Why is it important to hire a Licensed and Insured Painter?
Why is it important for my Painter to be Licensed and Insured?
There are several reasons why it is important that you hire a professional painter that is licensed and insured in Michigan. The main reason is for your protection.
If you hire someone who is not properly insured and one of their workers later claims to have gotten hurt while working in your home, as the homeowner you can be held personally responsible for the injuries sustained by an uninsured worker while they are on your property. It can put you in a very awkward position with your own insurance company because of this type of accident.
What happens when that uninsured worker drops a can of paint on your hardwood floor and you now have dried paint in between those expensive floor planks? You now have to fight with your home-owners insurance to try and get it covered. Or, what happens when the person you hired brings a ladder in thru your garage and didn't see you car sitting there because they were busy texting while they walked by your car. Oops! We've heard the horror stories. You don't want to be one! If you hired the job done . . . good luck getting your insurance company to cover it.
There are two forms of insurance a painting contractor in Michigan should carry, liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. Liability insurance covers situations such as contractor caused damage to your property, however it doesn't typically pay for repairing or replacing shoddy work.
Workers' compensation provides payment to an injured worker for lost wages and medical services, while working on your project regardless of who was at fault. Workers’ comp will also provide benefits to the contractor's family in the event of a work-related death.
A Contractors License is the other important thing to make sure your painting contractor has. It is actually required in the state of Michigan that anyone painting for hire in your home have a maintenance & alterations license. In many states if a contractor is not licensed they cannot be insured. Not having a contractor’s license can give cause for a building inspector to halt work in progress.
Always ask for verification of insurance before hiring any painter to start the project. It’s important to know that a contractor’s general liability insurance is NOT the same as workers’ compensation! It’s always best to hire a licensed contractor, who is insured and has workers’ compensation coverage. This ensures you are working with a professional, reputable and reliable company.
Shelly Kuipers
Proudly Servicing West Michigan. Providing the best kitchen cabinet refinishing, kitchen cabinet painting and kitchen remodeling in the area!
