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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: LBWCS on March 08, 2011, 08:09:53 am

Title: Public liability
Post by: LBWCS on March 08, 2011, 08:09:53 am
Time to renew my public liability. Had renewal price of £70ish. Thinking of changing though as it doesn't include windows worked on and has a heat exclusion.can andbody recommend a company? Just tried gleaming insurance and it was like £200 more than double what I'm paying now. Expect specialist to be more but not that much! Cheers
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Sean Dyer on March 08, 2011, 08:41:34 am
i pay between 2 - 300 for the inclusion of what is being worked on

sean
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Mark Farrimond on March 08, 2011, 11:24:18 am
Quote from: rhine
Just tried gleaming insurance and it was like £200 more than double what I'm paying now. Expect specialist to be more but not that much! Cheers

Rhine,

I appreciate our quotes are more than you are paying, but you will struggle to find an insurer that will give you the cover you want (if you want damage to glass) for any less.  You can pay by interest free instalments if it helps spread the cost.

The standard policies are cheap but like anything in life, you get what you pay for. 
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: chopsie on March 08, 2011, 11:31:55 am
From what i have seen the excess on policies which include the glass being worked on does not justify paying the massive amount extra you have to fork out compared to a standard policy. £200 extra premium plus a £250 excess  :o  Would have to damage a serious pane of glass to have to fork that amount of money out!
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Mark Farrimond on March 08, 2011, 11:41:28 am
Chopsie,

It all depends on the work you do.  If you clean domestic houses only and none of these have conservatories then you have a point.  If you clean commercial premises, schools, shop windows or car dealerships then the excess of £250 could be negligible compared to the cost of replacing a window pane.  For a start, they will want it doing by the company they use and then the costs are out of your control.
 
Also, most standard policies exclude cover for cleaning gutters, frames, soffits, fascias etc.  They just cover you for cleaning windows, thats it.
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: VSP Home Care on March 08, 2011, 01:03:34 pm
Insurance is always a nightmare especially when you make a claim  ;D

But if you're going to the trouble of getting some then you might as well make sure it covers what you do properly.

The price of glass is high and the fitting costs would make your eyes water, I'd certainly rather pay the insurance than take the risk.

Plus I'm sure it's a legitimate expense for your books, at 300 notes it's probably half a weeks money for many wc's and without it your running a big risk.  You could easily throw a grand or two into replacing a large plate window.

If your earning anything like a half decent wage then £300 is better spent on your insurance than giving it to the tax man  ;D
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: DaveG on March 08, 2011, 05:01:10 pm
Just out of interest, does pl insurance work like any other type of insurance?
Ie if you make a claim, does your next years policy get loaded?
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: L.J.Thorpe on March 08, 2011, 05:54:17 pm
Just out of interest, does pl insurance work like any other type of insurance?
Ie if you make a claim, does your next years policy get loaded?
maybe not loaded but certainly can affect your premium,varies by provider
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: L.J.Thorpe on March 08, 2011, 06:02:28 pm
Chopsie,

It all depends on the work you do.  If you clean domestic houses only and none of these have conservatories then you have a point.  If you clean commercial premises, schools, shop windows or car dealerships then the excess of £250 could be negligible compared to the cost of replacing a window pane.  For a start, they will want it doing by the company they use and then the costs are out of your control.
 
Also, most standard policies exclude cover for cleaning gutters, frames, soffits, fascias etc.  They just cover you for cleaning windows, thats it.
spot on
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: L.J.Thorpe on March 08, 2011, 06:04:49 pm
Insurance is always a nightmare especially when you make a claim  ;D

But if you're going to the trouble of getting some then you might as well make sure it covers what you do properly.

The price of glass is high and the fitting costs would make your eyes water, I'd certainly rather pay the insurance than take the risk.

Plus I'm sure it's a legitimate expense for your books, at 300 notes it's probably half a weeks money for many wc's and without it your running a big risk.  You could easily throw a grand or two into replacing a large plate window.

If your earning anything like a half decent wage then £300 is better spent on your insurance than giving it to the tax man  ;D
and again
dont skimp on your insurance,250 quid excess about the norm
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: DaveG on March 09, 2011, 12:34:25 pm
Just out of interest, does pl insurance work like any other type of insurance?
Ie if you make a claim, does your next years policy get loaded?
maybe not loaded but certainly can affect your premium,varies by provider

Cheers LJ
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Helen on March 09, 2011, 04:26:08 pm
Time to renew my public liability. Had renewal price of £70ish. Thinking of changing though as it doesn't include windows worked on and has a heat exclusion.can andbody recommend a company? Just tried gleaming insurance and it was like £200 more than double what I'm paying now. Expect specialist to be more but not that much! Cheers

What did you expect to pay then? Your website says you work up to 40ft (obviously with wfp) so the higher you clean , the more the risk, the more the insurance. Very few insurance companies cover what you are working on (treatment risk) so £200 more than double what you are paying now = £340 ish. divide by 12 months around £29.00 per month......domestic clean wise say 2 or 3, 3 bed semi's cover your insurance per month and deductable for tax reasons :)

Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: LBWCS on March 09, 2011, 05:14:10 pm
I understand what everybody is saying, I just thought it was a little expensive. If that is the price for cover required, then i accept it. Just wondered what everybody pays to make sure im getting a decent deal  :)
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Gav Camm lammy 283 on March 09, 2011, 06:20:12 pm
try insured risks .com iv got 5mill pli
plus accidental damage bout 130 quidish  ;) ;)
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: LBWCS on March 23, 2011, 08:56:40 pm
Just picked up 2mil insurance with property being worked for £100 all in, that's £100 cheaper than gleaming insurance, great
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: DaveG on March 23, 2011, 09:04:25 pm
whos that with rhine?
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Mark Farrimond on March 24, 2011, 03:33:14 pm
I just thought I should put the record straight here. 

