As a fence installer, you are often on the move, coordinating your people, getting the right equipment and products, and ensuring everything goes according to plan.
The fence installation business is rampant with risks similar to drywall installation or door and window installation businesses.
You face serious risks of lawsuits if you cause property damage or bodily injury while on the job site. What's more, your property, including tools, equipment, and fencing materials could be damaged, stolen, or destroyed at the job site, your workshop, or while in transit. Further, employees working for your fencing company could get into serious accidents, which could take a financial toll on you if you were to be mandated to meet the cost of treatment.
Consider purchasing fence installer insurance. Also known as fence installation insurance, this is a tailored policy that caters to lawsuits filed by general contractors and other clients, business income loss, employee claims, and other exposures. Note that by having insurance, you can protect your income and boost revenues.
Suppose you fail to notify a third party that you'll be testing the electrification of a fence, which unfortunately leads to injury. Further, what if a neighbor at a site you are working on notices that your vehicle damaged their yard or fence, and they ultimately demand compensation? Finally, consider this. What if a neighborhood kid gets injured trying to climb over a chainlink fence that you are installing, and you are expected to pay for the stitches?
All of these represent just but a few scenarios that you could be found liable for. Seeing as life is full of unseen and unplanned events, you want to stay proactive by investing in general liability insurance for fence installers. The general liability policy of a fence contractor insurance plan covers these:
Medical treatment of the claimant
Reimbursement for the damaged property of the claimant
Legal defense and judgment
Personal and advertising injury
Just like a swimming pool installation business or a flooring installation business, your fence installation business is not legally required to have general liability coverage. However, operating the business without it means that you open yourself up to mounting expenses and the possibility of your reputation taking a hit.
Suppose you install an electric fence, but this fails to last as long as you'd assured your client it would. It is most probable that the client will seek compensation which is where products and completed operations coverage come in. Offered as part of general liability insurance, this pays the client if a fence you installed caused bodily injuries or property damage.
Other than fence installer liability insurance, there are some other types of insurance that your fence company should obtain. These include:
It’s best if you pair professional liability insurance to general liability insurance. Professional liability insurance grants a shield when a client files a claim and accuses you of committing:
Negligence
Receiving payment but not working on a project
Leaving a project unfinished
Inflating the cost of materials and your services
Similar to the professional liability policy of tile contractors and kitchen and bathroom fitters, the professional liability policy of fence installation and fence contractors provides $1 million-$2 million that can be used to cover settlements, defense costs, and court judgments.
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When running a fence installation business, you will likely be transporting your materials and equipment to and from a site. This will often translate to a commercial vehicle that you use for these tasks.
To protect your business against financial loss, if any of your commercial vehicles were to be damaged in an accident or cause harm to another or their property, you will need to purchase commercial auto insurance for fence installers, siding contractors, and EIFS contractors.
This policy pays for any repairs or replacement that needs to be done. Additionally, it will cater to the medical expenses or financial losses of persons who became victims of an accident your commercial vehicle caused.
Given the nature of fence installation, your employees are likely to experience injuries while on the job. The most common include back injuries, cuts, or slips and falls. When these injuries occur, the workers' compensation policy included in fence company insurance plans steps in to pay for any medical costs associated with their treatment. Some providers will also offer compensation for lost wages, thus cushioning your employees at the time when they are unable to perform their duties.
In some instances, an aggrieved employee might decide to sue you. If the court were to find you liable, you would be required to pay compensation or settlement.
To avoid such a situation from taking a financial toll on you, consider adding employer’s liability insurance to workers compensation insurance for fence contractors, masonry contractors, and paving contractors. This policy caters to the legal fees of such lawsuits as well as the resulting judgments.
This policy covers your office or warehouse and its contents, including your tools, material, equipment, furniture, computer, fencing inventory, and more. If a covered peril were to occur, including severe weather or fire, the policy would cover the costs of repairs or rebuild.
Often, following the loss of property or destruction of your premises, you will need some time for repairs or rebuilding. During this time, you will likely incur some loss in business income.
To prevent the interruption from taking a significant toll on your business, consider having your provider include a business interruption policy in your commercial property insurance. This policy compensates you for the lost business income and pays for certain operating expenses as stipulated within your policy document.
