Compare cleaning business insurance

Cleaners work in other people’s homes and offices, so the main risk is damage or injury caused to a client. Insurance for a cleaning firm usually starts with public liability, then adds cover for keys, equipment and any staff.

On Quotezone, sole traders and cleaning companies alike can get quotes from UK providers through one short form.

Which covers do cleaners usually buy?

Most cleaners combine public liability with a few extras chosen for the clients they work for. The sections you will usually see are:

• Public liability: claims from clients or passers-by for injuries or damage caused by your cleaning (business.gov.uk).
• Employers’ liability: required by law once you take on staff, for £5 million or more (GOV.UK).
• Loss of keys: the cost of changing locks if a client’s keys are lost or stolen while you hold them.
• Equipment: vacuums, floor machines and other kit you rely on (business.gov.uk).
• Damage to clients’ property: some policies cover accidental damage to items you are working on.
• Products: claims that a product you used or supplied caused illness or injury.

Check how each policy treats property you are working on, as some exclude damage to the item being cleaned.

Cleaning business insurance for domestic and commercial work

Domestic cleaners work in homes, often alone and with access to keys and valuables. Key cover and a sensible public liability limit matter most.

Commercial cleaning firms work in offices, shops and sites, often at night and with teams. Clients may set a minimum public liability limit in the contract, and staff bring employers’ liability into play.

End-of-tenancy cleaning for letting agents adds tight deadlines and inventory checks. Agents may ask to see your certificate before they add you to their list of approved cleaners.

Window cleaners face extra risk from working at height. HSE says the Work at Height Regulations 2005 aim to prevent death and injury from falls (HSE), and many insurers ask about ladder and pole work.

Keys, alarms and client trust

Holding keys and alarm codes is part of the job for many cleaners. If keys are lost, a client may need every lock changed, and that can cost more than people expect.

Key cover is often an add-on with its own limit, so check it covers the number of properties you hold keys for. Keeping keys coded rather than labelled with addresses may also be a policy condition.

Carpet, upholstery and specialist cleaning

Carpet, upholstery and deep cleaning use stronger chemicals and heavier machines. A shrunk carpet or a stained sofa can turn into a claim, so tell insurers about any specialist work you do.

If you clean after building work, or clean kitchens and extraction systems, these are often rated separately from routine office or domestic cleaning.

Is insurance a legal requirement for cleaners?

Employers’ liability is the legal requirement, once you employ anyone (GOV.UK). Public liability is voluntary, but many clients ask for it before you start (business.gov.uk).

If you clean homes for several households, HSE says those households probably will not need employers’ liability for you, because you work for more than one person (HSE). Your own business cover is what protects you.

Health and safety for cleaning businesses

HSE says that as an employer or a self-employed person, you are responsible for health and safety in your business (HSE). Common risks it lists include slips and trips, skin disease, back pain and work at height (HSE).

If you employ staff, you must assess the risk of contact dermatitis from cleaning products (HSE). Gloves, safe storage and training records can all help if a claim is made.

Lone working is common in cleaning, especially early in the morning or late at night. A simple check-in routine for staff working alone is worth having, and insurers may ask about it.

What does cleaning business insurance cost?

There is no single price, because insurers rate each firm on its own risk and the type of cleaning it does. They usually look at:

• domestic or commercial work, and the type of premises
• whether you work at height or use powerful machines
• your turnover and the number of staff
• the public liability limit you need
• any claims made against you before

On top of the premium, Insurance Premium Tax is charged at the standard rate of 12%, which has applied since 1 June 2017 (HMRC).

A two-person office cleaning firm

Here is an illustration. A two-person office cleaning firm wins a contract that asks for £5 million of public liability. The owner also employs a part-time cleaner, so employers’ liability becomes compulsory.

The firm adds key cover, because it holds keys to three offices, and equipment cover for its floor polisher. It also asks the insurer to confirm that night work in empty buildings is included.

How cleaners compare quotes with Quotezone

Share the work you do, your turnover and the covers you want in one short form. You can then set the quotes side by side and check the public liability limit on each.

It only takes a few minutes to start a cleaning insurance quote with Quotezone.

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Driving between jobs in your own car calls for business use car insurance. For kit carried in a van, compare van insurance.