Every homeowner and business owner has a long list of property maintenance, repair, and improvement tasks that they’d like to get done. But of course, not everyone is skilled at or capable of getting all those tasks done correctly and in a timely manner. That’s why the services you provide as a handyman professional are so important for the appeal, comfort, and longevity of our properties. But working on your client’s homes and businesses leaves you vulnerable to a number of legal risks that could have you paying out of pocket for litigation and settlement costs without the protection of the right handyman insurance. Ontario insurance brokers can ensure you have the protection you need to handle your clients' repair and improvement projects: just reach out to Morison Insurance about insurance for handyman businesses.
As an Ontario handyman professional, you aren’t just at risk for legal woes, you have commercial equipment, tools, and vehicles that are necessary to deliver your handyman services. If something were to happen to render your commercial equipment unusable, you’d be forced to stop work until the damaged items or property were repaired or replaced, and that can be a costly endeavour if you don’t have access to insurance compensation from a comprehensive handyman insurance policy. With the help of the expert brokers at Morison Insurance, you can get the handyman insurance coverage you need to rest easily at night, knowing you have protection against unexpected expenses that could lead to major financial setbacks.
Ontario handyman insurance is a type of business insurance policy specifically designed for handyman service professionals to protect them against any loss or damage that may occur while working on their clients’ properties. These policies typically cover accidents, errors, property damage, injuries, and liability claims related to your work.
Let’s say, for example, you are installing something on a wall, but as you are securing it, you hit a plumbing line, causing water damage to the room. With proper handyman insurance, Ontario professionals will be covered for the costs of repairs and potential legal expenses related to the incident. Or, let’s say you are working on a client’s property, get distracted, turn around, and discover that some expensive tools are missing that, no matter how hard you look, don’t turn up. With proper coverage for your handyman insurance, Ontario insurance providers will cover the cost of replacing these tools, allowing you to get back to doing your job.
Without handyman insurance, Ontario service professionals will have to pay out of pocket for any losses or damages caused by accidents or unexpected events. So it’s important that you properly protect yourself with the right insurance for handyman professionals. Ask your Morison Insurance broker about how you can protect your handyman operations today.
Commercial insurance is important no matter what industry you work in, but especially so for handyman contractors. If you don't have insurance and something goes wrong at your worksite, you could be responsible for medical expenses, damages, legal costs, and more. Paying out-of-pocket for these expenses can be financially devastating and leave your business in the red with no realistic way to financially recover and keep going. But with the right handyman insurance in place, you can have the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are protected against major financial setbacks.
Aside from the necessary financial assistance for unexpected expenses that you can get from the right handyman insurance in Ontario, there's another big reason why having handyman insurance is absolutely necessary: many clients and contractors will simply refuse to work with you if you can't provide adequate proof of insurance. If you're unable to produce a certificate of insurance with the right types of coverage and coverage limits, they will not be willing to take on the risk of hiring or working with you. That means you'll be forced to leave many important contracts behind to be grabbed by your competitors, and of course, that will ultimately have a huge negative impact on your bottom line.
Technically speaking, outside of industry requirements and legally mandated insurance, such as auto insurance, you aren’t required to protect yourself with insurance. That said, it is still a very, very good idea to protect yourself with comprehensive handyman insurance in Ontario.
Whether you have a team of employees and subcontractors working for your handyman company or you work as an individual contractor, it's important to have the right handyman insurance. Ontario insurance professionals will tell you that anytime you're entering homes and businesses to complete a range of repairs, maintenance, and installation services, you put yourself—and your employees—at significant risk. Not only can your work be dangerous at times, but it's also very important to adequately protect yourself from general liability. It's essential to have handyman insurance that's customized to meet your business's specific needs. You don't want to be left financially ruined in the event of a claim if you're not adequately insured.
Every contractor should have some type of handyman insurance in Ontario. While it is impossible to eliminate all risks, it is vital to take the proper steps to protect yourself from unforeseen losses and damage. Having handyman insurance is appropriate for individuals working in a range of industries, including:
Even if you're very careful, follow safety protocols, and work diligently to avoid errors, accidents can still occur, and unexpected issues can arise. A small misstep can lead to significant losses, from thousands of dollars to severe personal injury.
Additionally, it's common for both residential and commercial clients to ask if you have handyman insurance before they hire you for a project. Having the right insurance helps your clients feel more confident in your abilities and makes your handyman or handyperson company more likely to be hired. For many job sites, such as government/public buildings and large commercial clients, proof of insurance may be required before you can get to work on the job site.
It’s sufficient to say, as a business owner, it's your responsibility to properly protect yourself and your clients by having the correct handyman insurance in Ontario. Being properly insured is a no-brainer—it encourages client trust and ensures your bases are covered in case of the worst-case scenario. Should you have to pay for damages, medical bills, or legal fees out of pocket, and you don't have insurance, you may find yourself struggling to bounce back from these losses.