If you are keen on securing a budget without compromising the amount of coverage you receive, consider getting a business owner's policy (BOP). This combines general liability insurance and commercial property insurance into one policy. You end up paying a fraction of the price you would have otherwise paid had you purchased a standalone general liability and commercial property insurance.
If you anticipate a situation where you face a very expensive claim, you can get protection in the form of a commercial umbrella policy. If the costs of a lawsuit exceed the limit stipulated within your general liability policy, your commercial umbrella policy steps in with significantly higher coverage limits. This inclusion in fencing contractors insurance packages ensures you do not have to pay out of pocket at any point in time.
Equipment breakdown insurance covers repair or replacement if the implements you use to install fences such as hammers, tape measures, saws, and drills get lost or damaged because of:
Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Electrical surge
Electrical shorts
Mechanical breakdown
You get $10,000-$25,000 coverage by purchasing equipment breakdown insurance as a stand-alone policy. It’s also possible to have this as a floater to general liability insurance or commercial property insurance. However, you might only get $2,500-$5,000 worth of coverag
Suppose one of your employees were to steal fencing material or equipment, your business would typically be required to absorb the losses. This would take a toll on your finances and your reputation, which is where employee dishonesty coverage comes in. The policy protects your business from the dishonest acts of your employees, including theft, fraud, or unauthorized transfer of funds.
Fence installer insurance cost $40 per month or $480 per year for a $1 million general liability insurance. This assumes that you have 5 employees and generate $500,000-$750,000 revenue per year.
Below is a breakdown of what you'd typically pay working with the best fence installer insurance companies available:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $27.50 | $ 330 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for fence installers |
| CoverWallet | $29.25 | $ 351 | Fence installer insurance quotes comparison online |
| Tivly | $31 | $ 372 | Comparing fence installer insurance quotes over the phone |
| Thimble | $33.59 | $ 403.08 | Short-term general liability insurance for fence installers |
| Hiscox | $35 | $ 420 | General liability insurance with worldwide coverage for fence installers |
| Nationwide | $40 | $ 480 | Commercial auto insurance |
When putting together a quote for your fence installer insurance, providers will often consider different factors. These include:
The nature of your projects
Suppose you specialize in picket fences for residences. By nature of this work, your premiums will be significantly lower than for another fence installer that builds fencing for construction sites or installs electric fencing.
Your company's claim and accident history
If you have a high number of accidents on record, chances are that the insurance provider will be a bit anxious when offering your coverage. However, do not fret if this is your predicament. Most providers will be willing to work with you around this challenge to ensure you get the best possible cover.
Age of your fencing installation business
When your business has been in existence for a long time, it signifies that you have the ability to survive. This long tenure is viewed favorably when considering how much you'll pay for your fence installer insurance.
This is not to say that younger businesses are frowned upon. All that's required for you to get favorable premiums for your policy is proof that you are invested in building your expertise over time.
Where your business is located
Consider this. If your business is located in a neighborhood with high crime or theft rates, the provider is likely to hike your fence installer insurance cost.
If you are in the market for the best fence installer insurance companies, here are a few options you might want to consider.
Best overall
Get an online proof of insurance and send as a text message, email, or social media post
Fastest general liability insurance for fence installation contractors
Great customer service and reputation
Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
Outstanding value for money
Bundle two or more insurance policies and get a 10% discount
Couldn’t find any
NEXT's fences and gates installer insurance offers the following policies:
General liability insurance
Contractors' E&O insurance
Workers' compensation insurance
Tools & equipment insurance
Commercial property insurance
Commercial auto insurance
NEXT offers basic, premiere, and deluxe protection plans. Note that you might enjoy only one or all of the above-mentioned policies depending on which coverage option you choose.
NEXT’s basic insurance plan is the cheapest. This only offers a general liability policy with a $1 million per occurrence limit.