For those of you who are insured with Simply Business who undertake Window Cleaning you are NOT covered for damaging the glass or whatever being worked on.  They have the following exclusion in their policy.

LI3.11 Exclusions
The following Exclusion will apply to the Public and Products Liability Cover provided under this Section of the Certificate only in addition to those Exclusions in Part 4 Certificate Exclusions

LI3.16 Property in Your Charge or Under Your Control
Damage to Property which
(a) You own or is loaned leased hired or rented to You
(b) is held in trust by You or in Your custody or control

Furthermore I have just spoken to Simply Business as a window cleaner and been told that this exclusion applies and therefore no cover is provided.

Their advisor then tried to convince me that if I added Domestic Cleaning as a secondary trade that I would get this cover, even though it is excluded by the policy.  All I would get it for is any internal Domestic Cleaning, not window cleaning.

Don't forget Simply Business don't pay the claims and it is there in black and white that the cover is excluded so whichever insurer is behind the policy you buy, they will just throw out a claim.   

Please, please don't just take their word for it over the phone. It's what you receive in writing that counts and on the documents we received it is excluded.

We may be more expensive but we are giving the cover that you need and we put it in writing in our quotes and in the policy itself.

Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: bobplum on March 24, 2011, 07:23:17 pm
i think im getting confused ???
if you damage glass while working on it,then your not covered?
if that is correct then how do you claim for damage on glass as you must have worked on it?

can some one put me straight
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Mark Farrimond on March 24, 2011, 07:30:00 pm
Bobplum,

You aren't covered if you damage the glass you are cleaning or about to clean (working on).  If the glass is damaged in anyway (whether it is evident immediately or after you have moved on to another window or house) it isnt covered by 99% of policies.  They have a written exclusion in their wordings.  The reason for this is because they know nothing about window cleaning and hows its done etc.  They are offering the same policy to you as they would offer to a builder.

So if you smash a pane with wayward pole, or you lean a ladder upto a window and it falls and scratches the window you arent covered for the damage caused. 

Simply Business rang me back after I left that earlier post and the lad who I spoke to had never heard of a water fed pole!! 
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: bobplum on March 24, 2011, 07:53:15 pm
Bobplum,

You aren't covered if you damage the glass you are cleaning or about to clean (working on).  If the glass is damaged in anyway (whether it is evident immediately or after you have moved on to another window or house) it isnt covered by 99% of policies.  They have a written exclusion in their wordings.  The reason for this is because they know nothing about window cleaning and hows its done etc.  They are offering the same policy to you as they would offer to a builder.

So if you smash a pane with wayward pole, or you lean a ladder upto a window and it falls and scratches the window you arent covered for the damage caused. 

Simply Business rang me back after I left that earlier post and the lad who I spoke to had never heard of a water fed pole!! 

so besides someone tripping ovet the hose?  whats the point of public liability insurance
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Mark Farrimond on March 24, 2011, 08:04:51 pm
You could drop something on to a car or a person. Under a standard policy you aren't covered for much more.  Whilst most insurers don't offer this cover (damage to property worked upon) you can get it from us, under our scheme. This isn't intended as a plug, but I just wanted to make you aware that it is available. Our policies aren't £70, but they do give full cover.
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: DaveG on March 24, 2011, 08:23:06 pm
Mark, do you do a combined policy ie public liability and employers?

Cheers Dave
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Mark Farrimond on March 24, 2011, 08:34:42 pm
Dave, yes we do mate. If you want to email me - mark@gleaminginsurance.co.uk with your number I will give you a call and give you a quote.  Or you can go to the website and complete your details. Whichever works best for you.

Mark
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: DaveG on March 25, 2011, 07:08:58 am
Cheers Mark
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: JSMC on March 25, 2011, 09:01:10 pm
mark sorted me out yesterday and i'm now covered for my pressure washing work, gutter cleaning and window cleaning for 198 per year with £2m cover.

Sorted!
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: Gav Camm lammy 283 on March 25, 2011, 09:03:01 pm
mark sorted me out yesterday and i'm now covered for my pressure washing work, gutter cleaning and window cleaning for 198 per year with £2m cover.

Sorted!

dats dear i just payed 126.00
for 5million pli ;)
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: JSMC on March 25, 2011, 09:22:39 pm
i'm happy with the price that's what matters for me and also the cover they provide gives me peace of mind.
Title: Re: Public liability
Post by: LBWCS on March 25, 2011, 10:34:37 pm
 so the cover I have DOES cover property/glass being worked on upto 2mill.still waiting for the paperwork but think the broker was called motor house who went through a specialist. If anybody wants details pm me and I'll get back to you when paper work comes through