FAQ's
You have a lot on your plate as a small business owner—marketing, finances, hiring, compliance, and the actual job. Let us help. Call us for a chat, and we’ll analyze your needs, explaining coverage in a way that makes sense for you. We’re not just agents; we’re educators.
A broker fee is the amount a broker can charge for the work and due diligence in taking your information and shopping for a policy on your behalf. A good broker will work hard to find the best insurance company to fit your business needs and for a good pricing point. The broker fee compensates the broker for their time. Your premium payments got to the insurance company directly. A good way to think of it is the broker fees help keep the agency’s lights on and employees paid.
The bond will cover the homeowner or customer should the contractor decide to bail out on the contract or perform the work subpar and not work with the customer to fix. It basically covers the customer in case of shady business practices. Insurance covers ACCIDENTAL damage by a contractor while attempting to perform honest work.
A personal auto policy will not cover your business in the case of an accident. If you are using your vehicle for both personal and business use, you can add it to your personal auto policy and it should be covered under that policy. BUT if the person you hit decides they want to sue your business, the personal auto insurance would not be covered cover. Another reason is that most government or city jobs will want to see proof of commercial auto insurance of $1 million limits to win the bid for the job. Personal auto insurance doesn’t typically offer coverage that high.
Wrong. You will need a supplemental policy called “Inland Marine” or “Tools” coverage for that. You give us a dollar value that you believe your tools and equipment are valued at and you will be covered up to that amount for natural disasters (like fire, flooding etc) and theft or loss. What is NOT covered under this policy is if the equipment or tools simply break.
General Liability protects your business for damage and harm you may cause to a third party, but is NOT part of your actual work. For example, if you leave a tool box in the walkway to your customer’s house and someone (who is not an employee of your company) trips and breaks their arm, that is covered. Another example would be if a roofer’s ladder falls over and breaks a window to the home, that is covered. What would NOT be covered is if a roofer is roofing the home, but his own tiles become damaged due to his negligence. That is part of the actual job he is performing and therefore would be his own responsibility to cover.
In California, there are a couple contractors codes that require workers comp regardless if you have employees or not. Those industries are: C-39 roofers, C-8 concrete contractors, C-20 HCAV, C-22 Abestos Abatement, and C-61/D-49 Tree Services. With or without employees, these businesses must carry workers comp. Any other businesses without employees are considered exempt from having to carry workers comp.
The timeframe varies. We explore multiple carriers to secure the most competitive rates for you. For straightforward businesses with minimal complexity, we can often finalize a policy within the same day. However, if you operate in a higher-risk industry, the process may extend to 7-10 days. Let’s have a conversation to delve into your specific circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got questions, we have answers. Here are a few of our Frequently Asked Questions from our clients. Have a question that’s not here? Ask us. We’re here to help!
questions and answers
Just ask!
You have a lot on your plate as a small business owner—marketing, finances, hiring, compliance, and the actual job. Let us help. Call us for a chat, and we’ll analyze your needs, explaining coverage in a way that makes sense for you. We’re not just agents; we’re educators.
A broker fee is the amount a broker can charge for the work and due diligence in taking your information and shopping for a policy on your behalf. A good broker will work hard to find the best insurance company to fit your business needs and for a good pricing point. The broker fee compensates the broker for their time. Your premium payments got to the insurance company directly. A good way to think of it is the broker fees help keep the agency’s lights on and employees paid.
The bond will cover the homeowner or customer should the contractor decide to bail out on the contract or perform the work subpar and not work with the customer to fix. It basically covers the customer in case of shady business practices. Insurance covers ACCIDENTAL damage by a contractor while attempting to perform honest work.
A personal auto policy will not cover your business in the case of an accident. If you are using your vehicle for both personal and business use, you can add it to your personal auto policy and it should be covered under that policy. BUT if the person you hit decides they want to sue your business, the personal auto insurance would not be covered cover. Another reason is that most government or city jobs will want to see proof of commercial auto insurance of $1 million limits to win the bid for the job. Personal auto insurance doesn’t typically offer coverage that high.
Wrong. You will need a supplemental policy called “Inland Marine” or “Tools” coverage for that. You give us a dollar value that you believe your tools and equipment are valued at and you will be covered up to that amount for natural disasters (like fire, flooding etc) and theft or loss. What is NOT covered under this policy is if the equipment or tools simply break.
General Liability protects your business for damage and harm you may cause to a third party, but is NOT part of your actual work. For example, if you leave a tool box in the walkway to your customer’s house and someone (who is not an employee of your company) trips and breaks their arm, that is covered. Another example would be if a roofer’s ladder falls over and breaks a window to the home, that is covered. What would NOT be covered is if a roofer is roofing the home, but his own tiles become damaged due to his negligence. That is part of the actual job he is performing and therefore would be his own responsibility to cover.
In California, there are a couple contractors codes that require workers comp regardless if you have employees or not. Those industries are: C-39 roofers, C-8 concrete contractors, C-20 HCAV, C-22 Abestos Abatement, and C-61/D-49 Tree Services. With or without employees, these businesses must carry workers comp. Any other businesses without employees are considered exempt from having to carry workers comp.
The timeframe varies. We explore multiple carriers to secure the most competitive rates for you. For straightforward businesses with minimal complexity, we can often finalize a policy within the same day. However, if you operate in a higher-risk industry, the process may extend to 7-10 days. Let’s have a conversation to delve into your specific circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got questions, we have answers. Here are a few of our Frequently Asked Questions from our clients. Have a question that’s not here? Ask us. We’re here to help!
questions and answers
Just ask!
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Share some details about your business, and leave the legwork to us. Pick the policy that suits you best.