On Jun 2, 11:31 pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
"WendyC88" wrote in message

...

Hello. I am going to be looking for a painter to paint the trim of my
house. What should I look for regarding insurance? My neighbor had
someone fix her roof and he fell off his ladder and broke his arm. The
company he worked for denied his work comp claim stating he is an
independent contractor, so he sued my neighbor for medical and lost time.
She went through hell before he stopped pursuing the claim and I want to
be protected from this. Thanks

State laws may vary, but a business with employees (may vary in number in
some states) must have workman's comp, thus the "independent contractor"
status that some use. Liability insurance should be a must for any
reputable contractor. The sad reality is that any sleazy contractor can
find a way around most anything.

The potential liability (if any) of the homeowner is also what your
homeowner's policy is for. If there's a problem, give it to them and
they'll handle the scumbucket if it's a scam or attempt to extort.

As Edwin says, if dealing w/ a firm, ensure they have all state and/or
local business licenses required and are up to date w/ workmans' comp
payments and require proof of insurance and bond.

If it's an individual DBA somebody, essentially the same thing holds
with some differences which are dependent on local laws. A check w/
local government on what they require is worthwhile and with BBB and/
or similar locally is good doublecheck, too. Won't necessarily hide
the sleazeball who just hasn't been reported if no bad, but a string
of reports is clear indication to stay away.

After that, references, references, references...

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