Brief guide to insurance for window cleaning businesses

Should window cleaners have insurance?

As with any type of trade career, insurance is vital to have – and window cleaning is no exception. Whether you’re working from a scaffold or up a ladder beside a residential building, the risks are clear to see.

Falling from height, dropping equipment onto passers-by, or hurting yourself ascending or descending, it’s easy to injure yourself.

This makes it absolutely essential to have insurance for window cleaning so that you’re protected should the worst happen.

From employer’s liability to window cleaning public liability, we’ve broken down all you need to know about window cleaning insurance. That way, you can be sure you have all your insurance bases covered.

Is it a legal requirement to have window cleaning insurance?

Unlike gaining qualifications, it is absolutely essential that you have insurance as a window cleaner.

In fact, not having insurance in some areas of your business will be a breach of the law. This means that you could be faced with legal penalties should you fail to insure your business correctly.

For example, public indemnity insurance is a legal requirement for all window cleaners. So by not having it, you will be breaking the law.

Examples of why you might need window cleaning insurance

So, we know that having the right insurance for window cleaning is important, but what will it protect you against? Below are several examples of when having the right window cleaning insurance could come in handy:

• You or one of your team drops a tool from high up which damages public property or injures a passing member of the public
• You or one of your team accidentally smashes a window pane while working
• You or one of your team falls from a height while working, causing injury
• Your tools or equipment are stolen, preventing you from working

Of course, these are just some common examples, and there are many more scenarios in which insurance can help you.

What insurance does a window cleaner need?

When looking at window cleaning insurance, the best insurance policy will depend on the level of protection you need. This will include looking at things such as the types of buildings you work on, their location, and your team.

However, no matter what sort of window cleaning you specialise in, the following areas of insurance are always a must:

• Employer’s liability insurance – a legal requirement for any employer, employer’s liability insurance will protect your team financially should they be injured on a job
• Public liability insurance – a legal necessity for window cleaners, public liability insurance for window cleaning will ensure that your business is protected against third-party claims of damage or injury
• Professional indemnity insurance – not essential but always worth having, professional indemnity insurance covers you against third-party claims of professional negligence
• Tool and vehicle insurance – if you want to ensure that your tools and transportation are protected, then tool and vehicle insurance is an absolute must to make sure you can keep working
• Personal accident insurance – if you suffer an accident that prevents you from working, personal accident insurance will cover your financial losses for this period

This might seem like a lot; however, most professional insurance providers will create customised policies to meet your needs.

This is always a wise investment to opt for. Having one singular policy means you only pay for the cover that you need.

How much does window cleaning insurance cost?

Due to the varying insurance requirements needed by each individual business, there’s no set price for window cleaning insurance. How much your insurance costs will depend on factors such as the following:

• The level of cover your business needs
• Whether you work on two-storey residential properties or high-rise buildings
• The amount of work you do in a year
• If you employ any workers and how many
• Where you work
• Any prior insurance claims
• Whether you offer additional services

Save money on your window cleaner insurance with Checkatrade

So, you should now have a much better idea of what sort of window cleaner insurance you’ll need. And if you sign up with Checkatrade we can help you save money in this area with our partners.

Checkatrade members get instant access to a variety of savings and benefits, including up to 20% off public liability insurance (PLI). Log in to our Member’s Area to claim our latest offers!

Get in touch to learn more about our partnerships and our vetting process. We also have plenty of other window cleaning guides on traditional vs pure water cleaning, starting a window cleaning business, and window cleaning salaries that can help take your business to new heights.

Window cleaning insurance FAQs

Will I need a CSCS card as a window cleaner

No, it is very unlikely that you will need a CSCS card as a window cleaner. CSCS cards are required by those who work on building sites, which is not a common work location for those in the window cleaning trade.