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Navigating a new business can be confusing and stressful! And if you own a cleaning company– whether you’re a sole proprietor or have employees– in Manitoba, you may have felt lost while trying to navigate the question of, what insurance does a cleaning company need?
First off, let’s start by saying we always recommend protecting yourself, your workers, and your business with insurance. Not having coverage means claims and business losses will hit your personal checking account. While there are all kinds of add-ons and personalizations you can make to your policy, we recommend getting a policy with Commercial General Liability, Professional Liability, and Tools and Equipment Insurance coverage.
In this article, we dive into what these policies can do for you, some common claims cleaning companies face, and answer some burning questions we often get asked.
Prefer to skip the reading and jump right to getting a personalized quote? Let’s chat today and get you covered!
Cleaning business insurance is a specialized insurance policy that was created to protect residential and commercial cleaning professionals. Meaning, that when things go sideways, your insurance will help cover these costs (depending on your coverage) rather than you having to pay out-of-pocket (Phew!).
Unfortunately, mistakes and accidents happen– despite us taking all the proper precautions– and you want to ensure you’re covered when they do. One small mistake, slip, or fall could leave you with a mountain of bills to pay, or worse, lawsuits to deal with. (And trust us when we say legal fees are not cheap!)
A cleaning insurance policy is the only way to ensure that you, your workers, and your business are protected.
Business Insurance is not mandatory for cleaning businesses, but it is highly recommended that you carry adequate liability insurance. In the event of a liability lawsuit/claim, your company could become bankrupt without having the right coverage.
Every business has its own set of common risks and, therefore, common insurance claims. We’ve listed some we’ve seen when it comes to cleaning businesses and how you can ensure you are protected if they do.
Problem: You just waxed the floor at the client’s home you are cleaning, and without noticing, one of the client’s kids comes running in because they forgot their shoes for soccer practice. This incident leads to a slip-related injury– including medical expenses– and some angry clients.
Outcome: Depending on the situation, you could see a claim anywhere from $25,000 up to $1,000,000 plus. The good news is that you’d be protected with Commercial General Liability coverage. This type of coverage also protects you from claims related to slippery/wet floors, property damage, or even lost keys– which could cause a theft claim.
Problem: You hired someone who ended up breaking (and stealing!) some of your cleaning equipment. Bye-bye, nice new lightweight vacuum you spent months researching and tracking down *sigh*.
Outcome: Thankfully, your Tool & Equipment insurance would help cover the cost of replacing the missing and broken equipment. This way, you can get back to providing great services to your clients and making money rather than stressing over the financial loss.
When it comes to insurance for your cleaning business, it can be hard to pick the right policy as there are lots of insurance packages and add-ons for small business owners out there. Regardless of your business and your exact needs, we always recommend that, at a minimum, you have the following three.
General Liability Insurance covers you for property damage, bodily injury claims (ex: slip and fall claims), medical bills that occur as part of an accident while on site, completed operations exposure, and even slander, libel, and advertising injury claims.
Tools & Equipment Insurance provides you with coverage for your tools and cleaning supplies in the event of an insured peril such as fire or theft. Anything under $1,500 is considered a tool. Anything valued at over that amount would be considered equipment.
Professional Liability Insurance provides you with protection for claims against negligence, errors, or failure to provide a service.
The basic commercial general liability policies start around the $500/year mark and go up from there. Your insurance premium will depend on things such as your gross revenue (which determines your liability exposure), whether you do more residential vs commercial jobs, and what additional coverages you choose to have.
Typically, the underwriting information insurers need to know for this class of business is:
Depending on the specific operation, there may be some additional questions, but for the most part, you can be expected to be at least asked the above.
They do not. Whether you are a sole proprietor or have employees– we recommend carrying adequate liability insurance. As long as you're providing a service, you can be sued for liability arising from your operations.
If you’re an incorporated business looking to grow your team, check out our other blogs for small business owners, such as How To Choose & Get Health Insurance For Your Manitoba Small Business.
Plus, our team of Insurance Consultants are always here to help answer your questions and find the right policy for you.
If you’re using your car just to get to and from work, you’re probably covered with your personal auto insurance policy. However, if you're using your vehicle to carry work equipment or driving employees to jobs, you most likely need to consider getting commercial auto insurance.
A good rule of thumb is if you’re using your car for business beyond driving to and from work, you probably need business car insurance.
If you’re unsure if you need business car insurance, the best thing you can do is talk to an Insurance Consultant! They will be able to help you make sure you have the right coverage for what you need.
If you have company-owned vehicles for your business, you need business auto insurance.
Suppose you got into an accident and your insurance company discovered that your vehicle was being used for business purposes (even if not at the time of the accident), and you only had a personal auto insurance policy– there would be a strong chance that the claim would not be processed. This is why it’s always important you have the right insurance for your business needs.
Related: When Do You Need Business Car Insurance In Manitoba?
Whether you’re new to the cleaning business world or have been around for a while, insurance is something you should seriously consider. If you don’t have the funds to cover up to a million-dollar claim, then you need an insurance policy that can.
Talking to an Insurance Consultant can help you determine what coverage your business needs, how much your policy will be, and what other things you should consider as a small business owner.
Let us take care of getting you the protection you need, so you can focus on running and growing your business.
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We love it here, too.
We are committed to the communities where we live and work, and we demonstrate our commitment by taking part in sponsorship and volunteer programs.
Winnipeg Insurance Brokers Ltd. Unit 106-2565 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3J 0P4
Winnipeg Insurance Brokers Ltd. serves our clients and operates on Treaty One land; homeland of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Ojibway, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of the Red River Metis. Our drinking water comes from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, in Treaty Three territory. We respect the treaties, the land, and the water that sustain us.