Whiteside Insurance - Logo

Category: Artisan Contractor Insurance

Posted on

Self-employed Contractors: Do you have the right auto insurance?

Are you a cabinet maker, electrician, flooring installer, or other skilled worker with your own business? As a self-employed contractor, you probably use your vehicle at times to conduct your business. Do you have sufficient coverage for the risks involved with your job? Let’s take a look at a possible scenario to get an idea of how commercial auto insurance might be a smart choice for you.
Brady found a great opportunity to build his own business by using his heavy-duty power washer to clean decks. He had purchased the washer to use on his own property, but word quickly spread through friends and neighbors. Before Brady realized it, a profitable business had been born. Brady had a small truck with a trailer that he used for both personal and company work. One sweltering afternoon, Brady was cruising through town on his way to a customer’s home when his trailer came loose, crashing into the car behind him. Three people in the vehicle behind him were injured, and the car was totaled. Brady was shocked to discover that his personal auto insurance didn’t cover much at all of the damages incurred. The insurer finally agreed to pay up to the policy limit, but Brady faced a lawsuit against his business that ended with devastating results.
Does your personal vehicle ever get used for business purposes? Typically, using your personal vehicle to drive to and from work is not considered a great risk. You drive to a destination, park your car for the duration of your workday, then drive home again. As a contractor, however, there’s more of a risk if you are using your personal vehicle to haul heavy equipment, to deliver goods, or just to cover many miles a day to get to multiple job sites. That extra risk should be discussed with your insurance agent. Give Whiteside Insurance a call today, and we can make sure you get the commercial auto coverage you need.
Posted on

Why Does an Artisan Contractor Need Insurance?

Are you an artisan contractor in the Spicewood, TX area? If so, you will want to be sure that the insurance you have fits your vocation. Plumbers, carpenters, electricians, painters, masons, and similarly skilled workers would fit into this category of contractors. When you go to a customer’s premises to build, repair, or renovate for them, you should be prepared for the many perils that abound. Here is a story to show one of the ways this type of policy can make a big difference when the unexpected happens:
Charles was a piano tuner. He had over twenty years under his belt and was well known through the area as being exceptionally skilled in his vocation. Fortunately, he had made it through those many years with no major mishaps, but he found out that he wasn’t immune to bad luck. One summer afternoon, he pulled into a rural customer’s long, winding driveway. He spent nearly two hours on a baby grand before packing up to leave. As Charles backed out of the driveway, his car lurched and he heard a terrible crunch. He had accidentally veered off the driveway and onto the lawn, hitting the property owner’s hydrant. Unfortunately, the impact of Charles’ car caused quite the damage to not only the hydrant itself but some of the pipework underground. If it weren’t for the artisan contractors policy that Charles had, he would have been required to pay nearly $10,000 out of pocket to cover the damage he had caused.
Do you fit into this unique category of workmen and women? Make sure that you are properly covered for general and professional liability. Give Whiteside Insurance Agency a call, and we will help you customize a policy that perfectly fits your specific needs.