Though cleaning might seem like a pretty straightforward job, it isn't. There is a lot of equipment and chemicals involved. Not to mention the fact that you need to move around heavy furniture to get in all the tight spaces to do your job properly.
As a result, you don't only expose yourself to a risk of an injury but also that of your clients. Whether you damage a customer's property or one of your employees falls and breaks a bone, your company will be financially liable - unless you have an insurance policy in place.
But, before we talk about the different insurance policies that you should take out, let's take a deeper look at why cleaners need to be covered by insurance in the first place.
Why Do Cleaners Need Insurance?
H2: Why Do Cleaners Need Insurance? Whether you're running a business with a number of cleaning operatives or are self-employed, you need to be insured. And while cleaning isn't the most dangerous job in the world, you want to be protected at all times - no matter what.
As a cleaner, you can harm yourself in various ways including the accidental misuse of equipment and cleaning chemicals. It's often that cleaners also need to move furniture around, and accidents do happen.
When you have insurance in place, you'll be covered in the event of an accident that prevents you from working.
On the flip side, you might accidentally damage your client's property or they could slip, fall, and break a bone if you left the floor wet. As a result, they might sue you, which could land you in a pretty big financial mess if you don't have an insurance policy in place.
What Types of Insurance Do Cleaners Need?
There are a few different types of insurance that cleaners need in order to protect themselves and their businesses from legal complications that almost always result in financial losses.
For example, if you are working alone, you will need insurance for self-employed house cleaners, and that should be enough. This isn’t the case if you employ other cleaners.
Ultimately, the level of cover you get will depend on the size of your business, the number of company cars and employees your business has, the clients you deal with, the state you work out of, and more.
For a more detailed breakdown of the recommended insurance policies for cleaners, please take a look below.
How Much Does Cleaners Insurance Cost?
Cleaners insurance costs vary depending on a number of factors, including the type of cleaning business you're running, the amount of coverage you need, and the state you live in. However, as a general rule of thumb, you can expect to pay anywhere from several hundred to a few thousand dollars a year for insurance coverage.
It's important to keep in mind that the cost of insurance is always worth it in the long run as it can protect you and your business from costly legal complications and financial losses. Always make sure that you're fully covered by an insurance policy before starting your cleaning business.
If you're only going for cleaners liability insurance, then that will cost you in the region of $500 per year. Workers' compensation insurance and commercial auto insurance are both north of $1,000 each.
If your business solely focuses on cleaning carpets, then carpet cleaners insurance will likely be much cheaper - unless you deal with expensive and luxury carpets and rugs.
Again, the prices are just averages and can change depending on the size of your company, your clients, the state you operate out of, and various other variables.
Typical Cleaners Insurance Claims
The most common type of insurance claim for cleaners is for property damage. This might be as a result of a cleaner accidentally spilling cleaning fluid on a client's carpet, or causing damage to their property whilst cleaning.
In addition to property damage, cleaners often have to deal with bodily injury claims from clients. This is often a result of an accident in the course of cleaning.