As a pest control professional, you’re tasked with keeping commercial buildings and personal residences free from unwanted pests and infestation. Your work helps protect the health and safety of building occupants, as well as helping to maintain the structural integrity of buildings.

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 pest control insurance is that your business will become more marketable, as many customers will only hire pest control professionals with the proper insurance.

What insurance coverage do I need as a pest control professional?

Some of the most common insurance coverages for pest control professionals 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 pest control professionals to carry commercial general liability insurance in order to be hired.
  • Property Damage: While inspecting a client’s attic for rodents, an employee of yours accidentally kicks a hole through the ceiling.
  • Bodily Injury: A client trips over equipment 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 spraying a client’s home for fleas, 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 becomes ill from unsafe exposure to insecticide. He spends a week in the hospital recovering.
• 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 pest control business?

There are many factors to consider when purchasing insurance for your pest control business—from the financial strength of an insurer to the pricing that you’re offered. A solid insurance package for your pest control 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 pest control insurance

Pest Control Workers Industry Statistics

Employers of Pest Control Workers

Exterminating and pest control services	88%
Self-employed workers	6%

Source data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pest control workers (2016)

Median Pay for Pest Control Workers

Exterminating and pest control services

$34,120

Source data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pest control workers (2017)

Job Growth for Pest Control Workers

Number of Jobs, 2016	78,900
Employment Change, 2016-26	6,500
Job Outlook, 2016-26	8%
Total Job Outlook, 2016-26	7%

Source data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pest control workers (2016)

Non-fatal Occupational Injuries for Pest Control Services

Incidence rate	2.6%
Number of cases (thousands)	3.0

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