Cistern Contractors Insurance Policy Information
Cistern Contractors Insurance. Cisterns are rainwater catchment and storage systems that can provide both private residences and commercial operations with significant quantities supplemental water.
Cistern contractors excavate, install, clean, and repair underground rainwater collection and storage systems. A cistern may also be filled from a water truck in areas with unreliable water delivery systems. Most require installation of a pump to access the stored water supply.
Construction of a cistern begins with excavation and reinforcement of the area where it is to be installed. A metal, plastic, or precast concrete tank may be inserted, or one may be constructed of cast-in-place reinforced concrete or masonry. A sealer is applied to the interior of the cistern to prevent leaks and to make cleaning easier.
Finally, a system of gutters and downspouts is installed to direct rainwater into the cistern. Once installed, a cistern should be inspected at least annually to check for leakage, sediments, algae and other contaminants.
Repair work may include the use of augers with rotary knives attached which are fed into the cistern to cut away roots that have penetrated it. Some contractors may provide related services such as grading of the land, land clearing, or hauling and disposing of earth and debris.
As water provided by cisterns is primarily used for purposes other than drinking, households may use a cistern to acquire water to be used for bathrooms and garden use. Commercially, cisterns play an important role in irrigation, and as such, greenhouses frequently rely on them.
Cistern contractors can install, maintain, and repair a broad variety of cisterns. With the demand for cisterns growing, this can be both a profitable and stable commercial venture. Like any other business, however, cistern contractors have to consider how to protect their financial health in the event that they fall victim to circumstances beyond their control.
What kinds of cistern contractors insurance might be required, and why is it so crucial to be adequately insured? Discover more in this brief guide.
Cistern contractors insurance protects businesses from lawsuits with rates as low as $37/mo. Get a fast quote and your certificate of insurance now.
Below are some answers to commonly asked cistern contracting insurance questions:
- What Is Cistern Contractors Insurance?
- How Much Does Cistern Contractors Insurance Cost?
- Why Do Cistern Contractors Need Insurance?
- What Type Of Insurance Do Cistern Contractors Need?
- What Does Cistern Contractors Insurance Cover & Pay For?
What Is Cistern Contractors Insurance?
Cistern contractors insurance is a type of insurance coverage specifically designed for contractors who specialize in cisterns and water storage systems. This insurance provides coverage for losses or damages that may occur during the installation, maintenance, or repair of cisterns and related systems. It may include coverage for liability, property damage, and personal injury.
This insurance is important for cistern contractors to protect their business and employees from financial losses and lawsuits that may arise from accidents or damages while working on cistern projects.
How Much Does Cistern Contractors Insurance Cost?
The average price of a standard $1,000,000/$2,000,000 General Liability Insurance policy for cistern contracting businesses ranges from $37 to $59 per month based on location, size, revenue, claims history and more.
Why Do Cistern Contractors Need Insurance?
Cistern contractors will take pride in their skills, and go to great lengths to deliver excellent work and manage their business well. All the hard work that goes into building a successful business can, however, be undone at virtually any time unless you are protected by excellent insurance coverage.
As a cistern contractor, you will have to take universal risks into account, but you also face industry-specific risks. Even with security systems in place, for instance, your business could be impacted by a theft or an act of vandalism.
Even if you strictly adhere to health and safety protocols, an employee could suffer a workplace injury ' and even if you deliver excellent work, a client could file a lawsuit alleging otherwise.
Then, you have to consider the possibility that your commercial premises could be hit by an act of nature, like a wildfire or an earthquake. There is nothing you can do to prevent natural disasters. It is not difficult to imagine what kind of damage any of these perils could inflict.
Thankfully, cistern contractors are not powerless in the face of all these risks. By investing in a comprehensive cistern contractors insurance program, they can make sure that they will not be saddled with massive financial losses even if a major peril were to cause a serious setback.
What Type Of Insurance Do Cistern Contractors Need?