As you likely know, during your work day as a handyman, many different types of issues could pop up. For instance, say one of your contractors knocked a hole in your client’s drywall and accidentally damaged electrical wiring or a pipe. Or, maybe, while you're working, a third-party individual walks by and trips over tools that are lying about and injures themselves during a fall. If the client or third-party individual decides to sue in these instances, you could wind up paying for expensive medical costs and legal expenses. With the right insurance for handyman professionals, you're protected from these risks.
Your handyman insurance should be tailored to protect your commercial property, tools, equipment, inventory, business interruption, business income, and more. After all, you want to make sure you're protected from a range of perils. That's why it's so important to work with a licensed, dedicated broker, such as the ones at Morison Insurance. Our brokers will ensure you have the best coverage possible, so you can relax knowing your handyman or handywoman business is protected with the right handyman insurance in Ontario.
A Morison broker will also be able to help you tailor a policy for what coverage you need. For instance, many contractors don't know that you need different coverage to protect against theft of tools on-site versus while the equipment is in transport. Also, workers' compensation insurance is typically provided by the Ontario government through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), which is something many employers don't necessarily realize. Likewise, another important distinction is that if you use an outbuilding, like a shed or detached garage, to store tools and equipment for your business, these tools aren't protected under your standard home insurance policy.
At Morison Insurance, we'll listen to your needs and help you come up with a comprehensive insurance policy that protects you, your property, and your employees from a range of perils. Some of the coverages you may want to include as part of your handyman insurance policy include:
This policy is also known as commercial building and contents insurance. It provides financial coverage for physical loss or damage to your property and its physical contents due to theft, vandalism, or an external disaster such as a fire. If you store your tools and equipment or keep important documents at a physical site, whether it’s a commercial space or a shed on your residential property, you need to have this coverage in your handyman insurance.
Ontario residents should note that an important distinction is that commercial property insurance does not provide financial coverage for daily wear and tear. However, in the event of a major storm, break-in, or unexpected event, your handyman policy should cover it if you have commercial property insurance included in it.
One of the few legally required insurance policies in Ontario is car insurance. Basically, if you own a vehicle, you need to insure it.
A commercial auto insurance policy offers similar protections as a standard auto insurance policy; however, it's specifically tailored to business vehicles. Many handymen work out of a vehicle that doubles as their personal vehicle. But the moment you use your truck or van for work purposes, it needs commercial vehicle insurance. Otherwise, if you get in an accident and it’s found that you use your vehicle for business purposes, your personal auto insurance company may not cover you. It’s why many handyman insurance packages contain commercial auto coverage. Some standard coverages include third-party liability, which covers you in the event of an at-fault crash where a person is injured or property is damaged, accident benefits, and collision coverage.
This is one of the most essential coverages you’ll encounter with handyman insurance. Ontario commercial general liability coverage provides financial protection in the event you or your business are involved in a lawsuit and found legally liable for bodily injury and property damage arising from an incident. Residential and commercial worksites can be hazardous, and no matter how careful you are, there is always a risk that something might go wrong.
Commonly, general liability claims are related to injuries due to a third party slipping, tripping and falling at your worksite. Perhaps a visitor to your worksite trips on a stack of tiles or slips because of a surface covered in drywall dust. If they get hurt, you could be liable for their legal and/or medical expenses resulting from the accident. However, there are plenty of other potential situations that could lead to a commercial general liability claim. For example, if you were carrying some flooring material into a client's home and turned around too fast, accidentally punching a hole in the canvas of an expensive painting, your client could choose to bring legal action against you to cover the cost of replacing the painting or repairing the canvas, if possible. Your commercial general liability insurance carrier would also provide you with funds to cover the cost of litigation, including attorney fees and court costs, up to the limits on your policy.
This type of handyman liability insurance is also commonly referred to as errors and omissions insurance. It protects you from client claims alleging financial loss due to negligence, misconduct, failure to deliver promised services, or bad advice that arose from using your professional services. An example of this could be if a drywall partition you added during a kitchen renovation collapses. The client may sue you based on negligence if the structure was not installed correctly. Professional liability coverage in handyman insurance may also protect you against alleged advertising injury. This is where the services you advertised were not the same as what you delivered, according to the client. Your professional liability covers expenses such as legal fees and settlements.
As a handyman, your tools of the trade are one of the most valuable assets you own. Should your tools be damaged or stolen, it's imperative that you can replace them right away to keep working. By having tools, equipment, and inventory protection in your handyman insurance, it will ensure you're never out of a job because your tools were stolen or damaged, and you can’t do the work required.
It's important to note that this type of handyman insurance in Ontario only protects your tools and equipment while on your premises. This means it does not protect against theft while your tools are in transit, such as in your car while you’re driving between jobsites, or at another location, such as a worksite. However, you can purchase additional floaters that provide further protection for these instances for your handyman insurance.
Your tools may have worked fine yesterday, but if a key tool suddenly breaks down, it can be frustrating to replace without the proper handyman insurance. Ontario equipment breakdown insurance can help. Unlike tools, equipment, and inventory coverage or even commercial property insurance that provides coverage for tools that are damaged by external sources, this insurance policy provides coverage for tools that break down due to an internal issue.
