Part of researching a potential plumber in Memphis is finding out whether he has valid insurance coverage. If you don’t do this and an uninsured plumber is hurt while working on plumbing in your home, you could be held liable for his injuries. This could result in court time and having to hire a lawyer to protect your financial interests. Also, some state laws make it mandatory to only hire insured plumbers. To keep these problems from occurring, implement the following guidelines.
Start this part of your research by calling your potential plumber. Politely ask him for the name of his insurance broker/agent. Call this insurance representative to request a certificate of insurance. This document is not an insurance contract, but contains information found in one. Usually, only parts of the insurance contract pertaining to the performance of your job will be included in the certificate of insurance. The insurance representative will have to obtain written permission from the plumber before she can release this information to you. After she receives permission, she can send you the form.
Once you get the certificate of insurance, pay close attention to important parts of it. The producer is the name of the insurance company the plumber gets his insurance from. The insured is the name of the company that is insured. The certificate holder is the third party requesting the information. Your full name and address should be in this spot. Learn when the policy begins and ends. No work should be done on your home unless it’s on the policy effective date, policy expiration date, or a date in between these two dates. The expiration date is the last date the current insurance contract is valid for. The types of insurance should be included on the certificate. This can include workers’ compensation and general liability. Also, view the limits of the insurance. These should be sufficient to fulfill legal requirements.
If the plumber in Memphis offers to show you a certificate of insurance, politely decline. It’s advisable to only accept a certificate of insurance from an insurance representative to safeguard against fraud. For more information on plumbing services, contact a plumber at Drain Go Plumbing. This company can handle commercial and residential plumbing services.
