[Allied Insurance]

Hi guys,

We already have a pretty comprehensive insurance policy arranged with our knowledge of your industry, but we are constantly trying to improve this to make your lives easier.

Obtaining the best rates possible is often down to our ability to convey your professionalism and working methods to the insures.

All your feedback would be both interesting and welcome. You will also be helping us to help the industry get better rates from the insurers.

I am going to ask these questions:

1. Do you use ladders or WFP System, or if both what split ?
2. Do you Risk Assess each job and record that ?
3. Do you provide Method Statements to your clients ?
4. Do you automatically provide proof of insurance to your clients ?

I will have other things to ask, but for now the responses to these will be a good start.

Thanks
Martin

[Nathanael Jones]

1. I'm 5% ladders,.. mostly access only onto flat roofs etc, 95% WFP
2. For commercial work yes,.. domestic work, no (I know I should!)
3. As above
4. As above

[Spursboy1972]

I am the same as Nathanael

[Jimmy1]

Same for me

[Tosh]

Same here, maybe even less than 5% on ladders.

Martin,

Window cleaners generally only do FORMAL risk assessments and method statements when we're asked; and sometimes when we're asked for these, we'll also be asked for proof of insurance.  Normally, it will only be commercial properties of the larger kind who'll require these.

Domestic properties, or small comercial generally don't.

Then the risk/method paperwork is purely generic; the same one will fit almost any normal situation; we just cut 'n' paste company names.  Okay, I admit rope access, cradles, cherry pickers (and probably other platforms) will all have very different risk assessments, but this is pretty much niche work.

But of course we all automatically mentally risk assess any property we clean; and each of our own attitudes to risk differs.

I would suggest a relevant question would be the height that WFP users work to.  I only go to 2nd floor (3 storey), about 30 to 35 foot, but I believe you can go to 70 foot.  That extra height must mean extra risk.

[Allied Insurance]

Excellent responses and feedback so far, so keep it coming....

I hope you dont think I am being ignorant, but rather than reply as and when to the posts here on this thread, I propose to gather all the queries and then post a different thread with some answers to them all - it can hopefully act as a "Frequently Asked Questions" type of thing for insurance.

Of course if you want to send me a Private Message about something I will of course answer.

Cheers
Martin