Must-have insurance for a cleaning business.

Insurance for your cleaning business protects it from unexpected expenses due to property damage, lawsuits, employee injuries, and other issues. This article will discuss why business insurance is necessary and how a comprehensive policy from THREE can provide you critical financial protection for your business.

Let’s talk about insurance for janitorial and cleaning businesses.

Do I need insurance to start a cleaning business?

The short answer is, yes. You should have insurance for your janitorial business before you begin your first assignment. Your team might complete the job without any problems. Hopefully, that’s the case. But if you don't have insurance and someone damages a customer’s property, the repair or replacement cost will come out of your revenues or savings.

Imagine that the item damaged is a large, expensive, wall-mounted video monitor costing $20,000. That’s a tough check to write, especially if you’re just getting started with your cleaning business and don’t have much money saved. And that’s just one of many potential risks.

The scary thing for business owners is that one large, unexpected expense can drive a company out of business if it’s not covered by insurance. While starting a business is without a doubt stressful and full of seemingly endless tasks, securing business insurance will be worth both the time and money.

Cleaning business insurance requirements.

If you own a cleaning business, understanding your insurance requirements is essential. Keep in mind that “requirements” can have different meanings.

One is your legal requirements. For example, most states mandate that companies with employees have Workers’ Compensation insurance to pay for medical care, lost wages during recovery, and other costs if an employee gets hurt at work.

You might also be required by law to carry Commercial Auto insurance if your business owns or leases vehicles. This coverage protects your company if you’re in a vehicle accident and sued by the other party. It also pays for repairs to your vehicle.

Other types of coverage may not be legally required, but they're important to have if you want to avoid large, unpredictable expenses. In addition, many clients will require that your business carry insurance.

In addition to Workers’ Compensation and Commercial Auto insurance, an all-in-one policy from THREE  has other types of coverage businesses may need, including:

• General Liability insurance can pay costs related to lawsuits filed against your company.  Let’s say someone delivering supplies to your office slips and falls, suffers an injury, and sues your business. Your policy can cover you.
• Employee Theft coverage can protect your business if a client alleges your employee has stolen from them.
• Cyber Insurance can pay specified costs if a hacker gets access to your computer network, steals sensitive client information, and uses it to commit fraud. This includes notifying clients of the data breach, providing a helpline for them to call, and other expenses.
• Property Insurance can cover repairing or replacing business assets, like if a severe storm damages your building and destroys expensive cleaning equipment stored there.

So, when you’re looking into what insurance is needed for a cleaning business, be sure to consider “requirements,”  as well as how much financial risk you’re comfortable with.

Every cleaning business owner should consider insurance.

At THREE, we work with cleaning business owners at all experience levels. First-time owners look to us for guidance on the insurance needed for a cleaning business. They want to be sure they understand the costs and benefits of a THREE policy. They also want to know how to file a claim if necessary. Many tell us they appreciate the excellent service from our friendly and knowledgeable small business advisors.

More experienced cleaning business owners also rely on THREE. We can make changes to accommodate their growing companies, like increasing their coverage limits.

How to get insurance for a cleaning business.

Many aspects of running a successful cleaning business are complicated, but we make sure getting insurance isn’t one of them! We streamline the process in a couple of ways.

THREE knows that running a business can lead to hectic schedules and little free time. You can get a quote online anytime - early in the morning, between jobs, and even in the middle of the night.

You can often purchase that policy online without any lengthy phone calls and even have it effective the next day. And if you would prefer to talk to someone, THREE's small business advisors are just a phone call away.

Prioritizing safety is essential.

The easiest incident to deal with is the one that never happens! If your cleaning company has well-defined procedures, provides in-depth and refresher employee training, and cultivates a safety culture, you’re less likely to encounter mistakes that lead to property damage or injuries. This will benefit you in two ways:

First, you don’t have to burn valuable time and energy on resolving issues, and fewer hassles makes your job more enjoyable. Second, your insurance claims history is one of the factors considered by insurers when determining your premium. So, safe operations can benefit your bank account, too!

Of course, even careful, conscientious workers make mistakes, but that’s why we’re here. An active approach to risk management plus business insurance from a trusted provider like THREE is the best way to avoid problems, bounce back quickly from any that happen, and help your business thrive.

Reach out if you have questions about cleaning business insurance.

Cleaning services is a great industry with high demand. Our goal is to streamline the insurance process so you can focus on your work and make the most of your opportunities.

If you have questions about insurance for your cleaning business, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re happy to answer them. Contact us at 1-800-507-4495, Mon.–Fri. 8am–9pm ET.