Cleaning Business Insurance: What Is The Best Insurance For Cleaners?

Cleaning insurance protects both your cleaning company and your customers. What kind of cleaning business insurance do you need, and where's the best place to get it? This post will give you the lowdown on insurance for cleaners.

WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Kymberlin Bush
Expert Contributor

Last updated onUpdated August 23, 2023

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The Complete Guide To Insurance For Cleaning Businesses

Insurance for a cleaning business is an important part of your business plan. If your cleaning business takes you and your employees in and out of other people’s homes or businesses, cleaning insurance helps you manage and mitigate your risks.

From choosing the right types of business insurance coverage for your cleaning business to finding the best business insurance providers, this post will answer all your questions and tell you everything you need to know about insurance for a cleaning business.

Table of Contents

What Is Cleaning Business Insurance?
What Does Insurance For A Cleaning Business Cover?
Do You Need Insurance For Your Cleaning Business?
What Is The Best Cleaning Business Insurance Company?
How Much To Pay For Cleaning Insurance
The Bottom Line On Insurance For A Cleaning Business
Cleaning Business Insurance FAQs

What Is Cleaning Business Insurance?

Cleaning business insurance is not a single policy but a combination of essential coverage that meets your cleaning business’s unique insurance needs.

Because you (and your employees, if you have any) probably move from job site to job site each day, your cleaning business needs to cover a range of possibilities. You might break or damage something inside a customer’s home. A homeowner might slip and fall on the wet floor you just cleaned. You or an employee could be involved in a car accident on the way to a job.

The right combination of cleaning business insurance can protect you if any of those events occurs.

What Does Insurance For A Cleaning Business Cover?

Cleaning insurance starts with general liability insurance. It’s one of the two most important types of business insurance available. The other is commercial property insurance, and these two policies are often bundled together in a combined policy known as a business owner’s policy (BOP).

Depending on how you run your business, you may want additional coverage. Here’s a rundown of what general liability for a cleaning business typically covers. You may need to add an extra endorsement or purchase a separate policy for additional coverage.

Cleaning Insurance Covers ...

Bodily Injury: If a client trips and falls over a mop bucket or extension cord that you left blocking a pathway, insurance will cover medical bills and legal costs if you are taken to court.
Property Damage: If a cleaner spills bleach on a valuable rug or breaks expensive china, your insurance will pay for the replacement costs.
Slander and Libel: If you use social media for your business, you could be accused of libel (making false statements about someone in writing). An employee gossiping about a customer’s personal life could be accused of slander (speaking false statements). You could end up in court in either scenario. Liability coverage generally offers protection in slander and liability lawsuits.

Cleaning Insurance Does Not Cover ...

Negligence: If damages occurred because of a clear failure on your part, your insurance company will not pay out your claim.
Bad Advice: If you give bad advice to a client and you’re sued because of it, your liability coverage will not protect you.
Vandalism: If you or an employee deliberately damage something, your liability coverage will be invalid for that event.

Additional Insurance For A Cleaning Business

General liability coverage delivers important protections your cleaning business needs to operate safely. Here are some additional policies you may need to consider adding, depending on your business details:

Workers’ Compensation: If you have employees, you need to purchase a workers’ comp package to protect your business from employee claims following an on-the-job accident or illness following exposure to cleaning chemicals, for example.
Commercial Auto: If you or your employees drive company vehicles, you need commercial auto insurance to protect your business vehicles in case of accidents or damage. Start with our list of the best commercial auto insurance providers.
Hired & Non-Hired Auto: If you or any employees use personal vehicles for work, your personal car insurance doesn’t deliver the protection you need. Hired and non-owned auto (HNOA) coverage does.
Commercial Property: If you own the building your business operates out of or if you rent space to store equipment and inventory, you’ll want the protections commercial property insurance provides. You can find low-cost options on our list of the best commercial property insurance.
Business Interruption: If disaster strikes and you need to temporarily shut down or relocate your business while you recover from the damage, business interruption insurance can help you recover lost income. More important for cleaning businesses, if a disaster causes damage to the homes you clean and you’re unable to continue working, this insurance could kick in.
Professional Liability: If you do something that causes damage to a customer’s property — like leaving a faucet running and causing a flood or giving bad advice that causes property damage — this type of coverage will be invaluable. It’s often referred to as errors and omissions coverage or E&O, and it kicks in when you make an error or mistake.
Health Insurance: If you have employees, you have the option of joining a group health care plan. You can join a group health plan with just one employee, making the cost more affordable. Check out our list of the best health insurance plans for small business owners to see some options.

Do You Need Insurance For Your Cleaning Business?

Insurance for a cleaning business may be optional, but getting cleaning business insurance is a smart move. In other words, if you’re still wondering if you need business insurance, the answer is yes.

Anyone whose business takes them in and out of people’s homes or offices needs the protections that insurance provides. As a cleaner, you work around valuable property, possibly with expensive equipment and hazardous chemicals. General liability insurance is an affordable policy that protects cleaning businesses from business-ending disasters.

Cleaning insurance isn’t only for housecleaners or janitors. No matter what type of cleaning business you own, you should think about insuring yourself. Here are some of the most common cleaning businesses that should purchase cleaning insurance and endorsements:

Maid services
Janitorial services
Carpet cleaning business
Laundry services
Dry cleaning business
Commercial cleaners
Pressure washing
Window cleaners

While it’s not a type of insurance, you should also consider a janitorial service bond, which is a specialized type of fidelity bond. Some clients require cleaners to have a janitorial bond. It’s a contract between you and the bond provider that guarantees you’ll reimburse your client if you or an employee is accused of property theft.

