The policies a chimney business carries
Chimney work combines roof access with fire safety: a missed crack in a flue can lead to a house fire later. Inspection reports with photos protect you.
| Policy | Average a month |
|---|---|
| General liability | $83 |
| Tools and equipment | $42 |
| Commercial auto | $270 |
| Workers' compensation | $160 |
| Surety or license bond | $9 |
Averages are what Insureon's customers among contractors as a group (it publishes no separate figures for chimney) pay, from Insureon's cost page; most of its customers have fewer than five employees. Across all its small business customers, general liability runs $265 to $3,030 a year.
Claims chimney sweeps plan for
- Soot gets into the living room
- A chimney fire after a sweep is blamed on the visit
- A worker falls from the roof
- A cap blows off in a storm
Ask your agent, in these words:
- Would my policy pay if soot gets into the living room?
- Would my policy pay if a chimney fire after a sweep is blamed on the visit?
- Would my policy pay if a worker falls from the roof?
- Would my policy pay if a cap blows off in a storm?
Name the work you sell
A policy covers the work you describe on the application. From the chimney services list, name each of these and ask whether any is excluded: chimney sweep; chimney inspection with camera; dryer vent cleaning; chimney cap install; crown repair; damper replacement; flashing repair; tuckpointing; liner install; waterproofing.
Cameras and vacuums are the items to list. On the tools list, the items to list on the policy are chimney inspection camera; rotary sweeping system; creosote remover; fall protection kit, and from the starter kit, chimney brushes in round and square flue sizes; fiberglass or poly rods; chimney vacuum with hepa filter; drop cloths and a fireplace cover; extension ladder and roof brackets.
State rules in the license
Most states do not license chimney work as a trade of its own, so there is usually no state insurance minimum tied to a license. Cities and commercial customers can still set their own.
Workers' comp and bonds
The SBA says every business with employees must carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance. Insureon's average for contractors as a group is $160 a month, priced per $100 of payroll. A bond protects the state or the customer, not you; Insureon puts its yearly cost at a share of the bond amount:
| Bond amount | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|
| $5,000 | $25 to $500 |
| $10,000 | $50 to $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $250 to $5,000 |
Certificates of insurance
Real estate agents and homeowners ask for a certificate and the inspection report. Keep a PDF on your phone so you can send it the day they ask.
Sources
- Insureon: Insurance cost for contractors as a group, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: General liability insurance cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: Workers' compensation insurance cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Insureon: Surety bond cost, checked October 9, 2026
- SBA: Get business insurance, checked October 9, 2026
- OSHA: Fall protection, checked October 8, 2026
Last checked October 9, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.