It seems simple enough, and most of the time it is. But, some of our clients here at Billy Brown Insurance have experienced the worst outcome when hiring roofers. Sometimes the problem is just that the company is late or fails to do a good job. Other times, the problems stem from what happens during the process. If you are hiring any type of contractor, be sure you check the contractor’s insurance coverage.
Imagine this situation. You hire a roofing company. The company comes to your home to re-shingle your roof. Everything is going just fine until the contractor’s employee falls from the ladder. The individual suffers damage to his head and needs to be transported to the hospital. Did you know in this situation, you could be responsible?
What Type of Contractor’s Insurance Do They Need?
The best way to avoid financial responsibility in a situation like this, whether you are hiring roofers, home remodeling companies, painters, or plumbers, is to learn what type of coverage the company has. In nearly all situations, your home insurance in WI will not be at risk if the company has adequate coverage to meet any losses suffered.
There are a few specific types of insurance to consider in this situation:
Workers’ Compensation Coverage: In Wisconsin, most companies need to carry a policy capable of helping to pay for employee’s injuries on the job. Workers’ compensation is required when a company has employees in most cases. This policy is most important because it helps ensure the employee’s losses – such as medical bills, lost time at work, and pain and suffering – are covered.
Commercial General Liability Coverage: This type of insurance helps to provide financial coverage to the company if they cause some type of damage. With a painter, for example, the employee falling could have taken down lines or caused damage to windows or the siding. This type of policy may help cover your losses.
Depending on the project, you may also want to verify the company has builder’s risk coverage and commercial auto insurance. These are less commonly associated with projects, but still important for the company to carry.
How to Find Out If You Should Hire a Contractor
Your first step is always to do a comprehensive review of the company before hiring them. Here’s how to do so:
- Learn about the company’s reputation in the community before hiring them. You can find reviews of most contractors online. Use this as a starting point.
- When interviewing the company to handle the work for you, discuss insurance. Most companies will say they are licensed and insured, but you’ll want to see the actual Certificate of Insurance for proof instead.
- Always invest in a few minutes to call your home insurance agent in Delafield. We can help you verify the contractor’s coverage is in place and is enough.
If you make substantial changes to your home that could change the value of it, we also encourage you to give our office a call. Let us make sure your home insurance policy properly reflects your needs. We will also help to make sure you have enough liability insurance in place. This policy can help to cover some of the losses the contractor fails to cover if this type of situation occurs.
You don’t want to put yourself at risk just to get your home painted. Call your home insurance agent at Billy Brown Insurance, and let us help you avoid this type of outcome.
