Running a successful cleaning service requires you to gain the trust of your clients and stand out as a reliable choice, and one of the best ways to do this is to hold a relevant domestic cleaning insurance policy.
Keeping up to date with your insurance coverage, particularly in an unregulated sector like the domestic cleaning industry, provides both you and your clients with the proper legal protections and differentiates yourself from other uninsured companies. So, when did you last renew your domestic cleaning insurance?
Protecting Cleaning Companies
Even if you have operated a cleaning business for many years, it may still surprise you to learn that the UK cleaning industry is an unregulated sector with no governing agencies. Without strict legal regulations in place, legitimate businesses are left to compete with uninsured providers who operate without proper training, procedures or standards.
Whilst cleaning business insurance is not a legal requirement, not having it will leave you without protection against unexpected losses, damages, and costs. To protect your team and your business from the knock-on effect this will have, we recommend taking out the following coverage:
- Public Liability Insurance: This insurance protects you and your business against damages claims made against you by third parties (clients).
- Employers’ Liability Insurance: This coverage is just like public liability insurance, except it protects your business against claims made by employees.
- Equipment Insurance: These policies help you to recuperate the losses incurred by replacing lost, stolen, or damaged cleaning equipment.
Whilst we only require our members to hold public liability insurance, we strongly recommend that you research all the other insurance options available to you and take out the policies that are most relevant to your business.
Protecting Clients
Households are more likely to hire you if you have domestic cleaning insurance, and with good reason. Not only does it show that you are a responsible business owner who has the relevant legal protections in place, but it also reassures the client that they will not be legally accountable for any damages.
Accidents do happen, but if one of your employees causes damage to a client's home then a comprehensive insurance policy guarantees that you won’t be out of pocket. The client is well within their rights to expect you to pay for the cost of the damage if you stain a carpet, knock over a keepsake, or break a fixture, but with a domestic cleaning insurance policy in place, it is the insurer who will cover this cost, not you.
By requiring all of our members to be fully insured, we make sure that both you and your clients are fully protected in the unlikely event of an accident. The peace of mind that this offers goes both ways, as now you can send your team to your clients’ homes knowing they’re fully insured, and your clients can welcome your services into their homes knowing they benefit from the same legal protections.
Our Role
For over 10 years, our organisation has been working to:
- Support service providers
- Represent the UK domestic cleaning industry
- And assist providers with enquires regarding our industry sector
Without an industry-wide governing agency or a clear set of regulations to follow, requiring our members to be fully insured and registered with HMRC is how we maintain industry standards and protect our members in this unregulated sector.
We believe that cleaning companies like yours don’t benefit from the same protections and representation as other sectors, and we are here to change that. We represent your interests on a national level as a board member of the British Cleaning Council, and we also offer a range of discounts and resources to help you run your business - but applying for insurance is still your responsibility!
Business Insurance for Cleaning Companies
To join our Alliance, fill in our online membership form and attach a copy of your insurance policy and proof that your company is registered with HMRC. We will then get back to you within 48 hours to confirm your application.
Or, even if you’re not ready to join the DCA yet, at least check that your domestic cleaning insurance coverage is still in date! We must all do our part to support our industry and provide protections for all service providers and their clients.