Insurance for cleaning and janitorial businesses

Separate routine cleaning from specialty work

Describe house cleaning, office janitorial work, turnover cleaning and other services separately. Identify any carpet treatment, pressure washing, high-access window work, post-construction cleaning or specialized cleanup. A general cleaning description may not explain everything the insurer needs to review.

State the types of locations your crews enter, who supervises them and whether subcontractors are used. Changes in customer type or job scope should be raised when they occur, rather than waiting for the next renewal.

Ask about the property you handle

A visitor's injury and damage to an item your employee is actively cleaning are different coverage questions. Explain the kinds of surfaces, furnishings and customer equipment you handle. Ask how the proposed liability policy treats property in your care and any applicable exclusions or endorsements.

If a client requires bonding or employee-dishonesty protection, identify that as a separate request. Those terms are not interchangeable with general liability. Have Daniel review the requirement and whether an appropriate option is available before representing that it has been satisfied.

Include keys, supplies and mobile equipment

Describe how the business accesses client premises and handles keys or access credentials. Ask what the policy does and does not address if a key is lost or an allegation arises from access to a property. Do not assume every administrative expense is an insured loss.

List vacuums, extraction equipment and other tools, including where they are stored between jobs. Discuss equipment away from the premises and work travel separately. Employees using personal cars to move between clients can create questions for both their own coverage and the business's liability.

Prepare staffing and client requirements together

Gather payroll estimates by job duty, operating states, employee counts and subcontractor information. Explain whether crews work alone, overnight or in changing locations. The goal is an accurate application, not an assumed eligibility result.

Share a sample client contract with its insurance requirements. Verify legal names, requested limits and any endorsements before requesting proof. A certificate summarizes coverage; it does not broaden the policy or establish that every client request can be met.

Have these details ready.

• Services performed and types of customer locations.
• Staffing, payroll, subcontractor use and operating states.
• Equipment values, storage and employee vehicle use.
• Client insurance, access and any bonding requirements.

Common questions.