House Cleaning Insurance: What You Need, Costs and Bonding

House cleaning insurance is a group of business policies that pays when a job goes wrong. Maybe a client slips on a wet floor, a countertop cracks, a helper gets hurt or a ring goes missing. For most cleaners, the core is general liability insurance (insurance that pays if your work injures someone or damages their property). Once you hire help, you add workers' compensation. And if clients want you "bonded and insured," you'll also need a janitorial bond. Beyond that, it depends on your state, your vehicle and your client contracts.

Here's what each piece covers, what the law may require, what it typically costs and what to check before you buy.

What house cleaning insurance usually includes

There's no single policy called "house cleaning insurance." It's a label for several coverages insurers sell to maid services and housekeepers. Most solo cleaners start with general liability and add more as the business grows.

A business owner's policy, or BOP (a package that bundles general liability with property and business income coverage), is a common starting point for small, low-risk businesses. Just know its limits. The Insurance Information Institute notes that BOPs do not cover professional liability, auto, workers' compensation, or health and disability insurance, so you'll need separate policies for those.

For a closer look at the main policy, see the guide to general liability insurance for a cleaning business.

Is house cleaning insurance required by law?

Generally, no state law makes house cleaners carry general liability insurance. That requirement usually comes from clients, property managers or contracts. Still, the U.S. Small Business Administration points out that you may be legally required to buy certain types of business insurance. For most cleaners, that means workers' compensation.

Workers' compensation rules vary by state

Each state writes its own workers' comp laws, and the rules for small employers vary a lot. A few examples show how wide the range is.

In California, the state's Division of Workers' Compensation says employers must have workers' compensation insurance even if they have only one employee. Texas sits at the other end. The Texas Department of Insurance says private employers can choose whether to carry workers' compensation in most cases, though employers who go without it (called non-subscribers) still have to tell the state they lack coverage and report certain workplace injuries.

Florida and New York land far apart, too. According to Insureon's state summary, cleaning businesses in Florida do not need workers' comp until they have four or more employees, while New York requires it for even one part-time employee.

Insureon also lists North Dakota, Ohio, Washington and Wyoming as states with monopolistic state funds. In those states, employers must buy workers' comp from the state, not from a private insurer. State coverage might not include employer's liability (coverage if an employee sues you over an injury), so some owners buy it separately as "stop gap" coverage.

If your state isn't mentioned here, check with your state's workers' compensation agency or ask a licensed agent. While you're at it, ask how your state treats helpers you pay as independent contractors. Calling someone a contractor doesn't always settle the question.

Vehicles

If your business owns a van or car, it needs commercial auto insurance. Using your personal car is less clear-cut. The SBA explains that occasional business driving may be fine on a personal policy, but driving primarily for business calls for a commercial policy. If you drive from home to home all day, haul supplies or let employees drive your car, you're probably in commercial territory. Either way, tell your auto insurer how you actually use the car.

Insured vs. bonded: what "bonded and insured" means

Lots of homeowners look for a cleaner who's "bonded and insured." Insured usually means you carry general liability. Bonded usually means you have a janitorial bond (a type of surety bond that pays your client if one of your workers steals from them).

The two do different jobs. NFP, an insurance broker, explains that a janitorial bond does not cover any damage to the home you are cleaning. Broken items and water damage fall under general liability, not the bond.

There's another difference worth knowing. With many surety bonds, the surety pays the client first, but your business may have to pay the surety back. Check your bond agreement to see whether that applies to you.

For residential cleaners, bonding is usually voluntary. Clients and contracts often ask for it anyway, since it gives them a clear way to get repaid if something goes missing.

How much house cleaning insurance costs

Your premium depends on your state, payroll, number of employees, chosen limits and claims history. Insureon, an online insurance broker, publishes the average prices its house cleaning customers pay. Here's what it lists on its house cleaning cost page:

• General liability: $51 per month, or $608 annually
• Business owner's policy: $79 per month
• Workers' compensation: $100 per month, or $1,204 annually
• Janitorial bond: $9 per month, or $112 annually
• Commercial umbrella: $72 per month, or $859 annually
• Commercial auto: $268 per month, or $3,218 annually

Treat these as rough benchmarks from one broker's customers, not a quote. You could pay more or less.

Workers' comp is priced differently from the rest. Insureon explains that it's a rate charged for every $100 of payroll, based on the kind of work your employees do and your claims record. So as your payroll grows, so does your premium.

What house cleaning insurance usually won't cover

Knowing the gaps matters as much as knowing what's covered, and a few of them catch cleaners off guard. General liability covers other people, not you. If you're a solo owner and get hurt, you'll need your own health or disability coverage, or workers' comp if your state lets owners opt in. Your employees' injuries go to workers' compensation, not general liability. General liability also won't replace a stolen vacuum. For your own tools and supplies, you need property or tools and equipment coverage. And it isn't designed for theft by your workers. A janitorial bond or a crime policy is.

Pay attention to the property you're actually working on. Some general liability policies limit coverage for property in your "care, custody or control," so ask your agent how your policy handles damage to the exact item you were cleaning, such as a rug or a marble surface. Car accidents are excluded, too. Your auto policy handles those. Finally, if you run the business from home, don't assume your homeowners policy covers business equipment or client claims. Many don't, or they offer only small amounts through an add-on.

Contracts, certificates and additional insured requests

Property managers, short-term rental hosts, offices and cleaning platforms often want proof of insurance before you start. That proof is a certificate of insurance, or COI (a one-page summary from your insurer showing your policies, limits and dates). Most insurers and agents can send one quickly.

Before you sign a contract, read its insurance section and watch for these terms:

• Required limits. The contract may set a minimum per-claim and total limit. Make sure your policy meets it, or ask about an umbrella policy.
• Additional insured. The client wants to be added to your policy so your coverage also protects them if they're sued over your work. This is usually done with an endorsement (a change added to the policy), and some insurers charge for it.
• Waiver of subrogation. You agree your insurer won't try to recover its costs from the client after paying a claim. This often takes an endorsement, too.
• Primary and noncontributory. Your policy pays first, before the client's own insurance. Confirm your policy allows this.
• Bond amount. Some contracts set a minimum bond amount, so make sure yours matches.

Keep current certificates on file, and send clients updated ones when your policy renews. Even a short lapse can break a contract.

Checklist: what to ask an agent before you buy

Bring these questions when you talk with a licensed insurance agent or review a quote. For a broader look at the policies cleaning businesses use, see business insurance for a cleaning business.

• Does your state require workers' comp for your number of employees, including part-time helpers?
• Would your state treat 1099 helpers as employees for workers' comp?
• As a solo owner, can you cover yourself under workers' comp, and is it worth it?
• What are the general liability limits per claim and in total, and do they meet your contract requirements?
• How does the policy handle damage to the item being cleaned?
• Does it exclude any services you offer, such as carpet cleaning, window cleaning, move-out cleans or work in commercial buildings?
• What's the deductible for property damage claims?
• Are vacuums and supplies covered at job sites and in your car?
• Is your car covered for how you use it for business, and who may drive it?
• What does the janitorial bond cover, what must a client prove to collect, and would you have to repay the surety?
• Can clients be added as additional insureds, and is there a fee?
• How quickly can the agent or insurer send a certificate of insurance?
• Is the policy written on an occurrence basis (covers incidents that happen while the policy is active, even if reported later)?
• What changes, such as hiring staff or adding a van, must you report before renewal?

You'll find more trade-specific guides in the cleaning guides section.