Construction insurance in Morocco: what private owners should require before breaking ground
Work accident, partial collapse, damage to a neighbour's property: without construction insurance, it is the owner who pays. Here is the cover to check before work starts.
Published on 28 April 2026 · Updated on 9 October 2026 · Reviewed against the official texts on 9 October 2026 · By Multi Service de Marrakech Junior
1. Why construction insurance concerns the owner
Under Moroccan law, the client (you, the owner) is considered responsible for a building site opened on their land. If a worker is injured, if a wall collapses onto the neighbouring property or if a third party is hurt, your civil liability may be engaged — even if you did nothing yourself.
The contractor may disappear or become insolvent. Without insurance of their own, the owner remains the last resort for victims and creditors.
2. The contractor's liability insurance
Before any work starts, ask for an up-to-date professional liability insurance certificate in the contractor's name. It must cover damage caused to third parties during the works: neighbours, passers-by, vehicles parked nearby.
The certificate must explicitly mention the activity “construction works” and the period of validity. An expired policy, or one that does not mention construction (BTP) activity, does not protect you.
3. Work accident insurance
Every worker on your site must be covered by work accident insurance. This is an obligation of the employer (Law 18-12). If the contractor is uninsured or disappears, the victim may turn to the owner, especially if the owner dealt directly with undeclared workers.
Ask for the list of workers by name and a work accident insurance certificate. This requirement is often overlooked on small sites, but it is decisive in the event of a serious accident.
4. Insuring the building: contractors' all-risks and ten-year liability
Contractors' all-risks insurance (tous risques chantier), taken out by the client (owner), covers damage to the building and to third parties during the works. Ten-year (decennial) liability insurance, taken out by the contractor, the architect and the structural engineering consultancy, covers their liability for ten years after handover in the event of collapse or threatened collapse of the building (DOC, article 769). Since 30 December 2024, both types of insurance have been compulsory for industrial, commercial, hotel, sports or accommodation buildings, and for residential buildings of more than three storeys or more than 800 m²: the certificate is then required for the building permit and for the occupancy permit.
A villa or a detached house usually stays below these thresholds: the insurance is not compulsory there, but it is still strongly recommended for any new build or structural extension, because it allows you to obtain compensation without waiting for the outcome of a lawsuit against the contractor.
5. How to check the certificates
An insurance certificate can be forged. To check that it is genuine, contact the insurer named on it directly and give the policy number. Ask for confirmation that the policy is active and that the works on your site are covered.
Include a condition precedent (clause suspensive) in your contract: work only starts once the insurance certificates have been provided and checked. This clause lets you lawfully block the start of work if the documents are not supplied.
In summary
Before any Multi Service de Marrakech Junior site starts, we provide our up-to-date liability and work accident insurance certificates. Checking them is part of the site opening file.
Sources and reference texts
- Insurance Code (Law 17-99) as amended by Law 59-13: contractors' all-risks insurance and ten-year (decennial) liability insurance, implementing orders in force since 30 December 2024
- Code of Obligations and Contracts (DOC), article 769
- Law 18-12 on compensation for work accidents
Cite this guide
Using this guide on your website, on a forum, for an association or in a document? Please cite the source with a link to the original page.
“Construction insurance in Morocco: what private owners should require before breaking ground”, Multi Service de Marrakech Junior, updated 9 October 2026. https://mmj.ma/en/blog/assurance-chantier-particulier
This article is provided for general information and does not replace advice from a lawyer, a notary or an architect. Legislation changes: check the version in force for your situation.