While you can be certain that you need several types of insurance to shield your business from devastating financial consequences, the precise kinds of coverage that will best serve you depend on a variety of factors.
The location of your business, the value of your equipment, your number of employees, and the size of your company all influence your insurance needs as well as the associated cost. Because of that, it is crucial to talk to a commercial insurance broker who is familiar with your industry.
The core types of cistern contractors insurance firms in this industry will benefit from include, meanwhile:
- Commercial Property: Should your business premises fall victim to unforeseen circumstances that include theft, vandalism, and acts of nature, commercial property insurance will pay for a significant portion of the associated costs. Your physical building and the assets therein are both covered.
- Commercial General Liability: Also called business liability insurance, this type of cistern contractors insurance coverage defends your company from financial losses associated with third party lawsuits. If someone claims that your company's activities or negligent work led to property damage or bodily injury, this kind of insurance covers the resulting legal expenses.
- Workers Compensation: This kind of insurance serves to simultaneously protect your business and your employees. If an employee is injured on the job, their medical bills and any lost wages will be covered. In turn, carrying this type of coverage minimizes the risk of resulting litigation.
- Commercial Auto: As a cistern contractor, you will unquestionably use vehicles in a professional context. Trucks, vans, and even cars that are used for commercial purposes are not covered by personal auto insurance policies, and you will need commercial auto coverage for them.
Your individual business may, however, face additional threats that mean you would benefit from a wider range of cistern contractors insurance coverage.
Only a commercial insurance broker who understands both your industry and the risk profile of your particular business can help you craft the insurance plan that will optimally protect your cistern contracting company.
Cistern Contractors' Risks & Exposures
Premises liability exposures at the contractor's office are generally limited due to lack of public access. Outdoor storage may present vandalism and attractive nuisance hazards. At the job site, excavation and construction operations pose numerous hazards.
The area of operation should be restricted by barriers and proper signage to protect the public from trips, slips and falls over debris, equipment, or uneven ground.
Digging can result in cutting utility cable, damaging property of the utility company and disrupting service to neighboring residences or businesses. Absence of detailed procedures to determine utility locations and to research prior uses of the land prior to digging may indicate a morale hazard.
Construction sites create an attractive nuisance hazard, especially if work is close to residential areas. Job sites should be secured.
Personal injury exposures include assault and battery and invasion of privacy. Background checks should be conducted for any employee who will have regular contact with customers. The use of subcontractors as well as any contractual liability exposures should be examined.
Completed operations exposure can occur from faulty workmanship or improper installation if the cistern is not properly installed, resulting in bacteria, leaks or water damage.
Environmental impairment exposure can be high if the contractor pumps wastewater out of storage tanks or removes old tanks. Buried tanks may gradually leak, causing serious contamination of the soil and possibly groundwater.
Spillage and leaking of pollutants can result in high cleanup costs and fines. The contractor must comply with all federal, state and municipal requirements. Proper written procedures and documentation of both the transportation and disposal process are important.
Workers compensation exposures can be severe. Back injuries, hernias, sprains and strains can occur from lifting, setting up retaining walls or trenches, installing tanks, or working from awkward positions. Collapse of retaining walls or overturn of equipment may result in severe injury or death from crushing or suffocation.
Cumulative exposure to the high-decibel operations may result in permanent hearing impairment. Work with hand tools, large, heavy machinery, or the carelessness of fellow employees can result in injury such as cuts, scrapes, or puncture wounds. Additional sources of injury include electric shock, foreign objects in the eye, repetitive motion injuries, temperature extremes, and auto accidents during transportation to and from job sites.
The absence of good maintenance, proper use of basic safety equipment, such as properly installed guards, steel-toed shoes, and eye protection, and strict enforcement of safety practices may indicate a morale hazard.
Property exposures at the contractor's own location are usually limited to an office and storage of materials, equipment, and vehicles. Tanks waiting to be installed are bulky but present little likelihood of damage from fire, inclement weather, or theft. Property stored outside may be a target for vandalism.
