Furniture Repair Insurance Policy Information

Furniture Repair Insurance. Furniture repair services come to their customers' rescue by helping them prolong the lifespan of much-loved pieces of furniture.

They may fix broken furniture, restore antiques, or reupholster or refinish quality furniture pieces. In some cases, furniture repair services can also be called on to disassemble and reassemble furniture such as tables, beds, and chairs.

Furniture repair facilities repair wooden or metal furniture, cabinets, and shelving regluing unattached or loose parts, stripping, sanding, or removing the old finish and applying new paint or varnish.

The repair job may include dismantling the furniture and reassembling it. Operations are generally conducted on premises, and they could include picking up and delivering items to customers.

In some situations, the repairs may be done at the customer's premises, particularly for large difficult-to-transport items.

While there is no question that furniture repair services can be immensely successful, it is equally clear that these businesses can face some serious challenges.

As a small business owner, it is absolutely crucial to take steps to protect yourself against the devastating financial consequences that may follow unforeseen circumstances. What types of furniture repair insurance will help you achieve that goal? Find out more in this brief guide.

Furniture repair insurance protects your business from lawsuits with rates as low as $47/mo. Get a fast quote and your certificate of insurance now.

Below are some answers to commonly asked furniture repair service insurance questions:

What Is Furniture Repair Insurance?
How Much Does Furniture Repair Insurance Cost?
Why Do Furniture Repair Services Need Insurance?
What Type Of Insurance Do Furniture Repair Services Need?
What Does Furniture Repair Insurance Cover & Pay For?

What Is Furniture Repair Insurance?

Furniture repair insurance is a type of insurance coverage that helps repair or replace damaged furniture. This type of insurance can be purchased as an add-on to a homeowners insurance policy or as a standalone policy. It provides coverage for accidental damage or sudden and unforeseen events such as spills, stains, tears, and broken legs or arms.

The policy typically includes a deductible, which is the amount the policyholder must pay out of pocket before the insurance kicks in. The coverage limits and conditions may vary, but the purpose of furniture repair insurance is to provide peace of mind for policyholders and protection for their investment in furniture.

How Much Does Furniture Repair Insurance Cost?

The average price of a standard $1,000,000/$2,000,000 General Liability Insurance policy for small furniture repair businesses ranges from $47 to $79 per month based on location, services offered, revenue, claims history and more.

Why Do Furniture Repair Services Need Insurance?

Furniture repair services need to carry excellent insurance for the simple reason that these businesses face an almost endless list of risks. Some of the risks furniture repair services can encounter are shared by all commercial ventures, but the fact that they are likely to enter customers' homes means they also have some industry-specific hazards to consider.

Your workshop may be struck by circumstances completely beyond your control - while acts of nature, like earthquakes or hurricanes, are the most obvious example of a peril you cannot prevent, theft, vandalism, and accidents that lead to fires are other risks.

All these perils can cause serious losses that also force you to close your workshop temporarily.

Liability risks fall into another category. An employee may damage a costly electrical appliance as they deliver or collect furniture, for instance, or the piece of furniture you were paid to repair may be irreparably damaged due to an event in your workshop.

Employees or third parties could sustain injuries on your premises, or due to your company's activities. Lengthy litigation, and the exorbitant costs that tend to accompany lawsuits, won't be far from your horizon in these cases.

While nearly any business requires commercial insurance, taking care to select the best possible coverage is often even more important for small business owners, who may have less of a financial buffer to help them recover from major perils.

When you have the right furniture repair insurance, you gain the peace of mind that only comes with knowing you have done everything you could to invest in the future of your furniture repair service.

What Type Of Insurance Do Furniture Repair Services Need?

No two furniture repair services are the same. Factors like the jurisdiction where you are based, your number of employees, the size of your operation, and whether you enter customers' homes and use vehicles to deliver and collect furniture, all influence your insurance needs.

