The policies a property maintenance business carries
Property maintenance means many small jobs across many units, so a leak after a repair, a tenant hurt on a fix that did not hold and damage during a turnover are the claims to plan for. Know your state's handyman line, because work above it may also sit outside your policy.
| Policy | Average a month |
|---|---|
| General liability | $83 |
| Tools and equipment | $42 |
| Commercial auto | $270 |
| Workers' compensation | $160 |
| Surety or license bond | $9 |
| Business owner's policy | $115 |
| Professional liability | $58 |
| Commercial umbrella | $92 |
Averages are what Insureon's customers who are property preservation businesses and other contractors 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 property maintenance companies plan for
- A toilet you repaired leaks into the unit below
- A tenant is hurt by a railing you fixed
- A lock change locks out the wrong tenant
- Paint overspray lands on a tenant's car
Ask your agent, in these words:
- Would my policy pay if a toilet you repaired leaks into the unit below?
- Would my policy pay if a tenant is hurt by a railing you fixed?
- Would my policy pay if a lock change locks out the wrong tenant?
- Would my policy pay if paint overspray lands on a tenant's car?
Name the work you sell
A policy covers the work you describe on the application. From the property maintenance services list, name each of these and ask whether any is excluded: interior painting; move-out cleaning, 2,000 sq ft home; drywall patch, small hole; lock change or rekey; make-ready punch list; drywall patch, large hole; interior door, prehung, installed; faucet, toilet and drain repairs; appliance swap; gutter cleaning, one story; concrete washing; filter changes and smoke detector checks; common area and grounds upkeep.
Tools, a trailer and the parts stock on the truck are the items to list. On the tools list, the items to list on the policy are paint sprayer; backpack blower; carpet extractor; drain machine; trailer, and from the starter kit, cordless drill, impact driver and a multi tool; multi-position ladder; nonconductive voltage tester; painter's multi tool; taping knife, 8 in.
State rules in the license
Property Maintenance work often falls under the handyman rules. Our handyman license guide lists the insurance and bond line for each of 47 states from the boards' own pages.
Workers' comp and bonds
The SBA says every business with employees must carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance. Insureon's average for property preservation businesses and other contractors 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
Property managers and landlords ask for a certificate, often naming them as additional insured, before they send the first work order. Keep a PDF on your phone so you can send it the day they ask.
Sources
- Insureon: Insurance cost for property preservation businesses and other contractors, 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
- Koira: Handyman license requirements by state (each row lists its board sources), checked October 9, 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.