Up the ladder or on the pole
Falls from ladders cause the most serious injuries in window cleaning. Many cleaners now use water-fed poles from the ground, which cuts that risk, though ladders still come out for awkward spots. Long hours holding a pole overhead strain shoulders and necks.
Insurers will ask how high you work, how often you use ladders and whether you do commercial work using cradles or rope access. Rope access and high-rise work can lead to very different terms from domestic rounds.
Commercial contracts for shops and offices often mean early starts before staff arrive. Winter brings short days, ice on paths and freezing water. Some cleaners add gutter clearing or conservatory roof cleaning, which means more ladder time, so mention any extra services you offer.
Your round, your income
As a sole trader, your customers pay when the job is done. If you break a wrist, the round goes unworked and the income stops. You may lose regulars to another cleaner if you are off for long, and your van payments carry on regardless.
That is why many window cleaners pick a one or four week deferred period. A short-term policy that pays for a set number of years can keep monthly costs down.
Some cleaners keep the round going while injured by paying another cleaner to cover it. That protects the customer list, but the cost comes out of your pocket, which is one more reason to have money arriving each month.
- Count van finance and fuel in your monthly outgoings
- Look at what savings could cover before a claim starts
- Short-term cover can suit a tight budget
Height and the claim test
Insurers group window cleaning with other jobs that involve working at height. That affects price and can mean the insurer offers a suited occupation or activities-based claim test. Ground-based pole work may be rated differently from ladder work, so be clear about how you clean.
If you take on staff and stop climbing yourself, the insurer may see your occupation differently. Review your cover at that point to see if better terms are on offer.
Rope access technicians and cradle operators on tall buildings should expect more detailed questions. Some insurers will want to know your certification level and how many hours a week you spend suspended.
Life insurance for sole traders
With no employer, you have no death in service benefit. A level or decreasing term policy can repay the mortgage or provide a lump sum for your family. Family income benefit gives a monthly payment instead, which some people find easier to plan around.
Write the policy in trust so the payout can reach your family without waiting for probate.
Hi Tomorrow for window cleaners
We ask how you work and what you earn, then compare insurers on our panel who accept work at height. We explain each quote's claim test and help with the application. If you need to claim, we are on hand.
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