Insurance and Exterior Cleaners: What Your Policy Actually Requires
Insurance and Exterior Cleaners: What Your Policy Actually Requires
6 min read · 1,198 words
Most homeowners and property managers book an exterior cleaner the same way they'd book a handyman — find someone, check availability, done. Insurance doesn't enter the conversation until something goes wrong. And then it really enters the conversation.
Across 58 households we've cleaned throughout the Northern Rivers, the questions we get asked most often aren't about pressure settings or chemical choice. They're about paperwork: Are you insured? What does that actually cover? Does my policy care who I hire?
Good questions. Here's a straight answer to each one.
Why Your Insurance Policy Has an Opinion on Who You Hire
Home and landlord insurance policies often include clauses around contractor liability — specifically, whether the tradespeople you invite onto your property are covered for damage they cause. This matters more than most people realise.
If an uninsured cleaner damages your roof tiles, cracks a paver, or causes a gutter to separate — and they have no public liability cover — you're left making a claim on your own policy. That means an excess, a potential rate increase, and a claim history that follows you.
Some policies go further, explicitly requiring that contractors engaged on the property hold their own current public liability insurance. If they don't, the insurer can dispute a claim or reduce the payout.
Worth checking your Product Disclosure Statement before your next booking — especially if you're managing a rental or strata property.
What Public Liability Insurance Actually Covers (and What It Doesn't)
Public liability insurance protects the contractor — and by extension, you — if their work causes:
- Property damage (cracked tiles, damaged gutters, water ingress from a poorly aimed pressure wash)
- Injury to a third party on the property during the job
- Accidental damage to neighbouring property (runoff, overspray)
What it typically doesn't cover:
- Damage caused by the homeowner directing the work incorrectly
- Pre-existing damage the cleaner couldn't have reasonably identified
- Any work done outside the scope the contractor is insured for
The coverage amount matters too. A policy with $5 million public liability is meaningfully different from one with $1 million — particularly on higher-value coastal properties where a roof or cladding claim can escalate quickly.
If you're a property manager handling multiple sites, this is one of the five questions worth asking before booking any exterior cleaner.
What to Actually Ask a Cleaner Before They Start
Don't just ask "are you insured?" Anyone can say yes. Ask for specifics:
- What's the coverage amount? — Public liability under $5 million is worth querying on larger jobs.
- Is the policy current? — Request a Certificate of Currency, not just verbal confirmation. It's a one-page document any legitimate operator can email you before the job.
- Does it cover the specific work being done? — Roof cleaning, soft washing, and high-pressure concrete work can each require different endorsements depending on the insurer.
- Are subcontractors covered? — Some operators bring in additional labour. Make sure the policy extends to anyone working on your property, not just the business owner.
Any reputable exterior cleaner should hand this over without hesitation. If there's resistance or vagueness, that tells you something.
Ready to book a cleaner who'll send you that Certificate of Currency before they even arrive? Schedule your clean here.
Strata, Rentals, and Landlord Policies — Extra Layers to Know About
If you're a property manager or landlord, the insurance picture gets a little more layered.
Landlord insurance often requires that maintenance and cleaning be carried out by qualified, insured contractors as a condition of coverage for certain types of damage. If a tenant or guest is injured because of a surface that wasn't properly maintained or was poorly cleaned (think slippery algae on a pool surround), an uninsured contractor situation can complicate your claim significantly.
Strata schemes add another dimension. In a strata context, the body corporate's insurer may have specific requirements about contractors operating on common property. An exterior cleaner working on shared driveways or pool surrounds without adequate insurance could expose the body corporate — not just the individual lot owner — to liability. If you manage or sit on a strata committee, it's worth cross-referencing your cleaning contracts with your strata policy requirements. We've covered the specifics of strata exterior cleaning for shared spaces if you want more detail on that side of things.
Short-term rental properties (Airbnb, holiday letting) often operate under standard home policies with short-stay endorsements, or under specialist holiday rental policies. Either way, contractor insurance requirements are usually the same — but it's worth confirming with your insurer whether any specific clause applies during changeover cleans or maintenance visits.
The Simple Version: What You Should Do Before Any Clean
You don't need to become an insurance expert. You just need three things before a cleaner starts work on your property:
- A Certificate of Currency showing current public liability cover (ideally $10 million, minimum $5 million for most residential jobs)
- Confirmation the policy covers the specific work being carried out
- Confirmation subcontractors are included if additional workers are involved
File it. You'll want it if anything ever comes up — with your insurer or with theirs.
At EcoClean we carry public liability insurance and are happy to provide a Certificate of Currency before any job. No chasing, no awkward conversations — it's just part of how we operate.
If you'd rather sort the details by phone, give us a ring on 0489 271 982 — happy to talk through what your property needs and get you the paperwork before we show up.
Or if you're ready to lock in a date, book your exterior clean online here.
— Kolt @ EcoClean
FAQs
Do I need to check if my exterior cleaner is insured?
Yes. Many home and landlord insurance policies require that contractors working on your property hold their own public liability cover. If a cleaner causes damage and has no insurance, you may end up claiming on your own policy — or finding your claim disputed. Always request a Certificate of Currency before work starts.
What level of public liability insurance should an exterior cleaner have?
For most residential exterior cleaning jobs, $5 million in public liability coverage is a reasonable minimum. For higher-value properties, strata common areas, or larger commercial jobs, $10 million is preferable. Always confirm the coverage is current and applies to the specific work being done.
Does my landlord or strata insurance policy have specific requirements about contractors?
Often yes. Many landlord policies require that maintenance and cleaning be performed by insured contractors as a condition of coverage for certain claims. Strata policies may have additional requirements for contractors working on common property. Check your Product Disclosure Statement or contact your insurer directly to confirm.
What is a Certificate of Currency and how do I get one from my cleaner?
A Certificate of Currency is a one-page document issued by an insurer confirming that a policy is active, what it covers, and the coverage amount. Any legitimately insured contractor can request one from their insurer and email it to you before a job starts. If a cleaner can't provide one, treat that as a red flag.
