Tubes, boards and early starts
Scaffolding is hard physical work. You carry tube, fittings and boards up ladders, pass them hand to hand and build structures that everyone else depends on. Hours start early, travel between sites is constant and the weather does not stop the job.
The injuries that most often keep scaffolders off are shoulder damage, back strain, crushed fingers and knee problems. Falls are rarer than people think, thanks to modern safety practice, but they are the reason insurers take the trade so seriously.
Sick pay for scaffolders
A lot of scaffolders are employed by scaffolding firms, sometimes through agencies. Many get statutory sick pay only, which is a small weekly amount that is far below normal earnings. Self-employed scaffolders get nothing at all.
Larger contractors may offer better sick pay or death in service. Check your contract. If your income would drop sharply in the first weeks off, a short waiting period on your own policy is worth looking at, budget permitting.
- Statutory sick pay is a flat weekly rate, well below most wages
- Agency workers may get less than direct employees
- Death in service, if offered, ends when you leave the job
- Your CISRS level shows insurers what your duties involve
What a high risk rating means in practice
Insurers put scaffolding near the top of their occupation scales for income protection. Some will not offer cover at all. Those that do often limit claims to one or two years, or pay only if you cannot carry out a number of basic work tasks such as lifting, walking or bending.
This makes the details more important. A policy paying for two years after a broken leg or a shoulder operation could keep your rent or mortgage paid through recovery. A supervisor or estimator who no longer builds may be rated differently, so tell us if your role has changed.
Life insurance for scaffolders
Life insurance is more straightforward. Insurers ask about your job and the heights you work at, but many scaffolders are accepted on standard or modestly increased terms. The policy pays a lump sum if you die during the term.
If you are employed with death in service, a personal policy keeps your family protected if you change firms or go self-employed.
How Hi Tomorrow helps scaffolders
We know which insurers will look at scaffolding and how they word their cover. We ask about your role, your card and your contract, then compare what is available and explain the limits plainly.
We help you apply and, if you claim, help you deal with the insurer. If you are employed, we can also go through your contract benefits with you, so the cover you buy fills the real gap instead of duplicating something you already have. And if you move into supervising or inspecting later, we can check whether better terms have become available.