Cleaner Public Liability Insurance

Specialist Cleaner Insurance Referrals

Cleaning work can look simple from the outside, but cleaners often work around customers' property, keys, surfaces, chemicals, wet floors, equipment and valuable contents. A specialist broker can help review the type of cleaning work you do and discuss suitable public liability insurance options.

A referral may be suitable for domestic cleaners, commercial cleaners, office cleaners, end-of-tenancy cleaners, holiday let cleaners, deep cleaners, communal area cleaners and specialist cleaning contractors. The cover available will depend on the work undertaken, contracts, premises visited and insurer appetite.

Why Cleaners May Need Public Liability Cover

Public liability insurance can help protect cleaners if a customer, visitor, tenant, contractor or member of the public alleges that they have been injured, or that their property has been damaged, because of the cleaning work. Examples could include slips on wet floors, damaged flooring, broken items, stained surfaces or accidental damage while working in a client's premises.

Domestic clients, commercial landlords, offices, property managers and facilities companies may request evidence of insurance before allowing cleaning work to begin. A specialist broker can help you explain your work clearly to insurers.

Domestic, Commercial And Specialist Cleaning Work

Insurers may treat cleaning risks differently depending on where the work is carried out. Domestic cleaning in private homes can involve keys, fragile items and customer possessions, while commercial cleaning may involve public access areas, out-of-hours work, offices, retail premises, shared buildings or higher footfall.

Specialist work such as deep cleaning, oven cleaning, carpet cleaning, high-level cleaning, exterior cleaning, builders' cleans, medical cleaning or industrial cleaning should be disclosed. These activities may need extra underwriting information or different policy terms.

Property Damage, Slips And Customer Premises

Cleaners often work directly around customers' property, furnishings, flooring, fixtures, equipment and stock. Public liability cover can be important where accidental damage or injury claims arise from cleaning activity, subject to the policy wording.

Insurers may ask about risk controls such as wet floor signage, safe storage of cleaning products, staff training, key handling, lone working procedures, equipment maintenance and how you manage delicate surfaces or valuable items.

Cleaning Products, Equipment And Treatment Risks

Cleaning products, chemicals, sprays, stain treatments, polish, steam cleaners, vacuums, ladders, pressure equipment and specialist machinery can all affect underwriting. If you supply cleaning products or apply treatments to surfaces, insurers may need to understand exactly what products are used and where.

Own tools and equipment are usually not covered by public liability insurance, so separate tools or equipment cover may need to be discussed with the broker.

Employers' Liability And Subcontractors

If you employ cleaners, supervisors, temporary staff or people working under your direction, employers' liability insurance may be legally required in the UK. This can help protect the business if someone working for you suffers an injury or illness linked to their work.

If you use subcontractors, insurers will usually want to know whether they are labour-only or bona fide subcontractors, what work they carry out, whether they have their own insurance and what proportion of your turnover is subcontracted.

Information To Have Ready

To request a specialist broker referral, it helps to have details of your cleaning services, annual turnover, number of staff, subcontractor use, work locations, types of premises cleaned, tools and equipment values, chemicals used, key holding, height work, specialist treatments and any contract requirements.

You should also disclose any work in hospitals, care homes, schools, food production sites, industrial premises, laboratories, construction sites or other higher-risk locations, as these can affect insurer acceptance.

Request A Specialist Broker Referral

Quote Monkey can help connect cleaners and cleaning businesses with specialist brokers who can review the work involved and discuss suitable public liability, employers' liability, tools and equipment insurance options.

Cover is subject to underwriting criteria, insurer acceptance, terms and conditions.

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