Working at a customer’s home or place of business, frequently traveling to and from job sites, and employing other skilled workers are all risk factors that may increase an artisan contractor’s chances of being involved in a work-related injury or property damage situation.
Implementing best safety practices on the job is an excellent way to try to prevent accidents from happening in the first place. However, it’s also important to have a solid Plan B in place because a loss can still occur, often when you least expect it. Austin Insurance can help you prepare for the unexpected by securing artisan contractors insurance that may be customized to cover the unique risks of your specific trade. We have access to products and services for:
- Carpenters
- General Contractors (Residential, Commercial, or Industrial)
- Drywall Contractors
- Electricians
- Excavators
- Septic Tank Installers
- Driveway, Parking Area, or Sidewalk Pavers
- Painters
- Fence Installers
- HVAC Contractors
- Mechanical Contractors
- Plumbers
- Landscapers
- Lawn Sprinkler Installers
- Masons
- Tilers (Interior)
- Interior Decorators
- Furniture and Fixture Installers
- Carpet, Rug, Furniture, or Upholstery Cleaners
- Janitorial Contractors
- Graders of Land
- Tree Removers
Even if you do not see your area of expertise listed here, please give the Austin team a call. It is very likely we can help you access an affordable artisan contractors insurance solution that can be tailored to your company and its specific exposures.
What types of insurance coverage does an artisan contractor require?
While artisan contractors are a diverse group of business owners who work across a wide range of skilled trades, there are four common insurance coverages that most professionals in the field should at least consider:
- Commercial General Liability. With so many moving parts at a job site, there is a heightened risk for an injury or accident to happen, which is why commercial general liability should be the first policy you purchase when you start your business. In fact, it’s often required before you begin a project. If you or an employee is found liable for bodily harm to another person or for damage caused to another individual’s property, commercial general liability coverage typically helps you pay for the costs you may be held responsible for, including medical payments to victims, property repairs, and legal fees to defend your business if it gets sued.
- Commercial Auto. Having a functioning and reliable work vehicle is usually extremely important to an artisan contractor. To properly safeguard this invaluable asset, you require a commercial auto insurance policy. If you or an employee gets in an at-fault accident while driving a work vehicle, whether the business owns or leases it, this coverage typically will help you pay to replace or repair the wrecked automobile and may also cover some expenses related to injury or property damage claims.
- Commercial Property. While many artisan contractors don’t use a traditional office space for their business operations, there is typically a home base—even if it’s out of their own home—where tools, materials, and supplies may be stored. Commercial property insurance provides broad coverage for these important business items, as well as for computers and electronic data, work clothes, valuable papers and records, and more, if lost, stolen, or damaged due to a covered event.
- Inland Marine. Constantly traveling to and from job sites with expensive materials, supplies, hand tools, and equipment can increase the likelihood of something bad happening to them. An inland marine policy provides protection for your business property when in transit over land or temporarily stored at a location away from your business premises. Inland marine is called a “floater” policy because its coverage goes wherever your property goes.
These are just some of the coverages that artisan contractors are likely to require. However, based on the details of your specific operation, including number of employees, revenue, and scope of projects, you may want to talk to Austin about investing in additional protection options that would broaden your coverage, including:
- Business Income and Extra Expense
- Commercial Umbrella
- Cyber Liability
- Employment Practices Liability
- Identity Theft Recovery
- Limited Worksite Pollution
- Professional Liability
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance
How Austin takes care of artisan contractors is different from all the rest
When an injury, accident, or unexpected event occurs, the related costs can add up quickly for an artisan contractor. The team at Austin Insurance is here to try to help minimize the impact of a serious situation by finding the best and most cost-effective way to cover your company’s biggest risks. For many artisan contractors, this may mean learning about the benefits of a business owners policy (BOP), which is a coverage solution that bundles many of the insurance protections that are relevant to your specific trade into a single policy at an affordable price. However, before we determine if a BOP or any other artisan contractors insurance solution is right for your business, we will get to know all about you and your company and its vulnerabilities. That way, we can identify the optimal match for your coverage requirements and budget.