Contractor Insurance And How Does It Effect You
You may be considering which contractor do I get in to do a certain job around your home.
Should you shop around for the cheapest … or should you shop for the contractor with the complete package?
As part of a complete package — insurance MUST be included. And you are well within your rights to ask the contractor if they have insurance and normally the answer you will get is probably “yes of course.” Is that “yes” answer enough for you or should you expect more?
Do you want to know who is liable if the contractor damages your property whilst doing the job? As well as, what guarantee do I have at the end of the job? Let me answer these important questions for you.
1. Should a contractor provide only a verbal answer to your insurance questions?
Yes they can and do … but if you request further PROOF — the contractor must be able to provide you an up to date Certificate of Currency Certificate for “Public Liability” from their Insurer — clearly stating what type of insurance the contractor has.
This certificate should have a Policy number attached to the document so you the customer are able to check that the Policy is valid … especially if you have any reservations as to the authenticity of the Policy.
A good contractor will be able to provide this document at the time of quoting the job, so you have all the relevant information prior to the job taking place. In fact, the contractor is actually working under his/her own insurance the minute he/she arrives on your property to do the quote.
2. What happens if the contractor cannot produce any insurance documents?
If you ask for insurance details and the contractor cannot produce a copy of their current insurance policy — then you will probably find it’s because he/she does not have insurances in place — which could then potentially put the responsibility and liability back on you as the property owner.
As the customer you have every right to ask for these documents, so that you can be sure you will not be responsible for any damages which could occur whilst the contractor is on your property. This insurance document will be “Public Liability” and will show who the insuring company is. A policy number. The Company or Trading name of the contractor. How much the contractor is insured for … and most importantly the date of expiry on the policy.
Don’t be caught out with the contractor showing you an “old” policy. You have the right to see the current policy. No current Policy, should for you mean … no work be carried out on your property. This is to safeguard you and your family.
Exterior House Cleaning Sydney trading as Pete’s House Washing … have these documents at the ready should you wish to sight them.
3. What exactly does “Public Liability” cover?
This type of insurance is a must for every professional contractor. Should the contractor damage your property in any way this insurance will cover the cost of repairs — at no cost to the customer.
Here at Exterior House Cleaning Sydney we pride ourselves in the professional way we conduct our business and endeavour to provide a service to the customer aiming for 100% customer satisfaction.
In the event any damage is caused by or to a staff member of Exterior House Cleaning Sydney — you can be assured that it will be fixed as a priority without any fuss from us or our insurance company.
4. Is it “Law” that a contractor has “Public Liability” insurance?
The simple answer is YES. But out there in the real world, unfortunately, there are many shonky contractors who are dodging the responsibility and the cost of insurance just to make a dollar. And when things go wrong … it is you the property owner who is stuck with the cost of repairs for any damages caused.
The contractor should be able to answer and more importantly show you any documents that you need. So you the customer are happy knowing your questions have been answered, and that you feel safe knowing you have the right contractor doing the right job for you.
You can arrange your exterior house cleaning and pressure cleaning using the online form here or you can speak directly to Peter by calling — 0410 630 443.