What insurance should a cleaning company have to cover their staff stealing?

chog24

We're researching getting a cleaner and, having checked with my home insurance I know that I would not be covered for theft by someone I've invited into my home (including cleaners). That is, as I understand it, fairly normal from the point of view of home insurance.

I'm aware that cleaning companies I'm looking at have public liability insurance which typically covers fires and accidental damage caused by their staff. I'm assuming they must also be able to insure against the risk of their staff stealing from a client, but I don't know what kind of insurance that would be - can anyone help?

I ask because "Do you have such-and-such type of insurance?" is a less contentious question to ask potential companies during my research than "How would you deal with a report from a client that a member of your staff stole something from their home?"

Thanks in advance.

Quentin

Ask for details of their professional indemnity insurance.

(If they don't have any then their staff are unlikely to be insured against dishonesty)

InsideInsurance

Professional Indemnity may cover it, on the basis of the argument that havent done their job in monitoring/ screening their employee properly.

Crime/ Fidelity Guarantee would certainly cover it but its not a common class of insurance outside of Finance though it is available.

Iateallthepies

If an employee of a company comes into your house (or office, factory, whatever) to do work for the company and then steals from you the company are liable under their Public Liability cover.

The difficulty might come in proving the theft but the company might well want to settle as quickly and quietly as possible to minimise reputational damage and then "deal with" the employee.

InsideInsurance

PL doesnt normally cover theft

Quentin

Iateallthepies wrote: »

If an employee of a company comes into your house (or office, factory, whatever) to do work for the company and then steals from you the company are liable under their Public Liability cover.

The difficulty might come in proving the theft but the company might well want to settle as quickly and quietly as possible to minimise reputational damage and then "deal with" the employee.

Who told you this?

Public liability insurance won't cover this.

Cleaning contractors can get indemnity insurance against their employees stealing from clients but obviously the theft has to be proven before either the insurer or the contractor pays out to the customer!

rs65

I would doubt PI would cover this and also doubt that a cleaning contractor would have, or be able to buy, it anyway.

You could ask whether their Directors and Officers cover (or Management Liability cover) includes a crime section or do they have separate crime insurance. If so, what excess applies.

dacouch

Fidelity Guarantee Insurance is an optional extra offered by the specialist Cleaning Insurers.

A decent sized cleaning contractor will normally carry this type of cover especially if they have contracts with larger businesses.

Ask to see their fidelity guarantee insurance if you're concerned about theft

http://www.camberfordlaw.com/cleaning

Quentin

rs65 wrote: »

I would doubt PI would cover this and also doubt that a cleaning contractor would have, or be able to buy, it anyway......

.

Google cleaning contractors insurance with fidelity cover to find numerous companies offering cover against staff stealing from customers premises.

rs65

I was talking about PI. Fidelity or crime is easily obtainable.

Sally_A

Sutton Specialist Risks on their per capita cleaning liability contract also cover dishonesty by staff, obviously there has to be some sort of check done by the company, but also extends to financial losses such as a foreign cleaner using your phone to call relatives back home.
Another benefit of specialist cleaning company insurance companies (Such as suttons or camberford law) is that they cover damage caused to the item being worked upon, eg carpet or upholstery cleaning.

As an aside to any brokers out there, they will also cover liability for car valeters/hand car washes for damage caused whilst cleaning eg a bit of grit in your chamois leather could cost £100's of damage to paintwork.