How much is pressure washing insurance?

Pressure and power washing businesses typically spend an average of $75 per month, or $895 annually, on general liability insurance.

This type of insurance provides protection if a customer or other third party suffers a bodily injury. For example, if a client trips over a power washer cord at a job site and breaks their arm, resulting in medical bills.

General liability insurance also covers advertising injuries such as slander, libel, or copyright infringement.

Here’s the average general liability policy purchased by pressure washing companies through TechInsurance:

Premium: $75 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate
Deductible: $500

The price of general liability insurance for pressure washing businesses varies based on several factors, including your policy limits, the size of your operation, and whether you use subcontractors or need to list additional insureds.

Pressure washing business owners spend an average of $133 per month, or $1,601 per year, on workers’ compensation insurance.

Workers’ comp helps cover medical bills and lost wages if you or an employee gets hurt or sick while on the job. For example, an employee might slip on a wet floor during a power washing job and suffer a concussion. If the employee needs medical care or decides to sue, your workers' comp policy would help cover the costs.

State laws often require small businesses to obtain workers' comp as soon as they hire their first employee, but that's not always the case. For example, it's required in California and New York for every business with employees, in Florida for every business with four or more employees, and it's optional for most companies in Texas.

In most states, this type of business insurance is required if you have employees. Even if you’re a sole proprietor or independent contractor, it’s a smart investment—health insurance providers often exclude claims for job-related injuries or illnesses.

A standard workers’ compensation policy usually includes employer’s liability insurance, which offers additional protection from legal costs and financial loss if an injured worker files a lawsuit.

The price you’ll pay for workers’ comp depends on several factors, such as the state you work in, the number of employees you have, and the risks associated with your work. It's often less expensive for businesses in states that have lower healthcare costs.

For cleaning companies like pressure washers, a janitorial bond averages $11 per month, or $126 per year.

In many cases, you’ll need this bond in place before you can secure a client contract. A janitorial bond is a type of surety bond, also known as a fidelity bond or employee dishonesty bond.

For example, if an employee steals a client's valuables while performing a pressure washing service, the bond reimburses your client for the loss. Bonds require that you pay the bond back, unlike a traditional insurance policy.

Having a bond shows potential customers that your business is trustworthy. In fact, some clients will only work with pressure and power washing companies that are both bonded and insured.

The price of a janitorial bond is based on the bond amount you choose, since you’ll pay a percentage of the total coverage.

Pressure washing companies spend an average of $176 per month, or $2,116 annually, on commercial auto insurance.

This insurance covers repair costs, medical expenses, and legal fees if a business vehicle is involved in an accident. It can also provide protection against theft, vandalism, and certain types of weather damage.

In most states, businesses are required to carry a commercial auto policy for any vehicles they own. If your pressure washing staff uses personal, rented, or leased vehicles for work, you’ll need hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) instead.

The price of commercial auto coverage varies based on factors such as your policy limits, claims history, the value of your vehicles, and the driving records of employees who operate them.

Smaller, lower-risk pressure washing businesses are often eligible for a business owner’s policy (BOP). On average, pressure washers pay $160 per month, or $1,924 annually, for this coverage.

A business owner's policy is a smart choice for cleaning companies that operate from a building or office, as it combines general liability insurance with commercial property insurance at a reduced rate. This protects your business from both third-party lawsuits and damage to your workspace or equipment.

Small business owners frequently include business interruption insurance as an add-on to a BOP. This policy covers regular operating expenses and other costs if your business is temporarily closed due to a fire or another covered claim.

If your pressure washing company doesn’t maintain a physical location, you can still get protection by adding business personal property (BPP) coverage to a general liability policy, or by choosing tools and equipment insurance for supplies and tools that travel with you to job sites. As a standalone policy, tools and equipment coverage costs $14 per month on average.

Here’s the average business owner’s policy purchased by cleaning businesses through TechInsurance:

Premium: $160 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate
Deductible: $1,000

The price of a BOP is influenced by the value of your building and business property, as well as the same factors that affect your general liability insurance premium, like the size and type of your business.

For pressure washing companies and other cleaning businesses, commercial umbrella insurance averages $67 per month, or $801 annually.

This type of insurance coverage is often used to meet client contract requirements for higher liability limits.

Umbrella coverage extends the protection of your general liability, commercial auto, and employer’s liability policies in $1 million increments.

If a claim exceeds the limits of one of these underlying policies, the umbrella policy provides additional coverage. For example, if one of your employees causes client property damage that results in a lengthy lawsuit and you reach the limit of your general liability policy, an umbrella policy would kick in to help cover costs beyond the underlying policy.

The price of umbrella insurance depends on your business risks and the amount of coverage you choose. Keep in mind, you’ll need to carry a minimum level of underlying insurance before you can purchase an umbrella policy.