Running your own oven cleaning business has a unique set of demands and challenges. Finding the right oven cleaning insurance can protect you and your company from accidents and unexpected circumstances that may arise.
Oven cleaning insurance typically costs between £600 and £750 a year. However, some insurance providers offer very low levels of cover, while others are considerably more comprehensive. As oven cleaning businesses have grown more popular, some providers offer bespoke oven cleaning insurance, whereas others only have generic options for professional cleaners.
We’ve created a guide to oven cleaning insurance, covering the types you need and which providers we recommend.
Public Liability Insurance
Public liability insurance protects you and your business from accidental damage caused in customers’ homes. Glass items such as oven doors, lamp covers, halogen hobs, and the occasional glazed splash-back are all known to crack, break, or shatter. Although infrequent, these types of accidents need to be protected against.
While public liability insurance isn’t legally required, businesses that work closely with the public are highly recommended to get it. Without it, you’re liable for any damage or harm you do to a client’s home.
Furthermore, many people won’t feel comfortable using your services, and some organisations, particularly local authorities, refuse to use companies that don’t have public liability insurance.
Recommended Providers
Insure My Business offers specialised domestic oven cleaner insurance which covers your business in the event of injury, loss, or damage to a customer’s home. They offer up to £10 million public liability and immediate cover.
AXA offers cleaners public liability insurance, with cover up to £10 million. Their prices start from £6.40 a month, and you have the option of adding on extra levels of cover, such as equipment insurance and van cover.
Cleaning Equipment Insurance
When you’re on the road doing multiple jobs a day, it’s crucial that your equipment is in top condition. Without the right tools for the job, such as our heated process tanks, you may have to halt operations until they’re repaired or replaced.
Oven cleaning insurance can protect your business if:
- Your equipment is stolen.
- Your tools are damaged while you’re on a job.
- A power surge breaks your equipment.
Recommended Oven Cleaning Equipment Insurance Providers
Some providers have a ‘new for old’ policy, where damaged or stolen items are replaced with a new equivalent, regardless of wear and tear and equipment age. This type of policy is recommended for most service businesses, as you receive a new tool even if the old one had significantly depreciated.
Alternatively, market value policies only cover the equipment’s value at the time it was damaged or taken. However, market value equipment insurance is usually cheaper.
Tradesman Saver offers up to £10,000 tool cover per person and includes cover for theft from an unattended vehicle. They have over 35 years of experience in the trade insurance sector and have extensive experience supporting cleaning businesses of all sizes.
Suited provides tools insurance and cover for your electronic devices, starting from £5.60 and £7 a month, respectively. They offer cover for equipment left in vans overnight.
Environmental Impairment Liability Insurance
When arranging your oven cleaning insurance, it’s important to protect your business against potential fines or sanctions with environmental liability insurance. It’s possible that chemicals used during oven cleaning could pollute watercourses and other drainage facilities.
Ovenu’s signature caustic soda-free cleaning supplies and extensive training significantly reduce the risk of accidental environmental damage. However, if you fall foul of regulations, the Environment Agency could issue you a fine.
Public liability insurance usually includes some pollution cover, but it is typically quite limited. If you believe your business needs extra coverage for pollution cleanup, injury, and legal costs, The Alan Boswell Group provides comprehensive coverage against environmental damage. They also cover the cost of reversing any damage to biodiversity.
Employers’ Liability Insurance
If your oven cleaning business expands into a multi-employee operation, you are legally required to get Employer’s Liability Insurance. This includes unpaid employees and self-employed contractors. Without it, you can be fined up to £2500 every day that you are not properly insured.
The policy covers compensation to an employee who was injured or became ill due to the nature of their work, and any legal costs that arise from their claim. The minimum legal coverage is £5,000,000.
Some providers, like Hiscox, provide coverage up to £10,000,000 and will help with claims from current and ex-employees, staff injury claims, and illness.
Commercial Van Insurance
Your van is crucial for transporting your oven cleaning equipment to and from jobs every day. Commercial Van Insurance protects you against:
- Theft of your van or its contents
- Medical expenses following an accident
- Legal expenses if someone makes a claim after an accident
- Damage to other vehicles, property, or possessions after an accident
- Repair or replacement costs if your van is damaged
- Personal use outside of work hours
Some policies include coverage of tools and chemicals transported in the van, as well as a courtesy van to keep your business on the go.
Recommended Van Insurers
UK Sure offers mobile cleaners van insurance that covers modified vehicles, equipment left in the vehicle, and a 24-hour claim line. Should you expand your operation, they also offer fleet insurance for two or more vehicles with up to £5,000,000 cover for third-party property damage.
Direct Line has two levels of commercial van insurance to suit any budget. Their premium comprehensive cover includes a small courtesy van for up to 21 days, enabling your business to continue operating while your vehicle is repaired.
Personal Insurance
Working for yourself has fantastic benefits, such as setting your own schedule and deciding where you work. However, should you need to take time off due to sickness or injury, your source of income is jeopardised.
Income protection insurance provides regular payments of around 50-70% of your average income. Different policy types provide different levels of cover:
- Short-term policies: Last for up to 24 months or until you return to work
- Long-term policies: Provide payments until you either return to work or reach retirement age
Self-employed workers aren’t entitled to statutory sick pay. If you find yourself unable to work, personal insurance could be a lifeline.
Aviva offers flexible income protection insurance policies to suit your needs. They provide payments from £500 to £1500 a month, and can last from 5 to 52 years, or until you’re 71.
Start Your Oven Cleaning Business with Ovenu’s Support Today
With over 25 years of experience in the cleaning sector, Ovenu can empower you to find the best oven cleaning insurance for your business. Having the right level of protection can give you the confidence to grow your oven cleaning operation without the fear of massive unexpected costs.
To start your self-employed journey with a franchise that can support you every step of the way, get in touch with us, and we’ll determine your next steps.