Protect yourself and your livelihood

With the spring and summer weather quickly approaching it’s time to get your vehicle detailed! However, an important consideration many customers fail to do their due diligence with is hiring the right detailer. An informed customer is a good customer, find out as much as you can about the contractor you are considering in advance. Ask for all appropriate license numbers and a written proposal that outlines what work needs to be done and the timeline in which that work is to be completed. Check for customer references and do as much homework as possible before you make the decision to hire. And, above all else, be sure to hire an insured detailer to complete the job.

Uninsured detailers are a danger to your financial affairs because they expose you to significant financial risk in the event of an injury or damage to property. Though they may present you with an opportunity to save money in the short term, the long term risk to which you are being exposed can prove to vastly outweigh any savings or convenience you might gain in the short term.

Uninsured detailers may have no way of repaying you for any property damage he or she causes, putting the risk of extended damage squarely on your shoulders. If you are renting the location of your business or residence, your agreement may explicitly state that you must hire an insured contractor to complete the job. Failure to do so could put you at considerable risk should damage to property occur.

If you think to yourself that your property insurance policy will cover whatever damages or losses occur as a result of your uninsured contractor, think again. If an employee of the detailer is hurt while working on your property and a prolonged hospital stay is required, different insurance scenarios can come into play depending on the status of the detailer. If the detailer is licensed, his workers compensation policy will come into play. If he is unlicensed and uninsured, then your insurance policy becomes the primary insurance.

However, when a serious accident occurs, both the injured party and all others that were impacted by the damage will likely sue to recover their loses. If you knowingly hired an unlicensed detailer and an injury occurs during the performance of the contract, then your insurance company has the right to not pay the claim, leaving you exposed to the medical or personal injury bills. If the insurance company wins a judgment against you, any asset you receive in the future (even inheritance or money from your business) can have a lien placed against it. All judgments are made a part of your credit history and remain there until they are paid.

So what about one-man teams? If your detailer is a one-man operation, he can be exempt from having to carry workers’ compensation insurance. However, this is very risky for you, as he may well engage the services of an assistant and, if the assistant gets hurt, you may have to pay the medical bills.

When hiring a detailer, make sure each carries public liability and property damage insurance. Do your homework by taking the time to check with the insurance agency to verify that the policy is still effective and will be throughout the duration of your engagement.

If the detailer is uninsured or has uninsured employees, don’t even consider hiring them. Otherwise, you could be sued and held monetarily responsible for worker’s injuries sustained while on your property. Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to discover which detailers may have had complaints filed against them and get as much detail as possible to determine whether or not the complaint was legitimate. Shortcuts can (and have) been taken by many other people, but are you truly willing to take on such an additional risk? Scotty’s Shine Shop is FULLY insured.

Saw this awesome photo posted online today and wanted to share it. Apparently shot in 1967 by Victor Aziz Photography looking West down Dundas Street from Clarence.

Downtown London - 1967