Inland marine exposures include accounts receivable if the contractor offers credit to customers, contractors' equipment, goods in transit, installation floater, and valuable papers and records for customers' and suppliers' information. There may be computers for tracking inventory. Backup copies of all data should be stored off premises.
Contractors' equipment includes employees' tools and equipment that may be rented, leased or borrowed from others for specific jobs. Excavation equipment and tanks can be large and difficult to transport without adequate loading, tying down and unloading procedures. Ground at the construction site may be uneven.
Equipment may strike underground objects or utility cables, fall into holes or pits, slip or fall into mud, water or sinkholes, be damaged in rock, land, or mud slides, or burst into fire from overload. Materials or equipment left at job sites may be targets for theft and vandalism.
If the contractor rents, leases or borrows equipment or rents, leases or loans equipment to others, the lease contract should specify responsibilities for providing insurance.
Crime exposures are from employee dishonesty, including theft of customers' goods by the contractor's employee. Background checks, including criminal history, should be performed on all employees handling money.
There must be a separation of duties between persons handling deposits and disbursements and reconciling bank statements. If customers pay the contractor at the job site, receipts should be provided.
Commercial auto exposures can be high due to the transport of oversize tanks and equipment which require special tie-down procedures. Drivers must be experienced in transporting these items to prevent overturn and damaging other vehicles.
In rural areas, roads may be narrow and the ground uneven, increasing the risk of collision and overturn. There can be spills from hazardous waste if the contractor pumps wastewater out of storage tanks or removes old tanks and transports them to a disposal facility.
All drivers must be well trained and have valid licenses for the type of vehicle being driven. MVRs must be run on a regular basis. Random drug and alcohol testing should be conducted.
Vehicles must be well maintained with records kept in a central location. Drivers may need a hazardous materials ("hazmat") endorsement to transport wastewater removed from cisterns.
What Does Cistern Contractors Insurance Cover & Pay For?
Cistern contractors can be sued for a variety of reasons, including property damage, personal injury, breach of contract, and professional negligence. Insurance can provide financial protection to cistern contractors by covering the costs of lawsuits and claims.
For example, if a cistern contractor is sued for property damage caused by a faulty installation, their liability insurance may help pay for legal defense costs and any damages awarded to the plaintiff.
In another example, if a contractor is accused of breaching a contract and failing to complete a cistern installation project on time, their errors and omissions insurance may help pay for legal defense costs and any damages awarded to the plaintiff.
If a cistern contractor is sued for personal injury caused by an accident on the job site, their workers' compensation insurance may help pay for medical expenses and lost wages for the injured worker, as well as legal defense costs if the injured party decides to sue.
Overall, insurance can be a valuable asset for cistern contractors, protecting them from the financial burden of lawsuits and claims.
Commercial Insurance And Business Industry Classification
- SIC CODE: 1711 Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning, 7699 Repair Shops and Related Services, Not Elsewhere Classified
- NAICS CODE: 562991 Septic Tank and Related Services, 237110 Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction
- Suggested Workers Compensation Code(s): 6229 Irrigation or Drainage System Construction & Drivers, 9402 Street Cleaning & Drivers
Description for 1711: Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning
Division C: Construction | Major Group 17: Construction Special Trade Contractors| Industry Group 171: Plumbing, Heating And Air-conditioning
1711 Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning: Special trade contractors primarily engaged in plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and similar work. Sheet metal work performed by plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors in conjunction with the installation of plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning equipment is included here, but roofing and sheet metal work contractors are classified in Industry 1761. Special trade contractors primarily engaged in electrical work are classified in Industry 1731.
