888-900-0205What Is Pressure Washer Insurance
Pressure washer insurance is a necessity for pressure washers who work in a variety of client environments. As a pressure washer, you can’t control all elements and variables of your workplace. And while you do your best to mitigate risks, there are times when you won’t be able to prevent an accident from happening.
When you are working, if someone gets hurt or has property damaged as the result of you doing your job, courts may hold you liable for medical bills and damage losses. In addition to medical bills, injured parties may also seek lost work time and even pain and suffering if the injury is severe enough. This is the risk to pressure washers that could lead to significant financial liabilities that can even lead to bankruptcy. To avoid all of this, you need pressure washer insurance.
Keep in mind that pressure washer insurance is not one specific policy, but is instead a group of commercial insurance policies designed to protect against certain types of losses. You may need one or more policies to provide you with the necessary protection. Common policies include general liability, workers’ compensation, and commercial auto insurance.
Let’s dive into the different types of insurance you can get so that you can evaluate what policies you need.
General Liability
City licensing boards sometimes require general liability insurance in order to get a business license. If you aren’t required to get general liability, you should still consider this pressure washer insurance product.
General liability insurance protects you from third-party claims where someone gets injured or experiences property damage due to your business. It’s accident coverage that pays medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and even pain and suffering when something goes wrong. Liability claims can be some of the most costly claims, with even small claims costing thousands of dollars in many cases.
For example, you power wash a house to clean it. Unfortunately, the wash penetrates the wall and damages the interior drywall. You are responsible for the damage to the interior wall and will have to pay it out of pocket if you don't have general liability insurance.
Inland Marine
Inland marine insurance is a type of pressure washer insurance that covers your equipment and supplies during transit. You are constantly moving from job site to job site. This policy pays for losses that happen while you move your belongings around. For example, you might have your work van broken into, and someone steals your power washer machine while you wait in line to get coffee. This type of loss is not covered by general liability because it is a first-party loss, not a third-party loss. Inland marine pays to replace your lost items so you can get back to work sooner than later.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
If you have employees, you need workers’ compensation insurance. All states except for Texas require you to buy workers' compensation insurance, even if you have just one part-time employee. Workers’ compensation pays for medical bills and lost wages of employees hurt while doing their job.
For example, one of your employees might slip on the wet surface he just cleaned, fall, and break his leg. He would have medical expenses and likely be unable to work until his leg is out of a cast. Workers’ compensation pays these costs for you.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Your work van is likely your mobile office. It takes you from job site to job site and has all your tools and equipment readily available. If you cause a car accident in your work van, you need to have commercial auto insurance. Personal auto insurance doesn’t cover work-related losses, so having the wrong insurance can lead to costly claims that you are responsible for.
Commercial auto insurance policies are a type of pressure washer insurance that have liability coverage to protect third parties who may get injured or have their car damaged. It also has elective coverages of comprehensive and collision coverage to pay for damages to your work van in a loss. So if you hit another car, liability pays to fix the other vehicle while collision pays to repair your van.
Surety Bond
Many clients prefer to work with pressure washers who have a bond. Being bonded means that you have purchased a surety bond that guarantees that you will perform the job professionally and according to contract terms. While it is an insurance product, it does not work like traditional insurance.
With traditional insurance, you pay the premium, and the insurance pays the costs of the claim. You don’t need to pay anything beyond the premium and maybe a deductible. With a surety bond, if there is a claim, the insurance company pays the bond out and then collects the amount paid back from you. The bond gives customers the confidence that they have a place to file a claim and get results faster than if they demanded it directly from a contractor.
Excess Liability
Excess liability insurance is an optional plan that adds liability coverage to the underlying policies that already have liability coverage. It is a second-in-line policy, meaning that the underlying policy will pay up to the policy limits first. If there is still a loss amount balance, the excess liability policy then pays up to its policy limits. For example, assume your general liability policy has $1 million in liability limits, but there is a claim for $1.5 million. With an excess liability policy, the general liability policy pays the first million, and the excess liability policy pays the remaining $0.5 million.
Pressure Washer Insurance Cost
Pressure washer insurance costs do vary widely, depending on a host of factors that include:
- The types of policy(ies) purchased
- The amount of coverage needed
- Your location
- Your industry
- Total annual revenues
- Claims history
Most pressure washers start with a general liability insurance policy. It is possible to get a policy for as little as $39 per month for coverage. This is a reasonable price, especially when considering the cost of potential claims they pay. Get a free quote to find out exactly how much a policy will cost you.
Pressure Washer Insurance FAQ
We’re big believers in keeping things simple, so ask us anything and we’ll answer honestly and without the jargon.
How To Get Pressure Washer Insurance
Don’t get stressed about buying pressure washer insurance. Agents are there to help you understand what you need and find you the best possible price for a policy. Call an agent to get a quote. The agent will ask you a series of questions about your business so that he can identify what type of insurance you actually need. Once he has this data, he’ll provide you with a quote that outlines the cost and coverage.
Be sure to ask about discounts. There are often discounts for paperless billing, security systems, and being claims-free. If the cost is still too high, you may also consider increasing any deductible to reduce the premium.
Why Do Pressure Washers Need Insurance?
Pressure washers need insurance because every business has risks. Even if you have safety protocols set for how you conduct business, accidents do happen, and you don’t want to be left paying for them out of your pocket.
What Are The Risks Facing Pressure Washers?
Working with high-pressure water has a lot of risks. People can slip and fall in places you’ve washed. Cleaners and solvents can lead to chemical exposures. And you may accidentally use too much pressure on something leading to damage. These are all common risks associated with being a pressure washer.
Is Insurance Required For Pressure Washers?
Depending on where you live, you might be required to buy pressure washer insurance in order to obtain a business license. This isn’t the case in many counties but keep in mind that you’ll need to purchase workers’ compensation if you have employees in any state except Texas. Many pressure washers buy insurance because it makes them more professional and gives them the credibility to get bigger and better clients.