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Cleaners Insurance

Compare public liability cleaners insurance quotes and get protected in case you damage property or injure someone.

Key takeaways

  • If you are a cleaning contractor working for yourself or a cleaning business, then you need to consider cleaners insurance.
  • Public liability insurance is the bare minimum you will need — it is usually mandatory in Australia and can cover damage or injury to others.
  • Portable equipment insurance can protect your equipment from accidental loss or damage.

What insurance do cleaners need?

Public liability insurance

Public liability insurance

Accidents happen and when you're in and out of people's homes, you're responsible for any damage you cause. Public liability insurance can protect you if you break a mirror, knock over a vase or ruin a rug.

  • Required
  • $53

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Portable equipment insurance

Professional vacuums, carpet cleaners and floor polishers aren't cheap. Portable equipment cover can pay for a replacement if someone steals equipment from your van or if your tools break on the job.

  • Required
  • $43

Average cost based on historical costs using our engine. Last checked October 2024

What risks do sole trader cleaners face?

If you are a cleaner operating as a sole trader, you are personally responsible for your business. Every aspect of your business, both legal and financial, is your responsibility and if something goes wrong, the buck stops with you. That means if you have outstanding debts or need to cover fines or legal costs, personal assets such as your home and car could be in the firing line.

What types of business insurance should cleaners consider?

If you are a cleaner working for yourself, there are various types of insurance covers you might want to consider to protect your interests, including the following:

Public liability insurance

Public liability insurance

This pays your defence, legal and court costs plus any compensation awarded against you arising from a claim of accidental injury or property damage caused by your business.

business insurance

Business insurance

This covers your general property, such as essential cleaning equipment, against theft or damage anywhere in Australia, whether on or off the job.

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Personal accident & illness insurance

This pays a benefit of up to 85% of your income if you are temporarily unable to work because of an illness or injury.

Do cleaners need insurance in Australia?

If you still aren’t sure whether you need cleaners insurance, the following examples may illustrate why it can be very useful to have.

Example: Reasons to get cleaners insurance

Example 1: A cleaner contracted by a strip mall failed to post a Wet Floor sign after mopping up a spill and an elderly female shopper slipped and broke her ankle, requiring surgery and a lengthy recovery in hospital. The woman was unable to sue the owners of the strip mall, so she lodged a claim against the cleaner for negligence and was awarded $50,000 in damages. Since the cleaner didn't have cleaners insurance, the cleaner was forced to wind up their business and take out a second mortgage on their house to cover the compensation bill.

Example 2: A sole-trader cleaner contracted by an accountancy firm accidentally spilled a cleaning agent on their boardroom table, causing permanent damage to the blackwood surface. The firm of accountants lodged a claim against the cleaner for the cost of a new table, which because of the rare nature of the timber involved, was around $115,000. Fortunately, the cleaner had public liability insurance, which covered the entire cost, or they would have been personally liable for replacing the table.

* This is a fictional, but realistic, example.

Talk to a broker about cleaners insurance

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by David Gregory as part of our fact-checking process.
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Publisher

Maurice Thach was a publisher at Finder who covered anything that sounds hard to compare. This includes life insurance policies, side hustle ideas and energy plans. Maurice has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales, a Tier 2 General Insurance certification and a Tier 1 Life Insurance certification. Outside of work, you'll probably find Maurice hitting up the nearest basketball court. See full bio

More guides on Finder

  • Event Insurance

    Does your business run events? Public liability insurance is an important step for both one-day and regular events.

  • Market Stall Insurance

    In order to find the right level of public liability cover assess the risks your business faces to determine just how much cover you need. Compare the benefits, limits and exclusions of a number of policies, while it’s also a good idea to obtain multiple quotes from competing insurers.

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