A janitorial bond can cost as little as $125 for a one-year term with $10,000 coverage if you have up to five employees.

What Is The Best Cleaning Business Insurance Company?

The best cleaning insurance companies offer coverage you can count on at a price you can afford. For most cleaning companies, that starts with cheap general liability insurance coverage. You also want to work with an insurer that offers any additional policies you may require.

Merchant Maverick experts reviewed almost two dozen insurance providers to find the best and most affordable liability insurance. Here are our top picks:

The Hartford: Best Cleaning Insurance For Larger Businesses

The Hartford offers an average cost for general liability coverage starting at around $88/month. It’s available in 48 states (sorry, Alaska and Hawaii).

CoverWallet: Best Insurance Broker For Cleaning Insurance Coverage

CoverWallet is an insurance broker, not a direct provider. That means the company will search for the coverage you need. CoverWallet says it can provide general liability options starting around $39/month.

Next: Best Instant Cleaning Insurance

Next offers fast online quotes for coverage and almost instant coverage, with pricing for general liability starting around $11/month for some types of business. You can download a certificate of insurance as soon as your payment is received.

Nationwide: Best Cleaning Insurance With Additional Policies

Nationwide offers general liability insurance policies plus many types of policies that are optional but recommended for a cleaning business. Pricing is available only by personal quote, which usually is available within about a half hour.

Hiscox: Best Cleaning Insurance For Independent Contractors

Hiscox insurance policies are designed specifically for contractors and freelance workers, with packages for sole proprietors and home-based businesses. Hiscox says its general liability coverage costs around $30/month or less.

Thimble: Best For Seasonal Cleaning Insurance

Thimble is a good choice for cleaning insurance if your cleaning business doesn’t operate year-round. If you clean summer homes, for example, or provide extra helping hands during the busy holiday season, you don’t need to pay for insurance every month. General liability coverage from Thimble starts at around $17/month.

biBerk: Highest Rated Liability Coverage For Cleaners

biBERK is a Berkshire Hathaway company with a solid gold reputation and financial stability. You’ll find the full range of coverage a typical cleaning company might want, too. General liability is by personal quote, with coverage starting around $27.50/month.

How Much To Pay For Cleaning Insurance

Pricing for cleaning insurance can vary significantly, as you can see from the examples above.

According to Forbes, the average cost of general liability insurance is around $30/month or $360/year. Your insurance cost depends upon a variety of factors, including your business structure, annual revenue, number of employees, and location. You could pay less than the average, or you could pay more. The only way to find out is to select an insurer from the options above and ask for a free personalized business insurance quote.

Even for a small cleaning company that’s just getting started, the cost of cleaning insurance can be affordable. Remember that you’re paying for the assurance that you won’t lose your business if disaster strikes. When you put it like that, spending around $1 a day for insurance doesn’t seem too high a price to pay.

The Bottom Line On Insurance For A Cleaning Business

Spending money is rarely fun for a business owner, and business insurance is not the most exciting purchase. All the same, it’s one of the most important protections money can buy for your business. And with a little bit of research, most small businesses can find essential insurance coverage at an affordable price.

Start by assessing your risks. What equipment and inventory do you need to protect? Then, collect some basic information about your business so you’re ready to talk to an insurance rep or apply for coverage online. How many employees do you have? What does your business make in a year? How many vehicles are on the road for your business each day?

Armed with this information, you’re ready to comparison shop and gather quotes from a few insurance providers. Discuss bundling policies to get discounted pricing that gives you more coverage. Mix and match policies until you get the coverage you need. A quick refresher course on how to read insurance quotes will help you compare the pricing and coverage information you receive so you make sure you’re choosing the best insurance company.

If you’re just starting your cleaning business, our guide to startup insurance can help you understand more about what business insurance does and why you need it. If you’re running your business from home, our guide to home-based business insurance can help you avoid some expensive mistakes.

Startups can take another step to set themselves up for success by opening a business bank account. No matter how new or small your cleaning business is right now, a business bank account offers another valuable layer of financial protection. You can find a free business bank account or choose one specifically for independent small businesses. Our list of the best bank accounts for freelancers and self-employed workers will show you some great options!

A business bank account, combined with essential business insurance, is the best way to set your business up for success. You can focus on your business plan and day-to-day operations, knowing you’ve secured the financial protections your cleaning business needs for the long term.

Cleaning Business Insurance FAQs

What is the best insurance for a cleaning business?

The best insurance for a cleaning business is called a general liability policy. This is essential insurance coverage that protects you if a client gets hurt because of your cleaning service or if you or another cleaner accidentally damages the client’s property. Additional insurance that cleaners should consider includes commercial property, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, and professional liability.

How much is insurance for cleaners?

Insurance for cleaners starts at around $30/month or $360/year for general liability insurance. Your costs could be higher or lower, depending on factors like your annual income, location, and number of employees. Most insurance companies provide free personalized price quotes. Additional types of coverage will add to your cost.

Does a cleaning business need insurance?

Insurance for cleaners is considered optional, but operating without insurance creates huge financial risks. Without insurance, your business could be on the hook for medical expenses if a client is injured while you’re cleaning or if you or an employee cause damage to a client’s property or possessions. Insurance can help maid and janitor services, carpet cleaners, laundry services, commercial cleaners, dry cleaners, pressure washers, window cleaners, and other small businesses limit their financial risks.