Cleaners constitute an important set of working personnel. They are engaged in sanitizing business premises, residential apartments, offices and so on. As in any other businesses, cleaners’ business encounters risks of different kinds. Purchasing cleaners’ business insurance is likely to reduce these risks. This article explains cleaners’ business insurance and its coverages: workers compensation insurance, employers liability, etc.
Cleaners business insurance covers
Cleaners’ businesses are susceptible to risks arising from employees, the public, damage to business equipment, damage to vehicles meant for business. The probability of occurring risk might be low, but when occurs really, it results in massive loss to the business and considerable anxiety to the business owner. Therefore, it is sensible to purchase this insurance. This insurance encompasses employers’ liability, workers compensation, general liability insurance, professional liability insurance, business equipment insurance and vehicle insurance.
Worker’s compensation insurance
Cleaning personnel are exposed to harmful working conditions. These include toxic chemicals, harmful waste, injuries because of wrongly operating the machinery and continuous exposure to wet floors, etc. They might get ill or injured. Workers compensation covers these personnel for expenses of treatment of illness or injury at workplace. It compensates for a certain portion of lost wages, for the period when the worker was absent from work because of illness/injury. In a majority of states, it is legally binding on businesses to purchase workers compensation.
Employers’ liability insurance
Cleaning businesses employ people. In other words, like any other businesses they have employees as well. Employers’ liability is mandatory for cleaning businesses. Employers’ liability covers employees: full and part time. Accidents can occur at workplace and if employees feel the employer is responsible, they go to file law suits against your business. Employers’ liability covers the medical expenses, cost of litigation and financial compensation to be paid.
General liability insurance
General liability insurance is an important part in cleaners’ business insurance. It covers risks of litigation and financial compensation for bodily injury, which are, too heavy for cleaning businesses. It also covers damage to clients’ property, or loss of clients’ equipment, for instance, theft of a lap top computer, etc.
Further, general liability insurance for cleaning businesses also covers the risk of claims of compensation from public who happen to visit to your business premises may get a slip and fall injury.
It also covers damage to others’ property. Assume while working with some hazardous chemicals (cleaning chemicals) spill over to the apartment close to your client’s and stain their walls. Thus, you face the risk of claims for having damaged their property.
Professional liability insurance
As a set of professionals, cleaning businesses advise their clients to follow the norms/purchase their services etc. Any error on your part, will lead to litigation apart from the claim for compensation, which is too big. Professional liability indemnifies, that is, it compensates your business for the loss caused and takes the responsibility of legal battle, and thus protects your cleaning business.
Business equipment insurance
Cleaning businesses use different machinery as part of their profession. These include vacuum cleaners, dehumidifiers, scrubbers, steam cleaners, pressure washers, sweepers and the like. These machinery are important to these businesses. At times, these businesses have to leave the machinery outside thus exposing to risks. Business equipment insurance covers any damage to these machinery because of intruders’ violence, theft.
Vehicle insurance
Vehicles used in business such ones that are used for conveyance of employees to workplace, working in damaging weather for example, rainy weather, etc. need to be covered under business vehicle insurance, because your vehicles are continuously exposed to conditions that may result in break down. This insurance covers both leased and owned vehicles.
Cleaning businesses are exposed to high risks, because of the very nature of their profession they are likely to face disputes from different parties. Even though a few of them get settled via mutual talks, when it comes legal disputes, it strains them financially and physically. Purchasing cleaners’ business is, therefore, a highly sensible decision.