Broken Glass

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve In such situations where even if you do have insurance, isn't it possible, most insurance deductibles are going to be higher than the $350? So, in general, wouldn't you basically have to pay for it out of your own pocket anyway? If that is the case, does it make sense to keep a certain amount of cash on hand to cover such events from happening or no? My deductible is $500.00, I guess the thing to learn is what if someone were inside the house or even outside and the rock hit them, for the price of insurance, the risk simply isn't worth it. If your auto insurance were to discover you were using a vehicle for commercial purpose(s) and not insured commercial, should you have an accident you are SOL, I know this as I have read about it locally, it goes down hill fast in this case, min fine here when the police determine this is $1,500.00, it gets recorded on your driving abstract which increases your insurance when you do get proper coverage. This is why an emergency fund is important and discussed in another thread, in my case the glass would have been replaced the same day, people talk to neighbours, friends, their network which can have a very bad effect on our name. Even in a big city, it's a small world and with the Internet a tremendous amount of damage can be done to our name if the client is upset.

__________________
Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

If nothing is done to resolve this situation and maybe the customer drops it, does anyone feel there will still be downsides to it? If so, what do you feel they could be? How do you feel these downsides will effect his lawn care business?

__________________
- Subscribe to my Lawn Care Marketing Blog Feed and get daily tips sent to you. Free!
Download your Free trial of Gopher Lawn Care Software.

[Hedgemaster]

Originally Posted by picframer

My deductible is $500.00, I guess the thing to learn is what if someone were inside the house or even outside and the rock hit them, for the price of insurance, the risk simply isn't worth it. If your auto insurance were to discover you were using a vehicle for commercial purpose(s) and not insured commercial, should you have an accident you are SOL, I know this as I have read about it locally, it goes down hill fast in this case, min fine here when the police determine this is $1,500.00, it gets recorded on your driving abstract which increases your insurance when you do get proper coverage.

This is why an emergency fund is important and discussed in another thread, in my case the glass would have been replaced the same day, people talk to neighbours, friends, their network which can have a very bad effect on our name. Even in a big city, it's a small world and with the Internet a tremendous amount of damage can be done to our name if the client is upset.

You know, I was VERY concerned about this initially. I assumed that if I were to use my truck for business purposes and have an accident while out on a job, that my insurance company would deny coverage. That is not the case.

I confirmed this with my own auto insurance agent as well as the agent I ultimately went with for my business insurance. I was concerned that I needed to "change" or "update" my auto policy as I would be using the truck for "business". They both explained that I ONLY needed to get a "commercial" policy if (a) I were a "company/LLC", (b) have employees who will drive said vehicle, or (c) titled the truck in my company name. (which is essentially the same as "a")

So long as I have the truck titled in my name, the policy that I've had all these years covers everything in the exact same way. Whether I'm going to the grocery store with my wife, or as my agent put it, "Going from job "a" to job "b", and you have an accident, you are covered." He said, "Allstate would cover damage to your vehicle/other vehicles, but not your trailer, or equipment". (unless you had a policy with that additional coverage)


All that said, one million dollars worth of business liability insurance is not unaffordable... I found a place that was only $167/yr.
In today's "sue-happy" society, it's just nuts to risk injuring someone without having insurance.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Hedgemaster

You know, I was VERY concerned about this initially. I assumed that if I were to use my truck for business purposes and have an accident while out on a job, that my insurance company would deny coverage. That is not the case.

Best to ask, where I live you are not covered, I asked and I have read in the paper small comapnies having to file bankruptcy because they did not have commercial auto insurance.

[tjgray]

Originally Posted by Steve

In such situations where even if you do have insurance, isn't it possible, most insurance deductibles are going to be higher than the $350? So, in general, wouldn't you basically have to pay for it out of your own pocket anyway?

If that is the case, does it make sense to keep a certain amount of cash on hand to cover such events from happening or no?

Steve I really enjoy your emailed links to some of the hot topics going on here in the gopher forums...

Despite being busy and never having the time to post much anymore *can you believe we are still doing leaf clean-ups...in January* there is always one or two subjects being discussed that compells me to stop by

This very same thing happened to us this season...well not the no insurance part because we have insurance but the window ended up costing just under our $500 deductable...

We paid for the new window and I made sure every one on our crew knew that they would no longer be weedeating rocks that were right beside windows.

Far as I am concerned if you can't afford to be in this business legally then you shouldn't be in it!

Be lucky it wasn't a child's eye that the rock hit and buy the new window!!

[bgiannin]

I don't know why anyone legit would want to help you in this situation. All the guys out there without licenses insurance, or permits are screwing everyone else who is running a BUSINESS.

[JL ProCut]

I'm going to copy and paste the first post and e-mail it to all my customers and let them know why they are lucky to have me
A LICENSED & INSURED CONTRACTOR
on their property and not some hack looking to duck out on repairing damages he caused.

[mark123]

Originally Posted by JL ProCut

I'm going to copy and paste the first post and e-mail it to all my customers and let them know why they are lucky to have me
A LICENSED & INSURED CONTRACTOR
on their property and not some hack looking to duck out on repairing damages he caused.

That is a most excellent idea!

[aduttonater]

Originally Posted by JL ProCut

I'm going to copy and paste the first post and e-mail it to all my customers and let them know why they are lucky to have me
A LICENSED & INSURED CONTRACTOR
on their property and not some hack looking to duck out on repairing damages he caused.

Why would you do that?

Just to update everyone on my situation. I have had the window fixed, two days ago on the 5th. I was able to find someone off Craigslist to do the job for $200 saving me around $150.

Since the job was $75, and I didn't get paid the day I broke the window, I was able to subtract that from the $200.

On the 31st I had a job where I hauled away some debris, including some nice XIX 20'' rims and tires (2 damaged). 3 days later into the new year on the 3rd, I was able sell them on Craigslist for $100. Using that $100 towards the glass repair, I was able to resolve the problem, and still owe only $25. I offered to pay it to her along, with a free yard clean up just for the inconvenience.

Broken Class Repaired!

[mark123]

Originally Posted by aduttonater

Why would you do that? ...

It's a good example to customers of who not to hire. Did you get insurance yet?