NYC Insurance Blog

Janitorial Business Insurance Requirements

Janitorial work is risky. A client could slip on wet floors, or you could drop precious items while you mop the floor. A careless employee could lead to an accident, or you could forget some hazardous chemicals unattended to and cause severe damage.

It is okay; accidents happen, but accidents lead to lawsuits. And when you are in court, you may pay for a lawyer and some compensation to the victim in the worst case. 

If you are a janitor or run a janitorial business, you may want to take janitorial insurance or general liability insurance to protect you and your business. 

What is janitorial insurance?

A janitor's work is one accident waiting to happen. You could forget to put a slippery sign, and someone walks on wet floors. If they fall and need to visit a hospital, the bill will likely come from your end. 

If a claim goes to court and your janitorial business is at fault, you must pay a settlement fee or compensate for medical expenses. Moreover, you will need to pay for your court costs and defense. 

These costs are no joke and could put a massive dent in your janitorial business. However, this should be the case. Janitorial business insurance can help you cover some of the expenses arising from mishaps you make at work. 

If you are a professional janitor, it is a necessary cover to have, especially if you work in homes and big offices and you handle valuable clients' property. Finding out the right coverage for your business is important, let us help guide you!

Why do you need Janitorial Business Insurance?

By getting yourself and your employees janitorial business insurance, you do not have to fall back on your business in case of a lawsuit.

Usually, a slip and fall settlement ranges from $15,000 and $45,000. This amount could go even higher. Hiring a lawyer costs more than $50,000.

From one case, you could end up losing at least $100,000. This dent is enormous, and you will feel it in your business. You may lack the capital to buy your supplies to take your employees to workstations. If you do not work as the boss, you may have to fall back into a cleaner to earn your keep.

However, this should not be the case. With a business owner's insurance cover, you can protect yourself from the claims and settlements arising from accidents that happen at work.

Insurance policies for janitors

When you become a professional janitor, it is only a good business decision to invest in an insurance cover. It may be for you or third parties.

When considering the type of janitorial insurance to take, you must also consider who you work for, how you run your business and the number of employees you have. We can help you decide which policies will fit your business, give us a call today!

In fact, you cannot work for some clients without proof of an insurance cover for your business.

Some of the standard insurance covers that janitors need include:

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance is a cover that protects your business from the expenses of medical costs and legal settlements if you or your employees cause damage or bodily injury during work. It could be at the workstation, or when going to and from your client's premises.

The general liability insurance also covers business from personal losses due to slander and advertising injuries. For instance, if your employee spreads rumors about a client and you end up in court, or if a competitor sues you for copying their adverts.

For the settlement of these cases, general liability insurance works in your favor and saves you the hefty fines and compensation amounts.

Business Personal Property Insurance

The business personal property insurance covers your business property for theft, loss, and accidental damage. It could be your moping carts, tools, or even portables like laptops and phones.

When the cost of replacing your work tools is too high, then the business personal property insurance takes care of it. It also protects the property you leave at your business premises like furniture and printers.

Professional Liability Insurance

Human is to err. Sometimes, errors and omissions may occur during work, resulting in damages. If you do something that costs the client money, you have to pay for it.

Negligence is not an option in business. Even if you think it is not your fault, you may find yourself in a tough spot with the client.

A claim may result from an employee's negligence. It could be using the wrong chemical on a marble floor or wiping the hardwood floor with a damaging chemical.

Professional liability insurance covers the cost of repairing or replacing the floor and any legal fees from the days you spend in court.

Worker's Compensation

If you have a few employees under your name, you will need worker's compensation insurance. It is a legal requirement in most states, and its lack thereof can result in severe penalties.

A worker's compensation policy covers your employees' medical and legal fees. It could be a slip and fall, resulting in your employee's bodily harm, or even a court case when one of your employees sues you.

You might need a cyber-liability insurance cover if you have a business website or email.

If you are a janitor for a company, do you need insurance?

All these policies sound as if they are for business owners. However, if you work as a janitor for a janitorial company, you may want first to confirm if your boss has insurance cover for your business activities.

However, if you use your personal property to work, you may need business personal property insurance. Give us a call today for a free Quote!

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