need?

Licensed electrical contractors need at least $5 million public and products liability plus at least $50,000 consumer protection insurance, under section 165 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026. The policy must be in the legal name of the business applying for the licence, and contracts may ask for more.

Does every Queensland council require $20 million?

Councils set their own conditions for each permit. Brisbane asks for $20 million for assessable events unless another amount is agreed, and the Sunshine Coast asks for $20 million for footpath dining. Other councils and permit types set their own limits.

Does public liability insurance cover my employees in Queensland?

Work-related injury to your workers typically sits with workers' compensation insurance, which Queensland employers must hold. The majority of employers insure through WorkCover Queensland. Public liability insurance is designed for claims from other people.

Am I covered by my head contractor's public liability insurance?

A head contractor's policy is generally arranged for the head contractor's own business. Head contractors may ask you to hold your own public liability insurance and show a certificate of currency before you start.

Do sole traders need public liability insurance in Queensland?

Sole traders can be subject to public liability requirements under licences, permits and contracts, just as companies can. The requirement and minimum limit depend on the particular licence, permit or agreement. See our guide to public liability insurance for sole traders.

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_{Written by upcover's editorial team.}

_{This article provides general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not legal or tax advice. Licence conditions, permit requirements, limits, duty rates and exemptions are set by regulators, councils and departments and can change, so confirm what applies with the relevant body. Insurance availability and cover are subject to underwriting and the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of the relevant policy. Read the policy wording and its terms and conditions before deciding. For commercial motor vehicle insurance, also read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Target Market Determination (TMD) and Financial Services Guide (FSG). upcover arranges insurance products with selected insurers and underwriters and does not compare all general insurers or insurance products available in the market.}