You are looking for an insurance policy for your car. Several companies give you proposals; all of them are based on the same information which you provided. The policies have widely varying costs and proposals. How can you wisely choose the best policy and company?

Read carefully

Lay the policies down side by side. Some insurers are able to offer low rates by giving skeleton coverage. You gave the companies identical information but they may not have returned identical policies. Check the deductibles on the policies. Deductibles weigh heavily on the cost of insurance. See if all of the policies offer uninsured driver clauses. Look closely at coverage areas. Some companies restrict their policies if you drive extensively out of state.

Type of company

Just as with home loan companies there are auto insurance companies that specialize in writing insurance for people with poor credit and/or poor driving records. If you have requested a quote from this kind of company their response may automatically be considerably higher than other companies. If you don’t have poor credit and/or a poor driving record immediately eliminate from your search companies that serve these markets.

Investigate company records

States keep records of how insurance companies respond to their customers. Files on insurers will include their response times, their histories of paying claims, any complaints or suits filed against them as well as other important consumer information. Note and eliminate any companies which have numerous complaints against them.

Remember, having a low car insurance premium may not be worth much if you don’t have the coverage you need or can’t get your car insurance company to respond when you have an accident.

Please get as many quotes as possible to insure that you will be paying as little as possible while getting all of the coverage that you need without paying for what you don’t.

View our recommended source for reliable quotes
Recommended Insurance Company Online.

Too many companies don’t think about their insurance policies and what they cover until after something happens — and unless you have prepared ahead of time, that something might not be covered in your policy. The following are just a few of the things that can occur: lost keys, chemical spills, employee theft, damaged equipment and broken items. The proper insurance coverage can play an important part in keeping your risks to a minimum.

The basic business insurance normally includes general liability insurance, commercial auto coverage, workers’ compensation and equipment breakdown. These may be all combined into a package policy, but you need to check with your agent to make sure you have coverage in these four areas. Besides the coverage listed above, the janitorial service industry has risks unique to it and you should make sure that you are covered for the following:

*Lost key coverage. This should pay to replace lost keys, adjust locks, or purchase and install new locks.

*Coverage for property in your care. This may include rental property, such as carpet cleaning or floor care machines.

*Theft of customer property coverage. This should cover losses incurred for theft and losses that occur from negligence, such as an employee who forgets to lock a building and allows a thief to steal your customer’s valuables.

*Limited pollution coverage. As a cleaning company your employees will most likely be working with an assortment of chemicals. You need to have coverage for accidental job site pollution that may arise from chemical spills.

*Business income coverage. If your biggest customer went out of business and your main source of income dried up, could you stay afloat until you had a chance to sign on new clients?

*Office equipment coverage. Check your policy to make sure you have enough coverage for your computers and office equipment. If you have a home-based business you might be able to get a rider attached to your homeowner’s insurance policy.
How do you choose an insurance carrier? To make sure that you get the proper insurance and the right types of coverage you should look for an agent that has experience working with businesses that provide janitorial services. Remember, the more your insurance agent knows about your business, the more confident you can be that he or she will provide a comprehensive program that meets your needs.

Look for a company that is financially strong and stable. It is also important to know that the company has a solid history of paying claims in a timely manner. Once you have an agent that understands your company’s needs you should consider buying all of your business insurance policies through one company. This saves on paperwork and you are more likely to make sure that all of your various coverages work together.

Once you have your policies in place don’t forgot about your insurance. Keep your agent informed of any changes in your business, i.e., new business location, new vehicles, etc. Also, make an inventory of all of your property; keep one copy at the business and one copy of the inventory off-site. Provide a good safety training program to your employees to reduce the likelihood of accidents and injuries.

Any one incident that happens could cause serious problems for your business and without the proper insurance coverage, could put you out of business. Taking time before something happens is vital to make sure that your business will survive if a catastrophe happens. Getting suitable insurance for your cleaning company can be a complex and confusing task. But having the proper insurance coverage for your company is something you can’t afford to be without.

Steve Hanson is co-founding member of The Janitorial Store (TM), an online community for owners and managers of cleaning companies who want to build a more profitable and successful cleaning business. Sign up for Trash Talk: Tip of the Week at http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com and receive a Free Gift!