Snow Removal Insurance You Can Bank On

Maybe the only individuals who love snow days more than kids are snow removal pros like you. Snow tends to fall equally on every home and business. So there can be a lot of money-making opportunities clearing driveways, digging out stairwells, and sanding walkways.

And when it’s piling up by the hour, you don’t have time to plow through websites making sure you have the right snow removal insurance.

So while you dig in to remove snow from sidewalks and driveways, here at Simply Business we dig in to remove the complexity associated with finding business insurance.

All it takes is a phone call or a single online visit to find quotes from the nation’s top insurers. We can usually get you covered with a fresh blanket of protection in about 10 minutes.

Ready to uncover your coverage?

Here are two types of policies available for snow removal businesses:

• General liability insurance
• Workers compensation insurance

Benefits:

• It can protect your business from certain claims.
• Proof of insurance can help clients feel good about your work.
• It may be required where you’re located.

What Type of Insurance Do Snow Removal Contractors Need?

Icy surfaces. Limited visibility. Heavy snow. As a snow removal professional, the risks can pile up around you, increasing the potential for accidents and property damage. Plus, if an employee gets hurt on the job, your business could be exposed to lawsuits and medical claims.

We’ve all heard that each snowflake is unique, right? It’s a similar situation with risk. That’s one reason why the right coverage for your business may include more than one type of policy.

Don’t worry. You’re not out in the cold alone. We can help find the right coverage to financially protect you from the biggest risks you may face.

General Liability Insurance

Driveways, walkways, stairs, and sidewalks. After a winter storm hits, you’ve got a lot of surfaces to clear off. But even with the most diligent clearing, sanding, and ice melting, risks remain.

That’s where general liability insurance can make sense for your business. With a general liability policy, you could be financially covered for a variety of mishaps, including third-party accidents, property damage, and bodily injury.

Consider this possibility. Your snow removal company just cleaned up the Mini Mart parking lot so they could open for business. An early morning regular on their way out of the store with coffee and lottery tickets in-hand, slips on a small patch of ice and falls.

The fall breaks their hip and they sue the store and your snow removal company for not thoroughly clearing the snow.

Not only could you be responsible for paying medical costs, you would likely be looking at a pile of legal expenses to defend yourself in court.

Slip-and-fall accidents like the one at the Mini Mart are among the most common for small business claims. On average, they can cost $30,000.

Even when no one gets hurt, hazards can lie right under that blanket of snow. For instance, a loose stone that gets launched from your snowblower flies right into the bay window of your customer’s home.

Damage like that can often be covered by your general liability policy (up to its limits).

There are other risks out there, as well, that general liability can help with:

• $30,000 for property damage or accident claims
• $20,000 for customer slip and fall incidents
• $50,000 for reputational harm claims (e.g., slander or libel)

With general liability coverage, both your legal costs and any successful claims against you could be covered, up to your policy’s limits.

Here’s what general liability insurance usually covers for a snow removal business:

• Third-party property damage (aka clients or vendors)
• Third-party bodily injury
• Medical expenses
• Personal and advertising injury
• And more

General liability insurance usually does not cover:

• Personal property damage
• Professional services
• Employee injury and workers compensation
• Damage to your work
• Motor vehicles during business use
• Intentional injury or damage
• And more

When you take a good look at it, general liability insurance can do a lot for your small business. That’s where we can help.

Something that’s different from Simply Business and other insurance providers is that we work with some of the nation’s leading insurance companies. That means we can often get you multiple quotes in just minutes. You just choose the one that’s best for your business.

Workers Compensation Insurance

When it comes to snow removal risk, Old Man Winter doesn’t have any favorites. If you have employees, they’re exposed to the hazards of working outdoors in the snow and ice.

That’s why, along with a general liability policy, you may want to add workers compensation insurance to your snow removal insurance.

Nearly every state requires that you carry workers compensation insurance if you have one or more full- or part-time employees. This insurance covers medical bills, lost wages, and legal costs associated with an employee who gets hurt or sick on the job.

What does this type of coverage look like for your snow removal business? Your employee could strain their back while shoveling heavy, wet snow on a walkway. Or someone could have a bad skin reaction to an ice melt product you’re using.

As you can imagine, it’s not just convenience store customers who can fall victim to the hazardous combination of ice and gravity. Workplace accidents happen as well. In fact, the annual recorded workplace injury rate is 2.8 accidents per 100 full-time employees.

With the average cost of workers comp claims in recent years being $42,000, having workers compensation insurance could make a lot of sense.

Here’s what it generally covers:

• Medical Payments
• Lost Wages
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Death Benefits

Why Get Commercial Snow Removal Insurance

Sometimes a forecast of a few inches of snow turns out to be a storm that dumps nearly a foot of the white stuff. Or the prediction of a handful of storms throughout the season becomes a long string of major snow events all winter long.

If you’re in the snow removal business, unpredictability comes with the often-frozen territory. Having the right insurance can be as vital to your snow removal operation as a warm parka, buckets of ice melt, and snow-clearing equipment that starts on the first pull.

While it may be hard to estimate the season’s snowfalls, there are solid facts about some of the financial risks to your snow removal business.

A study from the Small Business Administration estimated between 36%-53% of small businesses are involved in a lawsuit in a given year.

Plus, it’s not just the amount you might be sued for. Defending yourself in court also can be expensive. Those same small businesses reported legal costs ranging from $3,000 to $150,000.

Your snow removal insurance can help your business in other ways as well. If you rent space for your office or your equipment, proof of insurance may be one of your landlord’s requirements.

Having insurance also can make customers feel more comfortable about hiring you. It shows you care about your business, so you’re more likely to take care of their property while you take care of clearing all that snow.

Snow Removal Liability Insurance FAQs

Why Choose Simply Business?

Clearing the way through deep drifts and hard-packed snowbanks is what makes it possible for your customers to get out and do what they need to do, safely.

We take a similar approach with insurance. We help you cut through the red tape and jargon so you can find the right coverage for your business.

We’re fast and affordable. Our policies are fast, affordable, and ready when you are. Say goodbye to stressing about having the right coverage.

We’re flexible with coverage. If you have changes you need to make to your insurance coverage, we’re here to help.

We get your business. Your business is unique, so shouldn’t your insurance policy be too? We understand what your small business needs, and we’ll make sure you’re properly covered.

We’re trustworthy and reassuring. No one wants to experience an accident, injury, or lawsuit. But if one happens to you, we have your back. You can trust us to cover your costs and help you get back on your feet.

We make it easy to compare free quotes. Insurance doesn’t need to be complicated. Our online quote form recommends policies that meet your exact needs.

The world can’t stop just because of a snow-piled driveway or walkway. You’re often out there in the dark of night making sure your customers can get out and get going.

We’re here to help make sure your business is protected and that you’re not left out in the cold if something goes wrong.

This content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, tax, accounting, investment, or any other form of professional advice.