Window washing businesses are exposed to a variety of dangers. On the approach to a job site, an employee could be involved in a car accident or fall off a ladder and sustain an injury. A client’s injury or property damage could also lead to a lawsuit against your company. For window and gutter cleaning professionals, window cleaning public insurance can cover these and other liability risks.
Why do I need Window Cleaning public liability Insurance?
Window Cleaning public liability Insurance is a risky business that may be lucrative as well as harmful. There’s a lot that can go wrong when you’re twenty floors in the air or hanging from a thirty-foot ladder. Even though you perform all of your safety inspections and take all of the necessary steps, when you run a window cleaning service, some things are unavoidably out of your control. This is why window cleaning public liability Insurance is so important.
Have you ever had a tool fall from your work platform while you were working high above the street? No, of course not; nonetheless, even the most cautious expert workers are not immune to such occurrences. You may be held liable if that falling instrument strikes a random passerby and causes serious injury, regardless of whether or not you were at fault. It’s still your equipment, and if you damage a customer or bystander, your window cleaning service will be held accountable.
Life is unpredictably unpredictable. Protect yourself and your window cleaning business with dependable liability insurance.
Regardless of your greatest safety procedures while washing windows, you never know what kind of unforeseen disaster can occur; a sudden gust of wind, a gutter giving way, a wire snapping any one of these things could transform an otherwise ordinary day into the worst day of your professional life.
You wear a safety harness and helmet while you’re up on a platform cleaning windows, right? You do, of course. It’s a good idea to be for the worse. Similarly, hanging high above the city without general liability insurance for professional window cleaners would be foolish.
What does Window Cleaner Insurance cover?
Thimble’s Window Cleaner General Liability Insurance was intended to safeguard window cleaners like you from the hazards of the profession. The following are examples of possible scenarios:
#1. Third-party, non-employee bodily injury
You’re cleaning up your gear at the end of the day. The ladder that was resting against the home collapsed and landed on the client’s youngster who was nearby playing. It injures her, and the client asks that you cover the price of her medical treatment.
#2. Third-party property damage
While transporting your tools to the job location, you trip and collide with the client’s classic Ferrari, severely damaging it. Your client files a lawsuit against you for damages, claiming that you failed to pay for a new paint job.
#3. Defense Costs
You use the same window cleaning solution for every job, but your customer suddenly says that you scratched their Italian glass. They take you to court, and you’ll need to hire an attorney to represent you.
#4. Damage to Property Worked On
If you are accused of harming whatever you are cleaning, whether it be a window, conservatory roof, soffit, or fascia, this insurance will cover you. Without this extension of your cover, you’d be on your own to deal with the situation.
#5. Treatment Risks
If you employ solutions or chemicals during the cleaning process (including bleach), you are surely aware that such products might cause damage. The Treatment Risks extension covers this type of injury. Treatment risk is often by insurance, but we may incorporate it for you.
#6. Failure to Secure a Customer’s Premises
You may be responsible for locking up and setting alarms after you leave the premises you have cleaned, and if you fail to do so, you may be held liable if someone breaks in. Such situations are under our coverage.
#7. Losses from Dishonesty
You’ve probably done background checks on all of your employees or self-employed cleaners, but you could still be sued if one of them steals from your customers. The sums you must pay as compensation to your client as a result of fraud and dishonesty will be by the insurance. They will not, however, compensate your clients for their losses.
- where you do not have a suitable reference for the employee covering the period of at least 2 years immediately prior to commencement of employment with you;
- unless you notify us of such losses during the period of insurance or within 30 days of the expiry of the period of insurance;
Window Cleaning Public Liability Insurance is something every window cleaner should have in place to help protect them should the worst happen.
​How much does Window Cleaner Insurance cost?
Thimble’s Window Cleaner General Liability Insurance is reasonably priced and custom-tailored to your time, money, and needs. The time limit (hourly, daily, monthly), the coverage limit, the size of your workforce, and the zip code where you’re doing business all influence pricing. Get an estimate based solely on those four variables, then add Additional Insureds for free!
Paying for insurance you don’t require is a waste of money. You can pay when you work and stop paying when the job is finished with Thimble. An idea as apparent as, well, the windows in your house.
