4 Reasons Why Your Auto Detailing Operation Needs Business Insurance

If you’re in the auto detailing business, you help restore vehicles to the polished state they were in when they first drove off the lot. Your tendency to leave no stone unturned has made your auto detailing operation what it is today. But what about the logistical details of running such an outfit? Without the right business insurance for auto detailing, you could be vulnerable to financial ruin from a liability lawsuit or from damage to your property.

You know better than anyone that details can make or break a job. Keep reading to learn more about business insurance from CoverHound.

In Case of Liability Due to Injury

Working on cars isn’t the same as sitting in an office. It’s a physical job, and it comes with a very real danger of accidents. While your operation takes safety measures seriously, it’s just not possible to predict every situation before it happens. What if a customer strolls into your garage to check on their vehicle—which is on the lift—and experiences a burn, slip, or scrape from a falling part? What if you’re completing a job off-site and a car that you’re working on rolls into someone else’s property?

With so many moving parts, it only makes sense to have a formidable commercial general liability (CGL) insurance policy working in your favor. If you’re found liable for property damage or personal injury to a third party due to a non-professional negligent act, liability insurance can protect your business from financial loss. Detail King recommends coverage in the $500,000 to $1 million range for your in-house shop or mobile operation, and suggests looking into umbrella policies that widen your coverage.

n Case of Business Interruption

Simply put: If no cars are lined up awaiting detailing, no cash flow is rolling in for your business. Bills don’t stop just because business does. Making sure that your comprehensive business insurance plan includes business interruption coverage can help keep your business afloat in the case of a disaster that prevents you from working at your insured location. The Auto Detailing Network writes that it may cover various business expenses like your rent or mortgage, insurance payments, loan repayments, and more to keep you in business while you get back on track.

Protecting Your Premises

You likely have thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment that you depend on every day, from job-related machinery to computers, office furniture, and other electronics. A solid Business Owners Policy (BOP) bundles general liability insurance plus property insurance to protect your gear against damage, theft, and more. How can you accurately determine how much coverage is enough for you? Add up the original cost of your equipment and supplies and make sure your policy extends to that number, per Auto Laundry News. It’s a good idea to consider a “replacement value” policy so depreciation doesn’t cut into your reimbursement.

What about the vehicles driven into and stored on your premises? In addition to your general garage liability policy, you’ll want to consider optional garagekeepers coverage for customers’ auto left in your care while you’re “attending, servicing, repairing, parking or storing it in your garage operations,” according to Insurance Journal.

Protecting Your Employees

It’s your legal duty to protect your employees if you have them. Workers compensation insurance can cover lost wages and medical bills due to work-related injuries. It will also protect you against costly employee lawsuits regarding working conditions.

Are you ready to evaluate business insurance for your auto detailing operation? CoverHound can help you break it down. If you store and access customer records online, you should also consider cyber insurance that protects your organization in the event of a breach.