- Air system balancing and testing-contractors
- Air-conditioning, with or without sheet metal work-contractors
- Boiler erection and installation-contractors
- Drainage system installation, cesspool and septic tank-contractors
- Dry well construction, cesspool-contractors
- Fuel oil burner installation and servicing-contractors
- Furnace repair-contractors
- Gas line hookup-contractors
- Heating equipment installation-contractors
- Heating, with or without sheet metal work-contractors
- Lawn sprinkler system installation-contractors
- Mechanical contractors
- Piping, plumbing-contractors
- Plumbing and heating-contractors
- Plumbing repair-contractors
- Plumbing, with or without sheet metal work-contractors
- Refrigeration and freezer work-contractors
- Sewer hookups and connections for buildings-contractors
- Sheet metal work combined with heating
- Solar heating apparatus-contractors
- Sprinkler system installation-contractors
- Steam fitting-contractors
- Sump pump installation and servicing-contractors
- Ventilating work, with or without sheet metal work-contractors
- Water pump installation and servicing-contractors
- Water system balancing and testing-contractors
Description for 7699: Repair Shops and Related Services, Not Elsewhere Classified
Division I: Services | Major Group 76: Miscellaneous Repair Services | Industry Group 769: Miscellaneous Repair Shops And Related Services
7699 Repair Shops and Related Services, Not Elsewhere Classified: Establishments primarily engaged in specialized repair services, not elsewhere classified, such as bicycle repair; leather goods repair; lock and gun repair, including the making of lock parts or gun parts to individual order; musical instrument repair; septic tank cleaning; farm machinery repair; furnace cleaning; motorcycle repair; tank truck cleaning; taxidermists; tractor repair; and typewriter repair.
- Agricultural equipment repair
- Antique repair and restoration, except furniture and automotive
- Awning repair shops
- Beer pump coil cleaning and repair service
- Bicycle repair shops
- Binoculars and other optical goods repair
- Blacksmith shops
- Boiler cleaning
- Boiler repair shops except manufacturing
- Bowling pins, refinishing or repair
- Camera repair shops
- Catch basin cleaning
- Cesspool cleaning
- China firing and decorating to individual order
- Cleaning and reglazing of baking pans
- Cleaning bricks
- Coppersmithing repair, except construction
- Covering textile rolls
- Dental instrument repair
- Drafting instrument repair
- Engine repair, except automotive
- Farm machinery repair
- Farriers (blacksmith shops)
- Fire control (military) equipment repair
- Furnace and chimney cleaning
- Furnace cleaning service
- Gas appliance repair service
- Glazing and cleaning baking pans
- Gun parts made to individual order
- Gunsmith shops
- Harness repair shops
- Horseshoeing
- Industrial truck repair
- Key duplicating shops
- Laboratory instrument repair, except electric
- Lawnmower repair shops
- Leather goods repair shops
- Lock parts made to individual order
- Locksmith shops
- Luggage repair shops
- Machinery cleaning
- Mattress renovating and repair shops
- Measuring and controlling instrument repair, mechanical
- Medical equipment repair, except electric
- Meteorological instrument repair
- Microscope repair
- Mirror repair shops
- Motorcycle repair service
- Musical instrument repair shops
- Nautical and navigational instrument repair, except electric
- Organ tuning and repair
- Piano tuning and repair
- Picture framing to individual order, not connected with retail art
- Picture framing, custom
- Pocketbook repair shops
- Precision instrument repair
- Rebabbitting
- Reneedling work
- Repair of optical instruments
- Repair of photographic equipment
- Repair of service station equipment
- Repair of speedometers
- Rug repair shops, not combined with cleaning
- Saddlery repair shops
- Scale repair service
- Scientific instrument repair, except electric
- Septic tank cleaning service
- Sewer cleaning and rodding
- Sewing machine repair shops
- Sharpening and repairing knives, saws, and tools
- Ship boiler and tank cleaning and repair-contractors
- Ship scaling-contractors
- Stove repair shops
- Surgical instrument repair
- Surveying instrument repair
- Tank and boiler cleaning service
- Tank truck cleaning service
- Taxidermists
- Tent repair shops
- Thermostat repair
- Tinsmithing repair, except construction
- Tractor repair
- Tuning of pianos and organs
- Typewriter repair, including electric
- Venetian blind repair shops
- Window shade repair shops
Cistern Contractors Insurance - The Bottom Line
To protect your company, employees and customers, having the right cistern contractors insurance coverage is essential. To discover what kind of options are available to you, how much coverage you should have and the premium - speak to a reputable commercial insurance agent.
