Need advice.
I posted a “service wanted” ad on Craig’s list to have tree taken down, cut up, brush removed, stump ground, etc. My ad specified that the crew should have insurance and all equipment. Got an immediate response, have emailed back and forth (sent photo of tree etc) – interested party wants to know exactly what kind of insurance he should have. I replied that insurance should cover injuries to himself and crew, if any, also to cover possible property damage.
I don’t want to be unreasonable but feel I should insist on some kind of bonding or insurance. What should I ask to see by way of assurance of coverage?
Advice appreciated
Replies
I simnply tell any subconbtractor to have his insurance agent send me a certificate page showing his contractor's liability and his worker's compensation insurance coverage. If he is a one man outfit qualified here as an Independent Artisan, he is only required to have the liability insurance, but he must have acontaract agreeing to hold you harmelss and free of responsibility for any injuries he may have.
liabilioty coverage should be equivalent to the value of your property ( if it is worth three million and he is only insured for a half million, you could be hurting if he burned it down) and to the upper limits of a any possible medical claims that could be incurred by say, a tree falling on a young mother strolling down the sidewalk with two infants in the stroller....
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A guy that would have to ask you about insurance does not have it. General Commercial Liability insurance covers property damage and personal injury (although not injury to workers). Workers Comp covers worker injury. A legit outfit will have both. Like Piffin says, you can request a certificate of insurance be mailed to you by the broker (no copies from the sub himself), but here in WA and in some other states worker's comp is a state function and will not show up--you need to verify that separately.
Turns out the responder is just some 17 y/o kid wanting to make some money without any legitimate skills. I've had to block his email replies form Craig's list
Like they said - General Liability and Workers Comp is standard and would be supplied on 1 or 2 Certificates of Insurance that are made out to you and mailed to you from the insurance company. some people buy the 2 pieces from different companies which would mean 2 certificates. In the new home construction industry this the one piece of paperwork that nearly nobody tries to sidestep; no certificate, no work.
Around here it is very standard for home owners (or anyone else) to require this type of insurance for tree cutters - it's dangerous work, plus they could easily drop a tree on your house!!! The last tree cutter guy I hired offered it before I asked and even before I actually hired him.
As far as the amount of insurance, I'd have to go to my office and check (our admin deals with that) but a educated guess wold be at least 500k each of the 2 kinds. I think general liability is almost always 1mil$.
Edited 11/14/2005 8:17 pm ET by Matt