You should be able to trust the business you ask to repair your home or conduct renovations in your space. However, it can be tough to tell which handyman will provide top-notch service. While it’s important to look at reviews, a history of past work, and more, one thing that many homeowners often overlook in their decision-making process is a handyman’s insurance coverage.
Don't risk it! Trust Mr. Handyman for reliable, insured services that protect your home—contact us today!
The Handyman You Choose Matters!
There are plenty of factors that go into selecting a specific business for home repair tasks. What a handyman charges per hour isn’t necessarily the best metric to use when picking a team. Some businesses price their services lower than average and then skimp in other areas to bring home high profits—and in many cases, insurance coverage is one of the first things they cut. That’s bad news for you as a homeowner, and it could even cost you a lot of money. How? Let’s look at a few examples.
What Happens When Your Contractor Doesn’t Have Insurance
Insurance
Workers’ compensation insurance is one of the most important types of coverage that any team can possess. As the homeowner, you can be liable for accidents that happen on your property—unless the team has workers’ comp protection. Cheap labor comes with an invisible price tag, so always go with the team that invests in strong insurance coverage. Without it, you could end up in situations like these:
What Happened?
A handyman was hired to repair a home’s soffits on the second story. He slipped and fell from the ladder, breaking his leg and injuring his back.
The Consequences
The homeowner went with a cheaper handyman service and didn’t check their insurance coverage. It turned out that the handyman had no workers’ compensation policy to cover medical expenses or lost wages. This meant he could sue the homeowner under “premises liability” for unsafe conditions (e.g., a wobbly ladder base, uneven surface, or lack of safety equipment).
In this case, the homeowner's personal liability insurance didn’t cover it—which isn’t uncommon, especially if the work is considered commercial or excluded under the policy. Thus, the homeowner ended up being held personally responsible for tens of thousands in medical bills and legal fees.
What Happened?
A handyman finished tiling a bathroom, but after the project was completed, he slipped on the wet tile surface while standing up and injured his hip. His company didn’t have workers’ compensation insurance.
The Consequences
Since the injury occurred inside the client's home, the situation quickly fell into a gray area. The job was done, so the slip wasn’t a result of poor workmanship on the handyman’s part. Was the surface considered reasonably safe? Without clear boundaries, the handyman company filed a lawsuit, dragging the homeowner through months of legal headaches in an attempt to recover the money necessary to compensate their worker.
Don't risk it with unqualified handymen! Trust Mr. Handyman for insured and reliable service—contact us today!
How Mr. Handyman Does Insurance Right
As you can see, insurance coverage matters even after a project is complete. The team at Mr. Handyman is proud to count ourselves among those who take insurance coverage seriously! Mr. Handyman of Mooresville, Lake Norman, and Concord invests in policies that keep our team safe—and, by extension, protect your financial well-being, too. Projects don’t always go according to plan, but we’re ready! Take a look at this real-life example of how Mr. Handyman handles unexpected challenges the right way.
What Happened?
David, one of Mr. Handyman’s team members, dislocated his bicep when working at a client’s home. That meant months of physical therapy and doctor visits in order to regain the flexibility and range of motion he had before. Because the injury occurred on the homeowner’s property, he could have sued the owner for the money required to pay for his appointments and rehabilitation.
How Workers’ Compensation Insurance Helped
Instead of attacking the homeowner, David was able to get help right away from Mr. Handyman. By using our workers’ compensation policy, we paid for all the treatments he needed so he could make a full recovery without any contribution from the homeowner.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of insurance do handymen have?
The insurance carried by any particular handyman is up to them. It is highly recommended that they carry both workers’ compensation and general liability insurance, but many also choose equipment insurance, builder’s risk coverage, and more. You can always ask to see a prospective handyman’s insurance policies!
Are there any incidents exempt from workers’ compensation coverage?
Every workers’ compensation policy will have terms and conditions that are enumerated in the contract, and these can include exemptions. For instance, most policies will not cover things like the common cold or if an employee intentionally misuses equipment and is injured as a result. A handyman team can let you know all of the important exemptions if you ask!
Does my homeowner’s insurance cover accidents on my property?
It depends. As with any other type of insurance, your homeowner’s policy details will depend on what contract you signed. Some homeowner’s insurance will assist with contractor injuries on the property, some only in special circumstances, and some not at all. If you’re not sure, speak with the person in charge of managing your home insurance. They can clarify the details and help you understand which activities or incidents may or may not be covered.
Trust the pros at Mr. Handyman for reliable home repairs—bonded, insured, and ready to help you today!
