If you clean pools professionally, you know you face significant risks. These include unintended damage to a pool, chemical spills, water issues and damaged equipment. Like any business, you need basic business insurance, but as a pool cleaning business, you have some other, more specialized policies to consider. We’ll look at the most important ones here.
Business insurance basics
There are two fundamental types of coverage every business must have:
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Commercial property insurance to protect your buildings and their contents
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Commercial general liability insurance in case someone claims you are responsible for harm done to them or their property
A commercial property insurance policy covers the physical building where you work, as well as equipment and supplies kept inside or used on a job. If you rent a space, the landlord will carry their own building insurance, but you will still need property insurance for the items you own and store there. Your lease may contain additional insurance requirements, so read it carefully.
Beyond the basics: protecting your equipment and vehicles
Companies that clean pools rely heavily on mobile equipment and vehicles. Your commercial property protection, therefore, must include much more than buildings and their contents. Your agent or broker can talk to you ahout inland marine insurance, which covers business equipment being transported to and from job sites. This could be available as part of a pool cleaners insurance program, or it might be offered as an addition to your broad property policy.
Commercial auto insurance is usually a key coverage for pool cleaners as well. It can insure your vehicles and your workers’ vehicles when they are being used on a job. For example, if you send employees on errands in their personal cars, you could protect your business from the costs of liability and property damage if they were to cause an accident. If you have several vans or trucks, your insurance agent or broker can talk to you about fleet insurance that covers the vehicles and their customizations.
Equipment breakdown insurance is another important coverage for pool cleaning companies. You can’t complete any jobs, and money stops coming in if your cleaning or maintenance equipment breaks down. This type of policy covers repairs and lost income while you wait for those repairs. However, it does not cover normal wear and tear, or issues caused by failure to maintain equipment.
When you are blamed for harm
Commercial general liability insurance covers you if you are blamed for bodily injury to patrons or damage to their property. It covers incidents at your main office and job sites. Remember you don’t have to be at fault to be sued. This type of policy covers awarded damages and legal fees to defend you in a lawsuit.
Workers’ compensation insurance is required in almost every state to cover the costs of employee illnesses or injuries incurred on the job. It helps pay for medical expenses, lost wages and disability income. It also protects your company from lawsuits due to such incidents; by law, an employer covered by workers’ compensation cannot be sued (unless there is gross negligence).
If you have employees, policies are available to protect you from crimes they commit. Employee dishonesty insurance (sometimes called employee crime coverage or fidelity bonds) insures your business against wrongful actions by employees, such as stealing from you or your clients. You can choose blanket coverage for all your employees or a policy that names people in specific posts. For example, you can cover just those who routinely go to the homes or businesses of others.
Other liability policies are essential for pool cleaning companies, too. They include:
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Pollution liability — This type of policy covers costs associated with required hazmat cleanup after a spill. This could be at an office, pool or vehicle accident site.
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Chemical liability — Pollution liability covers damages caused by a spill. But what if a technician overloads a pool with chemicals, causing physical injury? Specialized coverage may be required if your general liability excludes chemical injuries. Your insurance professional can review any exclusions on your primary policy and recommend additional coverage if necessary.
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Glass breakage — You know better than anyone that glass and pools don’t mix. If a technician breaks glass and it contaminates a pool, this type of policy covers required cleanup and repairs.
Additional insurance to maximize your protection
If you keep confidential employee and customer information online, including financial transactions and scheduling, you are responsible for any costs associated with damage and recovery following a data breach. A data breach policy helps with recovery, damages and any advertising that may be required to protect your business’s reputation.
Umbrella insurance is another key consideration. It does what its name implies: covers you if claims exceed your regular policy limits. Having an umbrella policy allows you to carry lower limits on your primary policies, but you still need those policies in place. Your insurance professional can help you use an umbrella policy to strategically address any gaps in your coverage.
When you do more than cleaning
Many pool cleaners provide additional services, such as pool repairs, remodeling and inspections for home sales. If you do any work not directly related to pool cleaning, inform your insurance agent. You’ll likely need some additional coverage to be fully protected.
Share what types of repairs, remodeling or inspections you perform. Mention specialized workmanship, tile work, masonry, plumbing or hydraulic repairs specifically. This detailed information is important for comparing general liability coverage with potential exclusions. For example, many liability policies pool cleaners carry don’t cover remodeling, installations or repairs of accessibility lifts or anti-entrapment drain covers or devices.
