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Personal Service Insurance
Your client's keys and access details can put you in charge of valuables in a home you do not control. Off-site liability, client-property and crime terms should distinguish accidental damage from an accusation of theft, alongside the driving and records your errands involve.
List actual household tasks, valuables and access entrusted to you, plus whose vehicles you drive and any client transport.
Industry overview
You perform errands, organizing, and household assistance, which requires you to move between different client properties. A collision during an errand or a damaged item during an organization project can create complex insurance questions.
The Southern Agency can review your business activities and how you handle client keys or valuables to help you choose appropriate insurance. For example, we can examine how your policy responds to accidental damage versus theft allegations when you are working on-site.
Risks worth discussing
Access and trust
Staff can be accused of taking entrusted property.
Off-site injury
Work takes place in spaces the business does not control.
Errands
Business driving may involve employee or client vehicles.
Records
Schedules, access details, and payments create privacy exposure.
Coverage worth discussing
Policies to ask about. Which ones fit depends on your operations, your contracts, and the carrier’s forms.
- General Liability InsuranceGeneral liability may address covered off-site claims, but property being handled can face custody exclusions.
- Business Owners PolicyA BOP may package eligible office property and premises interests without resolving every client-home duty.
- Crime InsuranceCrime must expressly include covered client-property theft or employee dishonesty; accusation alone is not insured loss.
- Business Auto InsuranceAuto needs owned, hired, and non-owned use as applicable; client transport and car damage require specific review.
- Workers Compensation InsuranceWorkers compensation addresses qualifying employee injuries at described off-site work.
- Cyber Liability InsuranceCyber may respond to qualifying client-record incidents.
Situations to think through
These hypothetical examples are not agency claim results. Whether a loss is covered depends on the facts, policy terms, and applicable exclusions.
Hypothetical: Valuable item breaks
A valuable item could break while your employee reorganizes a client's room. Identify the actual task, responsibility and property being handled, including custody exclusions. A client promise to replace everything damaged is not the same as accepted coverage for the item or insured liability.
Hypothetical: Employee crashes during errand
An employee might collide with another vehicle while running a client errand in their own car. Review actual business use and any non-owned liability for the firm. That protection does not itself repair the employee's car or establish passenger or client-car acceptance.
Hypothetical: Client reports missing jewelry
Proof of covered theft and insured-property definitions govern crime payment, not allegation alone.
Before you talk to an agent
Questions to raise
- Describe permitted tasks and valuables handled.
- Separate theft reimbursement from liability defense.
- Disclose passenger transport and client-car driving.
Contract terms to check
- Client instructions may authorize purchases or property handling. Broad promises to reimburse losses can exceed insured liability or crime coverage.
What the agent conversation looks like
Start with the work you do and the questions your current policies leave unanswered. Carrier options depend on your location, risk, and underwriting. Explore our approach.
- ListenReview your operations, current coverage, and past claims.
- AssessIdentify potential hazards and discuss ways to reduce risk.
- BuildDiscuss policy and carrier options, premium costs, and audits.
- SupportReview changes and help you plan ahead as your needs develop.
Questions owners ask
What insurance does a personal service business usually carry?
Coverage depends on tasks, client custody, access, and driving, not a standard package for every helper.
Am I covered when working inside a client's home?
Off-site work must be accepted, and handled property may need separate protection.
What protects me against theft accusations?
Crime may reimburse proved covered theft; it is not general defense against unsupported accusations.
Do I need commercial auto for errands?
Business vehicle use needs direct review; non-owned liability does not automatically repair the driver's own car.
Is client information a real exposure?
Schedules and access details can be sensitive even without extensive financial records.
Do I need workers' compensation for a small team?
Actual employment and jurisdiction rules govern compensation, including off-site work.
Talk through your personal service coverage
Bring your questions, current policies, and relevant contracts. An agent can review coverage terms, exclusions, and the information carriers ask for, then explain the options available to you.