As a business owner, you're not only responsible for your own income, but for your employees' as well. If you're forced to stop operations due to an accident or disaster, it can create a very stressful situation. However, with business interruption insurance coverage in your handyman insurance, you get the funds to replace your income and cover these ongoing expenses temporarily. For instance, if your head office is damaged in a fire or flood, this type of insurance covers operating expenses, a move to a temporary location if necessary, payroll, taxes, and loan payments.
As a home service provider, you may be wondering why you would need cyber insurance. After all, you don't work with computers as often as someone who works in IT, for instance. However, if you use a computer system as part of your business operations, like a CRM system, then you should have cyber insurance coverage. This handyman insurance coverage protects your handyman company in case you are hacked and valuable information is lost, such as confidential client or financial information.
There's another important reason why you should make sure you have cyber risk coverage as part of your handyman insurance. Ontario business owners, and those in other parts of Canada as well, are required by law to have a plan in place to notify their customers or clients in the event of a privacy data breach, and the legal notification process can be more costly than many suspect. Cyber insurance gives you financial protection against those costs as well, up to the limits on your policy.
Most Ontario business owners don't want to consider the possibility that the employees they trust and work alongside could target their business with criminal actions, but the reality is that it can happen. For example, if you have an employee who manages your financial accounts, they're in a position to commit crimes like fraud, embezzlement, and outright theft, which can go undetected for a long time and cost your business a considerable amount of money.
This type of handyman insurance policy protects your handyman business from financial losses incurred by acts of theft, forgery, and even fraud. It's also known as commercial crime, employee infidelity, and employee dishonesty insurance. Although you likely hire the best of the best to work at your handyman business, you can never be too careful.
Depending on your insurance needs, you might be inclined to protect your handyman business further by including a few add-on policies, such as disability insurance and life insurance. To know what additional coverages you should consider, it's best to talk to your dedicated Morison Insurance broker. We'll ensure you have the right coverage for your handyman business's unique needs.
There are many different coverages available to you that can protect your tools from loss, theft, and damage. It's important to make sure you have the right coverage to protect against different risks in your overall handyman insurance. Ontario policies, for instance, include equipment breakdown insurance, which will help protect against damage from internal malfunctions, and commercial property insurance, which protects your tools from external perils. And, as touched on a bit above, having tools and equipment insurance coverage will provide you with the financial resources needed should any crucial pieces of equipment or tools get stolen while on the job.
To determine what coverages you need in your insurance for handyman professionals, speak with one of the qualified brokers at Morison Insurance.
Ontario insurance policies aren’t one-size-fits-all solutions, much like your handyman business. After all, you provide different handyman services and have a different business structure than the other handyman business down the street, so it’s likely that you would need different amounts and coverages in your handyman insurance. And if you have different insurance policies, why would you pay the same for your handyman insurance?
Ontario insurance companies take into account many factors when calculating the premiums for someone’s handyman insurance in Ontario. Some of the factors that go into calculating the cost of your insurance rates include:
Without knowing more about your business, it’s hard to provide an accurate estimate for the cost of handyman insurance. Ontario brokers at Morison Insurance will take the time to get to know your business and provide you with the best policy options available.
When applying for handyman insurance in Ontario, it's best to be as prepared as possible. Part of that prep work is researching what questions a broker is likely to ask. These questions will help your broker understand what coverage is best for you, based on your handyman company's unique needs. At Morison Insurance, some of the questions our brokers will ask when we sit down and talk to you about getting insurance for handyman professionals include:
While this is by no means an exhaustive list of things your Morison Insurance broker may ask, it’ll give you a good starting point for the kind of information we’re looking for from you. Being as detailed as possible about your business operations allows us to get a better picture of the coverage you need and helps us find the best policies possible for your handyman insurance.
Our Ontario brokers will also caution you to keep in mind that some insurance companies may refuse coverage to a handyman who does plumbing or electrical work without specific licenses for those fields of work. Make sure to fully disclose all your business practices to your insurance broker so they're able to find you the right coverage from the right insurance company, and ensure you won’t run into any issues mid-way through your policy term, when finding your handyman insurance in Ontario.
In addition to knowing what questions your broker will ask, you should also prepare the necessary information to make the application process as seamless as possible when getting handyman insurance in Ontario. Be sure you gather the following:
By having this information on hand, you can help streamline the process for getting handyman insurance in Ontario.
At Morison Insurance, we're a local, family-owned business. As such, we treat all our clients with that same family-oriented mindset. We truly have your best interests at heart and are dedicated to finding customized insurance solutions for your handyman business's needs. We'll work with you to establish the best coverage to protect your business from a range of perils so that you can have peace of mind. Our goal is to build long-term relationships with all our clients. We will be there for you no matter what happens.
To learn more about handyman insurance and to contact our expert brokers, give our team a call at 1-800-463-8074. You can also inquire about getting a handyman insurance quote today online.