Additional Resources For Contractors & Home Improvement Insurance
Learn about small business contractor's insurance, including what it covers, how much it costs - and how commercial insurance can help protect your contracting business from lawsuits.
- Air Conditioning Systems Installation Repair
- Appliance Repair & Service
- Blacksmith & Metal Workers
- Boat Repair & Dry Docks
- Boiler Contractors
- Builders Risk
- Building Cleaning & Maintenance Services
- Cabinet Installer
- Cable And Satellite TV Installer
- Carpentry
- Chimney Sweep
- Cistern Contractors
- Contractor Liability
- Curtain Cleaners
- Deck Builders
- Door And Window Installers
- Dryer Vent Cleaning
- Drywall Contractor
- Electrical Contractors
- Environmental Remediation Contractors
- Fence Installation
- Fire Sprinkler Contractors
- Fire & Water Restoration Contractors
- Flooring Contractor
- Furniture Repair
- Garage Door Installer And Repair
- General Contractors
- Glass Contractor
- Glazier Insurance
- Gutter Installation And Repair
- Handyman
- House Cleaning
- HVAC Contractor
- Insulation Contractor
- Janitorial Cleaning Services
- Landscaping
- Lawn Care
- Lawn Irrigation Sprinkler System Installation
- Locksmith
- Oil And Gas Well Drilling Contractors
- Painters
- Paperhanging Contractors
- Plastering And Stucco Contractor
- Plumbing
- Pressure Washing Contractors
- Propane And Fuel Dealers
- Rug, Upholstery & Carpet Cleaning
- Sandblasting Contractors
- Security Alarm
- Septic Tank Cleaning
- Siding Contractor
- Sign Installation & Repair
- Solar Panel Installers
- Snow Plow
- Stone And Tile Installer
- Subcontractor
- Surety Bonds
- Swimming Pool Contractor
- Swimming Pool Service And Maintenance
- Tank Cleaners
- Tool Grinding And Repair
- Tree Surgeon
- Tree Trimming
- Upholstery Shop
- Waste Haulers & Garbage Collection
- Water Well Drilling
- Welding Contractor
- Wildlife & Pest Control
- Window Cleaning
- Specialty Contractors
The contracting industry is a field that involves a lot of risks, both for the contractor and for the clients they work for. This is why commercial insurance is so important for contractors. Insurance can protect contractors from a variety of potential losses, such as:
Liability: If a contractor causes damage to a client's property or if a client is injured while on a job site, the contractor could be held legally responsible. Liability insurance can cover legal fees and any settlements or judgments that may be awarded.
Property damage: Contractors often use a lot of expensive equipment and tools, and there is always a risk that this equipment could be damaged or stolen. Commercial property insurance can help cover the cost of replacing damaged or stolen equipment.
Business interruption: If a contractor is unable to work due to an unforeseen event, such as a natural disaster, insurance can help cover their lost income during this time.
Workers compensation: If a contractor or one of their employees is injured on the job, worker's comp can help cover medical expenses and lost wages.
Overall, commercial insurance is an important risk management tool for contractors. It can provide financial protection against a wide range of potential losses, helping contractors to stay in business and continue serving their clients.
Minimum recommended small business insurance coverage: Business Personal Property, Employee Dishonesty, Contractors' Equipment and Tools, General Liability, Employee Benefits Liability, Umbrella Liability, Automobile Liability and Physical Damage, Hired and Non-owned Auto & Workers Compensation.
Other commercial insurance policies to consider: Building, Business Income with Extra Expense, Earthquake, Flood, Leasehold Interest, Real Property Legal Liability, Accounts Receivable, Builders Risk, Computers, Goods in Transit, Installation Floater, Valuable Papers and Records, Cyber Liability, Employment-related Practicesand Stop Gap Liability.
