Handyman insurance is not mandatory by law in some states, however, if you perform handyman work, for your own safety it is mandatory to have insurance. And there are several types you can choose from. You may have been working as a handyman for many years, you have seen it all, electrical problems, leaky pipes, etc. In all these years of working or if you are just starting you will need to have a variety of tools to deal with each job that comes your way, and you are taking your tools from work site to work site with you! So why do we say having insurance if you are a handyman is mandatory?
Because you are still human, no matter how good you are at your job everyone can make a mistake. A faulty electrical connection could at least burn an appliance or at worse set the house on fire. If the water or sewer pipe you fixed breaks or if the leak ends up flooding part of the house ruining a multitude of things, floors, walls, electrical outlets, and wiring, plus carpets, appliances, etc. If you think about it, only these 2 examples will make you want to have an insurance policy that will cover you in these situations, at the very least.
If you get sued by the client, your business insurance taking care of lawyers’ expenses even if you are found guilty or not will also be reason enough for you to make sure you have insurance. In this day and age, you can have a lot of wireless tools, but if by chance you have an electrical wire on the floor or your job site and somebody trips and falls, your insurance can cover the medical expenses for you as well, and it will help you avoid that lawsuit that would otherwise come your way. For all these cases a General Liability insurance policy will cover you.
Now, we are also talking about your tools, your very important, expensive tools, without them you cannot do your job, and you are taking them from worksite to worksite, are you leaving them unattended? If you are working more than one day in one place are you going to take all of them with you? If you have particularly valuable tools the best thing would be to have them insured as well. There is also a policy for this, Inland Marine policies will cover your tools and equipment, if they are stolen or if the tools are damaged while you are transporting them to a different work site.
And this brings us to another sort of insurance you may need, you have personal insurance for your car, but if you are using said vehicle to drive yourself and your tools to different work site your personal insurance will not cover you in the case of an accident, your policy will not be the proper one as they will claim you were using your car for commercial use. Also if some of your employees drive your car as well sometimes, you can add them to your policy as well as family members so in case of an accident the insurance will cover them when driving as well. The insurance coverage is about the same as the one your personal auto policy provides only with more options to choose from higher limits in case of accidents.
So far, you have the option of getting general liability insurance, to protect yourself and your clients, inland marine insurance to protect your tools and equipment, and Commercial auto insurance as you will be using your car to drive to and from worksites on a daily basis. What about if you have employees? Well then you need workers’ compensation insurance, your employees can be your most valuable asset, and if they get injured or hurt while working, workers compensation insurance will cover your employees medical expenses, prescriptions and will pay them part of their salary if they need time off work to recover from an injury, surgery or physical therapy. Until they are ready to return to work.
Now you may be starting out and you are still a one-man show, in this case, you are your main source of income and you could need income protection insurance, this insurance will help you if you lose your job, you get sick or have an accident, it will provide a tax-free income until you can start working again.
So as you can see, there are several sorts of insurance that could help you whether you are a one-man business or a handyman service Company. Insurance can save you, your handyman business, your employees, your tools, etc.
By now you are probably thinking all this handyman liability insurance will be expensive, the good thing is your broker will help you figure out the best insurance for you and can turn them into a package deal, bringing your insurance premium to a much better price for a lot more coverage. You will end up with a package deal that covers so many more things, will save you money in a lot more circumstances, and will give a much better value for your investment.
So, what are you waiting for? Give us a call, one of our insurance agents will need your information and will work with you to find you the best deal for your particular needs. He will figure out if you need General Liability coverage, a BOP (Business owners policy), and add any additional coverage you may need for tools, employees, clients, vehicles, or yourself.