How quickly can I get a Certificate of Insurance (COI)?
Thimble makes obtaining proof of insurance simple, quick, and economical. In less than 60 seconds, you may buy a policy and acquire your Certificate of Insurance (COI). Do you require more insureds or COIs? There is no need to wait, there is no fuss, and there is no additional cost.
Simply enter your information, get a price, and buy your insurance. Have you got a job lined up? Is there a large estate with a lot of windows that need to be cleaned? We can send you your Certificate of Insurance right away.
There is no justification for not getting insurance. You can have your policy on hand at any time, whether you need it for an hour, a day, or a month. Our objective at business yield is to ensure that you are protected from responsibility, regardless of who you are, what you do, or how long you require it.
Are workplace injuries of my staff covered?
No, Thimble’s Window Cleaning insurance does not cover any injuries sustained by your employees while on the job. We strongly advise you to get worker’s compensation insurance, as it is by law in most jurisdictions.
Employers Liability Insurance for Window Cleaners
When running a window cleaning business, you may need to hire self-employed window cleaners or pay individuals on a pay-as-you-go basis.
It makes no difference how much they are paid; the fact that they work for you implies they must be by an Employers’ Liability Insurance policy. You have the same legal obligation whether you have one individual working for you for a few hours a week or a team of self-employed cleaners working 16+ hours a week. Employers Liability (Compulsory) Insurance Act 1969 requires anybody who works for you to be by law.
There are a few exceptions for family enterprises that employ exclusively close relatives. For further information on these exemptions, please refer to the Act.
Do I need insurance for my window cleaning business?
Window cleaning firms do, in fact, require insurance. You take precautions to avoid accidents or injuries, but what if anything goes wrong? Could you bear the financial weight of a large claim on your own? It’s likely that you’ll require assistance from insurance. It’s a wise decision to get the correct protection, and it’s simple to do so online or over the phone.
Do window cleaners need public liability insurance?
Cleaning windows isn’t without its dangers. Height, heavy buckets, and ladders can all contribute to the possibility of an accident. Perhaps you dropped something from the top of a ladder, or someone slipped on wet ground.
If you operate as a window cleaner, public liability insurance can help you defend your company from claims of third-party injury or property damage. Whether you’re self-employed or work for a company, we can ensure you.
With public liability insurance, you’ll get:
- Up to £5 million protection
- Cover for legal defence costs as a result of a claim
- Temporary staff covered for up to 50 days a year, free
- Access to a 24-hour legal hotline
How much does window cleaning insurance cost?
Your insurance should be to your specific needs in order to adequately safeguard your organization. And, because your business is unique, so will your insurance.
In 2019, 10% of our window cleaning customers spent £89* for insurance, but getting a quotation online is the easiest way to find out how much your insurance will cost. It will only take a few minutes to find out, but the peace of mind it will provide will be invaluable. Additionally, if you purchase online, you will receive a 10% discount. You have the option of making a one-time annual payment or making monthly payments (subject to acceptance criteria).
Employers Liability Insurance for Window Cleaners
When running a window cleaning business, you may need to hire self-employed window cleaners or pay individuals on a pay-as-you-go basis.
It makes no difference how much they are paid; the fact that they work for you implies they must be by an Employers’ Liability Insurance policy. You have the same legal obligation whether you have one individual working for you for a few hours a week or a team of self-employed cleaners working 16+ hours a week. Employers Liability (Compulsory) Insurance Act 1969 requires anybody who works for you to be insured by law.
FAQs
Should cleaners have liability insurance?
Yes, house cleaners need to be insured. Most clients will insist that you hold a Public Liability policy before agreeing to work with you, to protect their own property from any damage you might accidentally create.
Do window cleaners need a Licence UK?
Do I need a Licence to be a window cleaner? Yes. You need a window cleaner’s licence to work as a window cleaner or run a window cleaning business. You can apply for a window cleaner’s licence via your local council.
How much can a window cleaner earn UK?
Some average figures tell us that it’s not uncommon for a window cleaner to earn £200 per day or £25 per hour. But to achieve this, you will need to invest in the right equipment. A lot of the money in window cleaning is in commercial clients too. Proper equipment is vital if you want to get some of these.