A fence is built to keep something in, or out. When it fails, that's the whole claim.
A fence exists to keep something in, or keep something out. When it doesn't do either, the consequences aren't cosmetic, a pet or a child gets somewhere they shouldn't, or a boundary dispute lands you in the middle of two neighbours. Cover built for a trade where the job's whole purpose is the thing that goes wrong.
Where a fencing contractor actually gets exposed
The risk splits into what happens while you're on site, digging post holes and handling materials near a boundary, and what the finished fence fails to do once you've left.
The fence that didn't hold
A pool or boundary fence you installed has a gate latch that fails within months. A young child gets through and onto the road before anyone notices, and the parents want to know why the fence didn't do its one job.
Damage from post-hole digging
Digging post holes for a new boundary fence, you strike and damage an underground irrigation line the client didn't know was there, flooding part of their garden.
The boundary that wasn't where you thought
You build a new fence along what the client believes is the boundary line. It turns out to be encroaching on the neighbour's land, and the neighbour wants it moved at your cost, not the client's.
Who's going to ask you for it
Pool safety compliance raises the bar
Because a meaningful share of fencing work is pool safety fencing, the requirement to hold cover is often tied to compliance obligations, not just contracts:
- Councils and pool safety inspectors expect fencing contractors doing compliance work to carry current cover.
- Builders and landscapers engaging fencing as a subtrade typically want $10M public liability.
- Rural and commercial clients on larger boundary or perimeter jobs may set their own minimums.
The exclusion fencing contractors assume is covered
A fence that fails to contain what it was built to contain, whether that's a pool, a paddock, or a yard, is a defect in the finished work, not an on-site accident. That's a product liability exposure. Given how directly pool and boundary fencing ties into safety compliance, this is one of the clearer cases where standard public liability alone leaves a real gap.
The other trap catches contractors who weld: standard fencing policies commonly carry a heat exclusion, meaning cutting or welding with heat anywhere other than your own premises isn't covered unless you've specifically arranged for it. If any part of your job involves welding gates or metal panels on-site, this is worth confirming before you assume it's included.
Common questions
A pool fence I installed didn't meet compliance and a child got through. Is that covered?
If product liability is part of your cover, yes, this is exactly the kind of completed-operations claim it's meant to answer. It's worth confirming this cover is included given how serious a pool safety failure can be.
Who's responsible if the fence ends up on the wrong side of the boundary?
It can become a dispute between the two property owners, but as the contractor who built it, you can be drawn in too. Confirming the boundary before starting work is the best protection, alongside having cover in place.
Do I need different cover for rural fencing versus suburban pool fencing?
The underlying cover is similar, but tell us the mix of work you do. Rural fencing carries more excavation and livestock-related risk; pool and boundary fencing carries more compliance-related risk.
What if I damage an underground service I didn't know was there?
That's a common fencing claim, and public liability responds to the property damage. It's still worth checking for services before digging where practical.
I mostly do small residential jobs. Is $10M really necessary?
Most builders and landscapers now specify $10M as a standard minimum regardless of job size, and given the safety stakes with pool fencing specifically, it's a sensible baseline either way.
I weld gates and metal panels as part of my fencing work. Does that change my cover?
It can. Standard fencing cover commonly excludes welding or cutting with heat away from your own premises. If welding on-site is a regular part of your work, tell us so it's arranged for specifically rather than assumed.