Sitting down with a reputable commercial insurance broker is an indispensable part of the process of acquiring the furniture repair insurance coverage that best protects your company. With that in mind, some essential types of coverage that most furniture repair services are going to need include:

Commercial Property - Designed to protect your financial interests in case of perils like theft, acts of nature, and certain accidents, these policies will greatly reduce the costs associated with property damage or loss. Commercial property insurance covers both your physical building and your assets within it.
General Liability - This form of furniture repair insurance is essential in the event that a third party is injured on your premises, or your company's activities accidentally cause property damage to someone else. It will cover your legal fees as well as helping with settlement costs.
Bailee's Coverage - This kind of coverage exists to meet the needs of businesses who temporarily take custody of third party property - such as furniture repair services. Should customer property be damaged or destroyed while it is within your care, this coverage shoulders the resulting costs.
Commercial Auto - Commercial vehicles must be protected with commercial, rather than personal, auto insurance policies in case of accidents or damage.
Workers Compensation - Were an employee to suffer a work-related injury, these policies make sure their medical bills and any lost income are reimbursed, thereby saving you money as well as legal trouble.

Keep in mind that, while these forms of furniture repair insurance coverage go a long way toward protecting your furniture repair service from major threats, you may also benefit from additional kinds of insurance.

Ask a commercial insurance broker targeted questions to make sure your insurance is watertight.

Furniture Repair' Risks & Exposures

Premises liability exposure is low if visitors are not permitted at the shop, and there are no significant off-premises operations. If visitors are permitted on premises, they should not be permitted in work areas due to the potential for injury from trips and falls, fumes from stripping and painting operations, and eye injuries.

There should be adequate aisle space, no frayed or worn spots on the carpet, and no cracks or holes in the flooring. The number of exits should be sufficient, well marked, and have backup lighting in case of power failure. Fire, smoke, fumes, spills, or leaks may result in bodily injury of property damage to neighboring premises.

Off-site exposures are moderate as drivers interact with customers in the pick-up and delivery of items from customers' premises, or when repairs are made at a customer's location. Repair persons should be trained in proper procedures to prevent premises damage such as fire.

Personal injury exposures include allegations of assault, battery, discrimination, and invasion of privacy. Failure of the cleaning service to run background checks and review references on employees both increases the hazard and reduces available defenses.

Products liability exposures are moderate. Repaired furniture may collapse, resulting in bodily injury or property damage. There should be a written contract outlining what happens if an item is unclaimed that allows the shop owner to sell it after a certain length of time. If major reconditioning takes place, the repair operation will have the same responsibility, as does a manufacturer.

Environmental impairment exposure can be high due to possible contamination of ground, air, and water from the disposal of waste chemicals and stripping agents. Spillage and leaking of pollutants can result in high cleanup costs and fines. Storage and disposal procedures must adhere to all EPA and other regulatory standards.

Workers compensation exposure can be high. Cuts and amputations during the woodworking process can occur, foreign objects in the eye, slips and falls, and repetitive motion injuries. Exposure to chemicals, dust, glues, binding agents, paints, and varnishes can result in burns and skin, eye and lung irritation.

Workers should be aware of the toxic nature of any chemical and made fully aware of the need to watch for early signs and symptoms of problems. Back injury, hernia, and sprain and strain can occur from lifting heavy furniture items and cabinets. Protective equipment should be worn.

Property exposures consist of an office, shop, and perhaps a warehouse for storage. Ignition sources include electrical wiring, heating and cooling equipment, and explosions from the build-up of dust due to cutting and sanding operations. The exposure increases in the absence of proper duct collection systems, ventilation, and adequate disposal procedures.

Wood is highly combustible and susceptible to damage by fire and smoke. Any spray-painting should be done in spray booths with explosion-proof electrical components. There should be no smoking on premises. Some types of paints, varnishes, and solvents emit noxious fumes, which may combust in vapor form. Glues, paints, varnishes, and stains may be flammable and must be adequately separated and stored away from other operations.

Furniture can be easily damaged by water and should not be stored close to water sources.

Equipment breakdown exposures include malfunctioning equipment, ventilation and dust collection systems, electrical control panels and other apparatus. A lengthy breakdown of production machinery could result in a severe loss, both direct and under time element.

Inland marine exposure includes accounts receivable if the repair shop offers credit, bailees customers, computers, and valuable papers and records for customers' and suppliers' information. The bailees customers' exposure starts when the furniture to be reupholstered or repaired is entrusted to an employee and ends when the furniture is returned to the customer.

The furniture that is being repaired for a customer must be returned in better condition than when it was brought in or picked up. The primary causes of loss are fire, theft, collision, overturn, and water damage. Items should be padded and tied down during transit to prevent damage. Hazards increase in the absence of adequate procedures, such as tagging or marking, to identify customers' goods.

