Cleaning Business Insurance - Darwin Clayton

Cleaning Business Insurance

DESIGNED AROUND YOUR COMPANY

Get your cleaning business insurance arranged by the specialists at Darwin Clayton. For independent advice or a cleaning business insurance quote, call us on 01892 511 144.

Why get cleaning business insurance through Darwin Clayton?

At Darwin Clayton, we have been helping cleaning businesses get the specialist insurance protection they need for most of our 100+ years.  We’ve been members of the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) and the Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA) since their formation. We have a deep understanding of your industry, and by partnering with us, you will also benefit from the following: 

As you can see, your business insurance is in excellent hands with Darwin Clayton

"In the five years that Principle has worked with Darwin Clayton, it has always been a highly satisfactory experience. There is no doubt they are the leading experts in our industry, and they always provide exceptional service levels with the utmost transparency.

Their team’s unwavering dedication and expertise have proven invaluable to us as a business, and special thanks go to James Shaw, Simon Henderson and Robert Barden for their assistance with the high-risk requirements at some of our key and global footprint client sites."
David Hoskins | Chief Financial Officer
Principle Cleaning Services

What is cleaning business insurance?

Insurance for cleaning businesses provides financial protection against losses your business may suffer because of accidents during your business activities. Your specific insurance needs will vary depending on the services your cleaning business offers and on your client’s needs, but common policy elements include:  

What does insurance for cleaning contractors cover?

Every cleaning business is unique, and your working environment and the services you provide will affect the make-up of your cleaning business insurance quote. At Darwin Clayton, our friendly team of professionals can arrange a policy specifically for your business’s needs. We’ve been arranging insurance solutions for cleaning contractors for most of our 100+ years and understand your industry. Our cleaning business insurance includes policy covers such as:

Public Liability for cleaning contractors covers your business if you or your employees are held liable for accidental injury to your clients, customers, or the public or for damage to their property because of your business’s activities. 

Some of the incidents that could happen during your cleaning operation are slips on a washed floor, trips over equipment cables, spills in your client’s property, or if your equipment is stolen or damaged. 

The cleaning contractors’ insurance we arrange includes cover for damage to property being cleaned including treatment risks. So, if you accidentally damage a carpet using the wrong chemical treatment, this will protect you against the cost of repair or replacement. Not all policies offer this level of protection.

If the products you supply to customers cause damage or injury, you could be held liable in the event of the claim. 

As an employer, you are responsible for the health and safety of your employees whilst at work. Employers’ Liability Insurance (EL insurance as it’s also known) of £5m is a legal requirement if you have any staff. Businesses that hire people without having this insurance cover can face fines of up to £2,500 for each day they are uninsured. If your employee is injured or becomes ill because of the work they do for you and they bring a claim for compensation against your business, you will be protected.

This cover provides protection against loss of money, stock or property sustained from the dishonest or fraudulent act of an employee.

If you’re entrusted with a client’s keys, and you lose them, this will cover the cost of replacing the keys and a change of locks if necessary.

Financial loss insurance covers your business against losses which you become legally liable to pay as compensation, plus costs and expenses for accidental financial loss where no damage has occurred.

If you offer any consultancy or advisory services in cleaning methods, facilities management practices or products, then professional indemnity – or PI insurance – is important for protecting your business.  

As with any insurance policy there are terms and exclusions, we will discuss this with you during the quotation process.

Are there any additional policy options for cleaning business insurance cover?

Depending on the nature of your cleaning contractors work, you may need additional covers added to your cleaning business insurance quote.  Options for these include:

Covers the expenses associated with cleaning up pollution or contamination of a property, where this was sudden, identifiable, unintended and unexpected. Environmental clean-up insurance covers the costs of investigating, remediating, and restoring a site that has been contaminated by pollutants or hazardous materials. This can include expenses for soil, water, and air remediation, as well as removal and disposal of contaminants.

Covers your office contents, computer equipment, trade plant and machinery, stock, and buildings 

Covers financial losses following an incident such as fire or flood, protecting your business should you incur additional costs to continue trading to your previous level.

This covers physical loss or damage to specified plant, equipment or stock anywhere in the UK. 

This cover will protect your business from losses and damages resulting from acts of terrorism.

Does Darwin Clayton offer any additional policies to protect your business?

