Insurance time-crunch!!!!

[MarathonPS]

I just got accepted by the City of Tucson for a large contract... pretty lucrative and overall pretty awesome for a guy who's only been in business for a year! The only problem is, I haven't had pressure washing insurance, and they require me to submit my information before I can be "officially" awarded the contract. That's leaving me scrambling for a good insurance company.

Can anybody recommend a good company, that will be both responsive to my time requirements and able to work with me in my location?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

[steve r]

I just got accepted by the City of Tucson for a large contract... pretty lucrative and overall pretty awesome for a guy who's only been in business for a year! The only problem is, I haven't had pressure washing insurance, and they require me to submit my information before I can be "officially" awarded the contract. That's leaving me scrambling for a good insurance company.

Can anybody recommend a good company, that will be both responsive to my time requirements and able to work with me in my location?

 

[DanKes]

In the pressure washing business for a year without insurance? You're the kind of guy comes in and can low-ball a job because you don't have the overhead that legitimate contractors have. I hope it bites you in the ass.

 

[steve r]

In the pressure washing business for a year without insurance? You're the kind of guy comes in and can low-ball a job because you don't have the overhead that legitimate contractors have. I hope it bites you in the ass.

its not poof to not have ins .your just lucky.dont bash a guy cause he wants insurance .hes doing the right thing to get ins.

 

[PressurePros]

Nah, Steve, I agree with Dan. If it wasn't demanded by this customer he never would have gotten it. Marathon, to each his own, and I understand cutting costs but you do undertsand where we are coming from, right?

 

[Dan Flynn]

Look for insurance locally! Walters insurance is way to high. I have State Farm and and it's half the price and they're a mile away not across the country, taking advantage of the new contractor that doesn't know any better.

 

[Clean County]

My experiences are exactly the opposite of Dan Flynn's. I had state farm at one time and there rate's went straight thru the roofs. I now have Joe Walters who sells Powerwashing insurance and his rates are excellent.

Its about time you got some insurance before something goes wrong and your bankrupt for may years because of it. NEVER EVER do without insurance again. This is the best advise that I can give...

Good Luck

 

[Dan Flynn]

Well John,

I'm glad it's working for you. I have to admit that I don't know his current rates. I still don't like the fact he's not local though. If you want to share Walters information, ask James Swinarton for his phone or email and promote Walters that way

I don't want to promote Walters here if you don't mind.

Merry Christmas

 

[PressurePros]

Dan, this is your board so you run it the way you see fit. My thoughts were that this was a message board for contractors to share information. John T was merely mentioning an opposing opinion and an unbiased commentary. If you really feel that such is not conducive to the agenda of this board I'll abide by that, but I respectfully ask you to reconsider. Censorship based upon personal feeling is questionable.

 

[MarathonPS]

No worries

First, to address Kessler; I don't know where you get off talking to somebody like that, but don't try and bust my friggin' balls over something you don't know about. You walk in my shoes? You know how my business is run? Until you do, shut your friggin' jibs. Or else, come on down to Tucson and we can have lunch. It's easy to talk smack like a big man over the internet. Somebody needs to put you into your place, and I'd be more than happy to help.

As for everybody else that actually had constructive advice: thanks for the help. I've been trying to get insurance through the local companies, but I'm running into the old "it's hard to insure Pressure Washers" bit. I've had three companies call me back and tell me that their underwriters won't touch me. I had a friend suggest that I try to get "janitorial" insurance instead of specific PW insurance, but I'm a bit hesitant as I'm not sure how effective that would be. How did you all go about it?

I've used Walters in the past and found him to be expensive as well. It's one of the reasons why I let my insurance drop, he cost too much. In fact, the only reason I was able to afford him at first was because I used the start-up money to pay for a year in advance (September04-Sept.05), then let him drop due to the cost. I don't have a single client that asked for proof of insurance, so while I knew that I needed it, I figured I could take my time searching around for something cheaper. That's how I ended where I'm at today.

So far my searches here in Tucson and Arizona have been coming up empty regarding specialized PW insurance.

Well, for what it's worth, thanks for the advice. And Kessler, my offer still stands.

