Many Austin homeowners who are considering having home improvements done by a qualified Austin contractor will spend some time investigating the contractor's references. However, did you know that you should be examining their insurance too? One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself is to examine the contractor's insurance. You need to know they have the right kinds of insurance to cover anything that might go wrong during the job. You also need to make sure they are carrying a sufficient amount of insurance on those policies.

Make Sure Your Contractor Has Enough Liability Insurance
Liability insurance will cover you if something happens during the project that damages or harms someone else. For instance, if the workers on your home improvement job left tools or materials in the walk way or sidewalk and a neighbor or passerby tripped on it, liability coverage carried by the contractor should cover the costs of the incident. Most general contractors will carry at least $250,000 in liability insurance. If you can get a contractor with a $1,000,000 policy, you can really sleep well at night.

Ensure the Contractor Has Enough Property Damage Insurance
Your Austin contractor's property damage insurance will cover any incidental damage caused to your property during the job. Things can happen and workers can make errors. In the event of an accident that causes significant damage to your property that the contractor cannot or will not repair, their property damage insurance is your peace of mind.

Verify the Proper Worker's Compensation Coverage
If the Austin contractor will have employees working on your home improvement project, you must verify that they have a sufficient amount of worker's compensation coverage. Worker's compensation is insurance that covers employees who are injured on the job. It is legally required of all employers to have workers compensation coverage for their employees. Therefore, you need to verify that the contractor has it and is current on their premiums. If a worker were injured at your home during the construction and the contractor had not covered them you could find yourself legally and financially responsible for the claim. That could easily run into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Make Sure the Insurance Will Cover You and Your Home
Some insurance policies will only cover certain locations or certain damages. When you verify your Austin contractor's insurance, make sure it will cover you and your home. Most of the time you will want your property and yourself added as "additionally insured" on the contractor's policy for the duration of the job. Check and make sure there are no policy exclusions that could come into play in the policy. If it will not cover damage caused by a certain tool or machine that your contractor will need to use, it is not good enough. All activities that take place must be covered.

Most Austin contractors will carry the proper insurance already. They are professionals who know their jobs. It is your responsibility though to make sure any contractor you use at your home is covered. This does not take much time or effort, and is a necessary step to protecting your investment. You can get free estimates from qualified contractors in Austin through our Austin contractors network.

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