Allmighty Insurance

Insurance is a big part of the package here. We pay not only for the General Liability Insurance but we also pay for the Workers Compensation. Of course all the other standard benefits apply to keep our employees safe and happy. Many painting companies out there ignore the importance of this insurance and the miss-classification of employees that they are able to operate under for too long. Between these two insurances we estimate a total of 10-12% of all of our sold projects goes to insurance. Let face it this can be dangerous work. We have a written safety manual and program that we follow and we use the right equipment, in good condition for the right jobs to keep our team safe but there is always a chance that the unexpected happen. As Business owners we worry about this for our teams sake and what it would mean if someone got hurt. We also follow strict guidelines and yearly audits to make sure the appropriate coverage is protecting everyone. Rest assured if something were to happen on your project where an expensive item was damaged or a team member got hurt, Zero fallback would come to you as a homeowner. Now we can back those claims up and you can contact our insurer directly, whom we’ve been working with since the beginning of Megna Painting. Not all of the painters out there can say the same. There are many operators out there without the proper coverage, for you , themselves or their employees. Safety is a top concern of ours and we take it seriously. Did you know that if someone is uninsured or under insured and you hired them as a homeowner you technically become the general contractor and employer of the company you hired. If they get hurt or worse, or if something valuable is damaged there is nothing you can do about it and you may end up on the hook for all the medical expenses, potentially even losing your home. Specifically ask your painter for the general liability it is standard and not to expensive, the big one is workers compensation, ask for the contact person of their insurer, I’ve actually been handed a forged insurance form before, its not that hard to create one. Many cannot afford the cost of this expensive insurance and defer it to their 1099 employee or miss-classified subcontractors whom also don’t typically have the proper coverage and the fault comes back to you. This is serious business and while we don’t exactly look forward to paying the bill which often ends up being in the tens of thousands of dollars for our industry and trade due to the associated dangers, we gladly pay it to be on the right side of the law and to protect everyone involved. The subcontractor and miss-classification of workers has been big in the news lately and it is far to common in painting as well. Chuck in a truck claims all kinds of reasons this doesn’t matter before he disappears and goes out of business but the statistics are high in fatalities and injuries for the painting trade. If nothing else make sure this key piece of insurance is something you can ask for and find out how your painting contractor really pays its employees. If it is anything other than a W2 check through a payroll company you would be better served thinking twice about making that hiring decision. Many painting businesses claim the painters are their employees but write them a check for gross payment before taxes which the painter has to claim on his own too, and by the way I have personally witnessed this lie happen more than once with franchise companies and other contractors. While subcontracting isn’t inherently bad with the proper coverage and if the contractor didn’t lie to you, which happens frequently and is not a good place to start a working relationship, but why hire a company that isn’t even a company but a salesperson who subs it all out? You can have good results don’t get me wrong, sometimes it is the best option and is common with new construction but there are other people involved here who matter too, sadly they don’t realize what they are giving up taking this deal for what appears to be a bigger cash check never mind the loss of so many important benefits,while the contractor has no skin in the game. For a complete background on our insurance contact Danielle Ott at Greater Insurance Services. She is more than happy to provide you with the current documentation showing our proper coverage. We are also proud of the fact that despite its significant cost we have had no major claims for any damage or injuries since we have been in business. Our commitment to safety and our commitment to you is one reason we take the extra step to provide a safe working environment.

Danielle Ott

Danielleo@greaterinsurance.com

(608) 839-0710 Direct