 

[Dan Flynn]

Ken,

I gave my opinion and that was it. You can see that the insurance guys name is still in the post. So I didn't censor out John's opinion.

I did remove the link to Walters and asked John and whom ever to do the direct exchange of info via email or phone. I think that's fair.

I worked hard to build this community. I'm not going to give free advertising to a company that depends mainly on profits from the industries that view this forum.

For example, if you paid to advertise in some way and you new that someone offering the same service got the same advertising for free. Would you be happy about it?

Do you think the yellow pages and or any other media would give you free advertising? So my point is this. If someone mentions services from someone that will profit from my hard work. I will censor/edit the direct connection. If someone suggests to go to Walmart and by degreaser I won't.

It's not personal it's just business. And yes this is a forum to exchange information! But it's not a free advertising forum for others to leech from even if it's not intentional.

If someone wants to know how to remove gum from concrete. I bet you can search and find all kinds of unedited info/ideas.

There are many forums and new businesses out there that started and now profit in some way from leeching off my forum. So that does get old and annoying. I also feel that it unfair and cheating, but hey that's there ethics problem.

I also do know that most posts are legit and are just trying to help the next guy. That's why we use our best judgment and try to only edit the direct connection and tell the poster to contact them on the side.

When and if I turn the site into a paid membership forum. People can do and or say pretty much whatever they want. The bottom line is this forum is packed with info for both the new and the pro's, and at this point 100% free.

There are books and videos on the market for $50 or more that don't have a fraction of the info we have and contractors buy them. I'll tell you another thing I bet that this board has saved 90 percent of the visitors that come here at least $50 dollars a year in time and or actual money. (we all know that number is very conservative too) Also donations are far and few between, go figure!

So I feel the community has got a pretty good place to come. I also know that people have different views on things and I try to do my best as well as the staff here. Usually if there is a conflict about the staff editing something, there is someone trying to cause trouble on purpose or they are mad because they didn’t get to advertise for free. So they try to make us look like the bad guy.

I hope this answers your question and gives you and everyone else a feel for where I'm coming from.

P.S. Nice Logo

God Bless and Merry Christmas to all

 

[Douglas Hicks]

You have raised some very good points Dan. The main point is that if someone does not agree w/Dan, just remember it is his board. Start your own if you want. That is what Dan did, and what Ron did. Don't come here and run down Dan.

Dan, maybe it is time to let us know where to send a donation

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

 

[Dan Flynn]

Well Doug,

Not sure how to take that, but I will take that positively because I know you are one of the true professionals that truly bless us all with your knowledge. If you would like to donate. Look at the top of any page right below the banner. You'll see a donation button.

If you don't care for paypal just email me and I will send you my address. I also want to state. That every time I do get a donation I put it back into this forum one way or another.

Respectfully

 

[Douglas Hicks]

Dan, send me your address

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

 

[DanKes]

"You know how my business is run?"

Yes, I do. Without insurance. You want to know why insurance is so expensive? Because the people who DO have insurance, end up having to pay for those who DO NOT.

I'm guessing that you don't understand the consequences of not having insurance. Do you own a home? You wouldn't if you had some cleaner splash into someone's eyes as they walked by your job, or if your overspray drifted on to someones Mercedes.

As stated by PressurePro, you wouldn't even be looking for insurance if a customer didn't request it.

As for coming to Tuscon, I'll let you know when I'm in the area. Merry Christmas.

 

[PressurePros]

You have raised some very good points Dan. The main point is that if someone does not agree w/Dan, just remember it is his board. Start your own if you want. That is what Dan did, and what Ron did. Don't come here and run down Dan.

Dan, maybe it is time to let us know where to send a donation

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

Hello Douglas, I don't really see any post, including my own, where anybody was attempting to "run down Dan". I fully respect his efforts here and the fact that this is a free site is a testimony to his willingness to further this industry.

Dan, thanks for the compliment on the logo and for the well wishes. I wish you and yours Happy Holidays and best of fortune in the New Year.

 

[Clean County]

What Dan Flynn is saying makes sense to me. I know some websites addresses are not allowed here but I didn't know Joe Walters falls into that catagory..but now I know..