Check before work starts
Verifying a subcontractor’s competence and insurance before they begin — the right qualifications, accreditations and cover for the work — is basic due diligence, and far easier than reconstructing it afterwards.
The point is to know, and to be able to show, that the people working under your name were checked.
Keep the evidence
Retain copies of what you relied on: their insurance certificates, relevant accreditations and competence evidence, held with expiry dates so you notice when something they hold lapses mid-engagement.
This is the third-party equivalent of your own records — and just as worth keeping current.
Use the free Complys Insurance Compliance Readiness Checker to score your records and see your specific gaps — no signup.
Check your readiness →Consistency across every subcontractor
The strongest position is the same check applied to every subcontractor, every time, with the evidence retained — rather than a thorough check for some and nothing for others.
This guide is about compliance records and evidence, not insurance advice. Having records in place does not guarantee insurance acceptance, pricing or that a claim will be paid — those decisions rest with the relevant insurer and insurance professionals.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check for a subcontractor?
Before work starts: relevant competence and qualifications, accreditations appropriate to the work, and insurance cover — with copies retained and their expiry dates tracked.
Why keep subcontractor records?
Because their work reflects on your business. Retaining the checks and evidence you relied on demonstrates third-party due diligence and lets you show subcontractors were vetted.
Does this affect my own insurance position?
It forms part of how you evidence managing third-party risk. It does not determine your cover, price or any claim outcome — those rest with insurers and brokers.
Complys keeps your records, RAMS, training, workers, documents, inspections and compliance evidence in one place, current and retrievable. Start with contractor compliance software — Verify subcontractor insurance, RAMS and accreditations before work starts.
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