Cyber-attacks are on the rise in the UK, with the 2023 Cyber security breaches survey conducted on behalf of the UK Government stating 59% of medium sized organisations reported a cyber security breach or attached in the previous 12 months. A cyber insurance quote makes a lot of sense, as it offers protection against key risks including:

o   Financial crime and fraud – when cybercriminals use the internet to steal funds, impersonate your business or deceive employees into transferring money or goods.  

o   Extortion – if a hacker holds your systems or data to ransom or threatens to publish information, this can cover the ransom you may have to pay and the services of a leading risk consultancy firm to help manage the situation.

Also known as Directors & Officers or D&O Insurance. This covers the cost of any compensation claims made against your directors, officers, or high-ranking management for alleged wrongful acts. Claims could be made by disgruntled employees, clients, investors, stakeholders, and even regulators and could involve civil, criminal, or regulatory proceedings. A management liability policy can also cover any legal costs that arise for directors in defending their case.

With the many risks faced by businesses, seeking legal advice and formulating legal documents, such as employment contracts, can be time-consuming and expensive when the services of solicitors and other legal experts are engaged. Legal expenses cover not only offers the services of legal representation but also provides free legal advice on a range of legal problems and access to a suite of helpful documents.

This insurance cover includes three core elements: 

  • A separate cover for your computer equipment

     

  • Contractors plant covers your machinery such as a cherry picker or MEWP

     

As your equipment should be inspected regularly, this policy covers you for statutory inspection service

This cover offers you a loss adjuster to work on your behalf to investigate and present your property and business interruption claim to the insurer. This cover can be invaluable if your business suffers a serious loss following a flood or fire. 

If one of your employees has an accident, and it leads to temporary or permanent disablement, or even death, a benefit payment will be made. Business travel can also be added to this cover.  

  • Motor Fleet Insurance covers your multiple vehicles on a single policy. It can be a mix of vehicles, including vans, cars, and trucks.

     

  • Uninsured Loss Recovery Insurance pays for a solicitor to pursue a guilty third party for recovery of your uninsured losses such as policy excess, hire vehicle charge, loss of earnings; as well as costs to pursue a personal injury claim.
     
  • GAP Insurance will cover the outstanding balance of a finance or lease agreement on your motor vehicle following its write-off or up to 25% of the write-off value.

If a customer fails to pay you for services or products, whether it’s due to insolvency, refusal, or inability to pay, Credit Insurance will indemnify your losses. The insurance will also provide insights into customers credit ratings and what limits of credits to offer. 

Cleaning contractors insurance FAQs

It’s important for cleaning contractors to get the right insurance. To help you do that, here are our cleaning business insurance frequently asked questions. We hope they are helpful, but if you’d like any advice, please call us on 01892 511 144. Our friendly team of insurance professionals are here to help.

If you have employees, you will need at least £5m of Employers’ Liability Insurance – that is a legal requirement.

Your specific insurance needs may vary depending on the service your cleaning business offers and your client’s needs. Some of the typical covers we arrange are: public liability, including damage to property being cleaned and treatment risks, fidelity guarantee, employers’ liability, product liability, professional indemnity, and business interruption insurance.

Because accidents happen. Accidental damage to a client’s property, injury to a third party, exposure to strong chemicals, stolen or damaged equipment and other unexpected events could make your business lose money, result in lost business opportunities, or even cease your business’s operations. A good cleaning contractors’ insurance policy provides cover should these situations arise, protecting your business from legal and financial liabilities. 

Having the appropriate insurance cover is not only a responsible business practice but also a way to protect the financial stability of your cleaning contractor’s business in the event of unexpected incidents or accidents. It provides peace of mind to both the contractor and their clients and ensures that the business can continue to operate effectively.

Getting a quote is easy. You can call us on 01892 511 144, and our friendly team of professionals will help you find the protection you need. We understand your industry, and we will work with you to design insurance cover to suit your cleaning business’s requirements.

That will depend on the level of protection your business requires, your annual wages and turnover, what equipment you have, your claims history, etc. If you would like to get a cleaning business insurance quote, call us on 01892 511 144 or start your quote here.

Like some more cleaning business insurance help?

If you’d like some help with your cleaning business insurance, please give us a call on 01892 511 144. Our team of insurance professionals will be happy to help you get the protection you need and offer you a cleaning business insurance quote.

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Thank you for choosing to get an insurance quote from Darwin Clayton. Please complete the following short form and one of our experienced specialists will contact you shortly. If you’d prefer to speak to someone, please call us on 01892 511 144.

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