Is there any insurance policy I can get as a homeowner, as an apartment renter, or as a rental property owner that would cover me for liability if I hire someone for work on my rental property or my residence and they do not have their own coverage?
I understand that my personal homeowner's/renter's insurance policy will not cover liability if I hire someone to perform work at my residence; similarly, I understand my homeowner's insurance policy for my rental property will not cover the same thing for that property.
If I am hiring someone that sets foot on my property, I generally ask if they're licensed/bonded/insured and request they provide evidence of general liability and workers compensation with valid dates before we move forward.
In the past, this has been a bit of a headache with some vendors since although I like them, they might have lied or at least lapsed in their coverage and then are scrambling to get valid paperwork for me in order to begin work. Going forward, I might need a service and it might be the only good folks around are those that do not have their own insurance.
Typical service providers I need to deal with for a personal residence or rental property could be a roofing contractor to repair/replace a leaking or old roof, a handyman fixing basic things in or around a property, a plumber to repair a toilet or other fixture, or a cleaning service to make a SFH move-in ready between tenants or to come weekly/monthly for regular ongoing cleaning while rental or primary residence is occupied.
Potential risks: A cleaner falls off of a step stool while dusting a ceiling fan, a handyman falls off a ladder while working on a high light fixture, or a roofer falls off the roof.
Typical service providers for a personal residence only could be a nanny or other in-home child care service taking care of an infant or toddler.
Potential risks: Nanny trips over a rug or slips on a child's toy in the home.