The deluxe coverage option is the most comprehensive. You get $1 million general liability insurance, $1 million professional liability insurance, $2,500-$5,000 equipment insurance, and workers compensation insurance from this. Commercial property and commercial auto insurance can be added as optional policies.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for fence installers
Average cost: $27.50 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Stable rates
Compare fence installer insurance quotes online
Cancel a coverage anytime with no charges
General liability insurance can be added with terrorism coverage
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
CoverWallet doesn’t have a fence installer insurance program. Instead, you can get covered through this company’s insurance plan for professional, scientific, and technical service businesses. Policies that you’ll get are general liability, workers compensation, business owner’s policy, and professional liability.
Your general liability insurance from this company provides $1 million-$2 million coverage. Professional liability insurance, on the other hand, has a $1 million per occurrence limit.
Note that CoverWallet doesn’t underwrite the policies it sells to you. It only helps you find the best coverage options with its online quotes comparison tool. Policies you get from this company can come from CNA, Hiscox, Liberty Mutual, and other partners.
Best for: Fence installer insurance quotes comparison online
Average cost: $29.25 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Responsive customer service
Call and compare fence installer insurance quotes over the phone
A partner of many reputable insurance companies
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
Tivly doesn’t have a fence installer insurance plan. But this company still provides coverage through its contractor insurance program, which offers general liability, workers compensation, commercial auto, and professional liability insurance. Call Tivly now to compare fence installer insurance quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing fence installer insurance quotes over the phone
Average cost: $31 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Quick to issue quotes
Sells short-term general liability insurance for fence installers
Now live in New York
You can’t reach customer service by calling
Thimble’s fence installer insurance is divided into three types-regular fence installer insurance, invisible fence installation insurance, and dog fence installation insurance. You can get $1 million-$2 million general liability, $25,000-$500,000 commercial property, and workers compensation policies from this company.
By the way, Thimble’s general liability policy for fence installers is available as a short-term coverage that lasts for hours, days, weeks, or months.
Best for: Short-term general liability insurance for fence installers
Average cost: $33.59 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Worldwide coverage
The policy can be purchased online
Quotes delivered in minutes upon request
Discounts of up to 5% are available to policyholders who buy two or more Hiscox products
14-day money-back refund policy
No added fees for the monthly payment option
BOPs are not available in several states
Hiscox is a long-standing insurer with almost 120 years of experience in the insurance industry. The provider has received high ratings from both AM Best and BBB, which evokes confidence. Prospective policyholders can purchase the policy online, via independent insurance agents, or through Geico.
The cost of your fence installer insurance is arrived upon depending on the amount of coverage you purchase, the location of your business, business type, and associated risk factors. You get general liability coverage and a business owner's policy, and cyber insurance.
If you are just starting out and, as such, are a small business hiring its first employees or you have part-time or full-time employees, then Hiscox is great. What makes the provider stand out is that it offers a customizable BOP which makes it possible to include the specific risks your business faces.
Best for: General liability insurance with worldwide coverage for fence installers
Average cost: $35 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Strong financial backing
Many discount opportunities available to policyholders
Variety of coverage options on offer
Claims can be filled via the phone, online, mobile app, or through one of the independent insurance agents
Higher average insurance costs
Mixed customer reviews
Founded in 1925, Nationwide has since become a leading insurance company covering all 50 states. You get to have comprehensive fence installer insurance that includes general liability, commercial property coverage, and commercial auto insurance. What stands out about Nationwide is its commercial auto offering. If you have a couple of commercial vehicles, you will receive multi-policy discounts, which will significantly reduce your annual premiums. If you were to stay claims-free on your commercial auto insurance, you will further reduce your premium. Overall, if you have a fleet of vehicles that you use for your fence installation business, you ought to consider Nationwide.
Best for: Commercial auto insurance
Average cost: $40 per month
Our rating: 8/10
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Use anyone except Employers. Period. They are non-transparent and shameful. After I complained long enough to warrant a call from a supervisor, the supervisor called back from a PRIVATE NUMBER (no caller ID), left a message that they are not reversing their decision (without any communication with me), and failed to leave a phone number for me to call back. She was hiding! They also fact find via email and phone calls, which is terrific for speed and communication. However, after setting a precedence of email or phone calls, they send time sensitive information via email, without any heads up... they are hoping you miss it and forfeit via expiration. Evil policies. Go elsewhere.
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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