Pipe dreams.

Insurance for plumbers is hard to come by, but, in a profession where fire and flood damage are everyday threats, it is absolutely vital, says Steve Banner.

A plumber, distracted from his work for just a second, can do a huge
amount of damage. The result of that carelessness can be a flood which
ruins carpets and furniture and brings down ceilings, or a fire which
destroys the entire building.


As a consequence, rates for plumbers tend to be loaded, and some insurers
- Norwich Union, for example - are not keen on covering them at all.
"We'll look at it on a case-by-case basis on application from a broker,
but we don't have a package suitable for