As a professional cleaner, you’re tasked with keeping commercial buildings and personal residences tidy and orderly. From steam cleaning carpets to hauling debris, your work makes a big difference in the lives of your clients.

Having the right business insurance can help protect your business from financial consequences if your company causes an injury or property damage. Another advantage of having cleaning insurance is that your business will become more marketable, as many customers will only hire professional cleaners with the proper insurance.

What insurance coverage do I need as a cleaning professional?

Some of the most common insurance coverages for professional cleaners are listed below, along with relevant examples of incidents that would trigger these coverages.

• Commercial General Liability Insurance protects your business if you physically injure another person or cause damage to someone else’s property. Many clients require professional cleaners to carry commercial general liability insurance in order to be hired.
  • Property Damage: You accidentally knock over an expensive sculpture at a client’s home.
  • Bodily Injury: A client trips over a mop you left out and sues your business for negligence. Your business could be responsible for their medical bills and lost wages.
  • Products & Completed Operations: While steam cleaning a client’s home, you damage an electrical outlet. A few days later, the outlet catches fire and damages the house. The homeowner sues your company.
• Workers’ Compensation Insurance provides funds for medical expenses and lost wages if one of your employees is injured or killed while on the job. In almost all states, workers’ compensation insurance is required for companies that have employees.
  • One of your employees is cleaning the windows outside the second floor of a client’s home. He loses his balance and falls off the ladder, severely injuring his back.
• Commercial Auto Insurance protects your business if you or one of your employees causes injury or damage to someone else while driving a business vehicle or while driving for business purposes. It also protects vehicles owned by your business from damage or theft.
  • Your work van crashes into another vehicle on the way to a job. The other driver is injured and sues your business.
  • The truck owned by your business is stolen from the parking lot in front of your business.

How do I get insurance for my cleaning business?

There are many factors to consider when purchasing insurance for your professional cleaning business—from the financial strength of an insurer to the pricing that you’re offered. A solid insurance package for your cleaning business will be fairly customized, as no two businesses are the same, so it is particularly important to select an insurance provider that can build custom coverage to fit your specific needs.

When selecting an insurance company, there are three main factors you should look at:

• The financial strength of the insurer
• Pricing
• Reputation for customer service

» Learn more about how to get insurance for your cleaning business

Janitors and Building Cleaners Industry Statistics

Employers of Janitors and Building Cleaners

Services to buildings and dwellings	36%
Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private	13%
Healthcare and social assistance	7%
Government	5%
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	5%

Source data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Janitors and building cleaners (2016)

Median Hourly Wage for Janitors and Building Cleaners

Government	$15.31
Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private	$14.29
Healthcare and social assistance	$12.42
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	$11.61
Services to buildings and dwellings	$11.26

Source data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Janitors and building cleaners (2017)

Job Growth for Janitors and Building Cleaners

Number of Jobs, 2016	2,384,600
Employment Change, 2016-26	236,500
Job Outlook, 2016-26	10%
Total Job Outlook, 2016-26	7%

Source data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Janitors and building cleaners (2016)

Non-fatal Occupational Injuries for Janitorial Services

Incidence rate	3.1%
Number of cases (thousands)	22.6

Source data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Industry Injury and Illness Data, Janitorial services (2017)