What insurance does an appliance repair technician need?
There's no one-size answer. The right mix depends on how you work, who you work for, and what your contracts ask for. These are the coverages an appliance repair technician typically looks at first:
General liability
Covers fire, water, and electrical damage from installs and repairs, plus property damage moving appliances in and out, with the $1,000,000 per-occurrence limit warranty companies and property managers typically request.
Business property
Meters, tools, and replacement parts stocked in the van represent real value, and this is designed to help cover them against theft and damage.
Commercial auto
A service van used to reach calls and haul parts is a work vehicle, and personal auto policies typically exclude that use.
Coverage always depends on your specific situation. The fastest way to see what fits is to get a quote and review your options.
Doing wiring work beyond the appliance itself? See our guide to electrician insurance.
What does it protect against?
The risks that matter aren't abstract. They're the everyday accidents of the work. A few scenarios that turn into real claims:
A gas line reconnection leaks
A tech reconnects a gas dryer or range and the fitting isn't seated right, and gas leaks into the home overnight. Fire and health hazards from a bad gas connection are among the most serious claims this trade can face.
A water line fails after a fridge or dishwasher install
The supply line to a new refrigerator's ice maker isn't tightened all the way, and it lets go while the client is out for the weekend. Water damage from an appliance connection you handled is a completed-operations claim, and it's a standard part of general liability.
A miswired appliance causes an electrical short
A repair on a dryer or a range leaves a wiring connection loose, and it shorts and scorches the wall behind it. Fire and electrical damage from a repair job is a routine general liability claim.
A heavy appliance damages flooring on the way in or out
A washer or a refrigerator gets dropped or dragged across a hardwood floor during delivery or removal. Property damage during an install or repair call is one of the more common claims a technician files.
Certificates of insurance
Appliance repair technicians get asked for a certificate of insurance mostly by warranty companies, property managers, and larger service contracts. Home warranty networks typically require proof of general liability before adding a technician to their dispatch list, and property managers want the same before a tech works inside an occupied unit. Olli's general liability policies include instant certificates, so getting added to a network doesn't stall on paperwork.
New to certificates? Start with our guide to the certificate of insurance: what's on one, who asks for it, and how to provide yours.