Security should be appropriate for the type of furniture being worked on. A tools floater may be needed if tools are taken off-site to customers' premises.

Crime exposure is from employee dishonesty and money and securities, particularly if drivers collect payment at the time of delivery. Background checks should be conducted on all employees. Receipts should be provided for any cash transaction, with monitoring to encourage accurate reporting and collection.

There must be a separation of duties between persons handling deposits and disbursements and reconciling bank statements. If there is off-site work, there is the possibility of employees taking clients' property.

Business auto exposure is moderate due to the pick-up and delivery service provided by most furniture repairers. Drivers should be trained in proper loading and unloading techniques, which include tying down transported items to prevent load shifts.

Drivers must have a valid driver's license and acceptable MVRs. All vehicles must be well maintained, with documentation kept in a central location. If vehicles are provided, there should be written procedures regarding the private use of these vehicles by employees and their family members.

What Does Furniture Repair Insurance Cover & Pay For?

Furniture repair services may be sued for various reasons, including:

Property damage: If a furniture repair technician accidentally damages a customer's property, such as scratching or breaking an item, the customer may sue the company for the cost of repair or replacement.
Insurance protection: General Liability insurance can cover the cost of legal fees, settlements or judgments, and property damage caused by the technician.

Injury or harm: If a customer or a third party is injured or harmed due to the negligence of a furniture repair technician, the company may be sued for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
Insurance protection: General Liability insurance can cover the cost of legal fees, settlements or judgments, and bodily injury or property damage caused by the technician.

Breach of contract: If a furniture repair technician fails to fulfill a contract or provides inadequate service, the customer may sue the company for breach of contract.
Insurance protection: Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance, also known as Professional Liability insurance, can cover the cost of legal fees, settlements or judgments, and damages resulting from a breach of contract or errors in service.

Product liability: If a furniture repair technician provides a faulty product that causes injury or damage, the customer may sue the company for product liability.
Insurance protection: Product Liability insurance can cover the cost of legal fees, settlements or judgments, and damages resulting from a faulty product.

Employee injuries: If a furniture repair technician is injured on the job, they may sue the company for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
Insurance protection: Workers' Compensation insurance can cover the cost of medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages resulting from an employee injury.

In conclusion, insurance can help protect furniture repair services from various lawsuits by covering the cost of legal fees, settlements or judgments, and damages resulting from property damage, bodily injury, breach of contract, product liability, or employee injuries. It's essential for furniture repair companies to have appropriate insurance coverage to protect themselves from financial loss and reputational damage resulting from lawsuits.

Commercial Insurance And Business Industry Classification

SIC CODE: 7641 Reupholstery And Furniture Repair
NAICS CODE: 811420 Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
Suggested Workers Compensation Code(s): 2883 Furniture Manufacturing and Cabinet Shop - Wood - NOC

Description for 7641 Reupholstery And Furniture Repair

Division I: Services | Major Group 76: Miscellaneous Repair Services | Industry Group 764: Reupholstery And Furniture Repair

7641: Reupholstery And Furniture Repair: Establishments primarily engaged in furniture reupholstery and repair. Establishments primarily engaged in selling upholstery materials for personal or household consumption are classified in Retail Trade, Industry 5714; and those making furniture and cabinets on a custom basis are classified in Retail Trade, Industry 5712.

Antique furniture repair and restoration
Furniture refinishing
Furniture repairing, redecorating, and remodeling shops
Repair of furniture upholstery
Reupholstery shops

Furniture Repair Insurance - The Bottom Line

To learn more about the specific types of furniture repair insurance policies you'll need, how much coverage you should carry and the associated premiums, consult with a reputable broker that is experienced in commercial insurance.

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.

Contractors And Home Improvement Insurance

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.

Buy Furniture Repair Insurance

Furniture Repair Insurance Policy Information

What Is Furniture Repair Insurance?

How Much Does Furniture Repair Insurance Cost?

Why Do Furniture Repair Services Need Insurance?

What Type Of Insurance Do Furniture Repair Services Need?

Furniture Repair' Risks & Exposures

What Does Furniture Repair Insurance Cover & Pay For?

Commercial Insurance And Business Industry Classification

Description for 7641 Reupholstery And Furniture Repair

Furniture Repair Insurance - The Bottom Line

Additional Resources For Contractors & Home Improvement Insurance

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