I got a self-employed plasterer to do a bathroom ceiling for me. He accidentally put his foot through the bath, leaving a gaping hole. His insurance company says he wasn’t covered for “new for old”, so their offer is quite a bit short of what it will cost to replace the bath. Does this mean I will have to pay the difference?
Although it’s handy that the workman was insured (because otherwise you might have received nothing) he is obliged to make good the damage whether he was insured or not. If his policy doesn’t meet the full cost for some reason that’s his problem, not yours. You could take him to court for the difference if necessary, although it may be easier to claim on your own insurance.