OK all homeowners out there, here’s a question for you guys… are you insured? Of course you are. Before even considering buying a home, it is mandatory to purchase homeowners insurance. What about the contractor for the renovation, are they insured?
Hiring a contractor to do work on your home is sometimes a difficult task. Who do you hire? And how do you find a reputable company? Word of mouth and referrals seem to be the most common methods for both homeowners and a business. A person’s word and recommendation seem to have the most value when contracting for service. But you should thoroughly research any company before hiring a contractor to work on your property. Insurance, licensing, and professional preferences are very important things to consider before allowing a contractor to work in your home.
Let’s look at the next example, a tree service company. Tree work is extremely dangerous. If a limb or piece of wood is not completed correctly or professionally, it can fall on a person, house or structure. Or even worse, a tree climber could fall out of a tree, get hit by a fallen limb or branch, get cut by a spinning chainsaw, get a finger crushed or torn, or someone could even go through a chipper. Yes, all of these things happen more than you would like to know in any given year in the tree care industry, even among the best professionals. More often than not, these accidents can lead to lawsuits if the contractor is not properly insured.
To protect yourself and your property as a homeowner, it is absolutely crucial to ensure that a hired service professional is properly licensed and fully insured for their trade. You don’t want to be responsible for a contractor’s death, injury, or extensive damage to your property. Each year there are many lawsuits against homeowners due to work injuries caused by uninsured contractors.
Don’t consider hiring the neighborhood kid to prune your trees. Think about what can happen at work; the boy can cut off a limb hitting a power line and kill himself. Yes, believe it or not, this is a true story that happened on the street where I live, and it happens more than it should.
Instead of hiring cheap labor, you can get free estimates from a few reputable and insured arborists. Occupational injury and liability insurance are extremely expensive for tree service companies, or any high-risk service for that matter. But it’s worth protecting yourself and your home. Before you hire, make sure you can get proof of insurance and license from the company. If the price is much lower than other companies that have provided estimates, check that company to make sure they can prove they have that liability and workers compensation insurance. Another important part of hiring a company that performs risky work is their safety culture. The company must employ a full-time safety professional who conducts regular safety meetings.
The next time you hire a service professional for high-risk work, such as a tree service company, make sure the company is licensed, fully insured and in good standing. Choosing the right professional covers and protects you and your interests. Today it is more important than ever to be careful and selective with who you hire.
Are you covered is your service contractor
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