Nuisance control trapping (insurance)

[trapperjoemo]

It`s been awhile since we talked about this subject. So, who sells liability insurance to us NWC trappers? Have you found a reasonable priced company to deal with?
Let`s hear it all. lol

Joe

[SgtWal]

We have Scottsdale now. Most of these vultures charge based on your income. The more you make the more they charge.


wayne

[Mike Tucker]

Joe,
For many years, we had to get our insurance from carriers that covered 'pest control' companies. This was due to the fact that insurers were unfamiliar with wildlife control work. They had no actuarial data available to base their coverages, so we were grouped with the "bug guys". The pest control insurance was rather expensive and did not cover many aspects of our work. (One example would be firearm use.) Recently, the National Wildlife Control Operators Assn ( NWCOA), worked with a couple of insurers to develop a policy specifically designed for wildlife control operators.
If you are a member of NWCOA, there is a group policy available. Coverage is from Jan1 - Dec 31. Basic rates are pasted below. Additional employees or a pesticide/herbicide applicators endorsement is extra.

$300,000 per claim and $600,000 per year : $550.00

$500,000 per claim and $1,000,000 per year : $650.00

$1,000,000 per claim and $2,000,000 per year : $975.00


Contact info :
Jim Pace
Christian-Baker Co.
P.O. Box 158
Camp Hill Pa 17001
Phone, 717-761-4712
Fax, 717-761-5810
E-mail [e-mail]



Regards,
Mike

[trappnman]

mike- I've been thinking about such insurance. Does it cover fur trapping- since fur trapping IS part of my busines?

[Mike Tucker]

Steve,
Fur-trapping is covered under this policy. Also of note, your wife would be covered on this policy at no additional cost. I should mention that bear and alligator work is not covered.
Mike

[Mike Barcaskey]

firearms aside, what is your exposure in this business that would call for $500,000 of insurance?

The way I figure it, the most that could happen is if I put a ladder through a window, catch the neighbors cat, ?
I'd pay for those out of my pocket anyway instead of turning it in

It's not like the tree side of my business where I could drop a 500 pound chunk of wood on a house or a car, or heaven forbid a bystander.

Like I said, firearms aside, what's the exposure?
the only thing I can think of of litigation expense

[Mike Tucker]

mikebarcaskey said:

firearms aside, what is your exposure in this business that would call for $500,000 of insurance?

The way I figure it, the most that could happen is if I put a ladder through a window, catch the neighbors cat, ?
I'd pay for those out of my pocket anyway instead of turning it in

It's not like the tree side of my business where I could drop a 500 pound chunk of wood on a house or a car, or heaven forbid a bystander.

Like I said, firearms aside, what's the exposure?
the only thing I can think of of litigation expense

Mike,
Many of my commercial & municipal accounts require a minimum of one million in liability insurance to work on their properties, so that is the amount that I carry. As far as exposure, it certainly depends upon the type of wildlife control work in which you are engaged. I can think of many unsavory scenarios ( likely resulting in litigation :-) , but personally I have never needed to make a claim.
To me, the cost is reasonable to protect my customer, myself and my assets should something happen.
Regards,
Mike

[SgtWal]

We have commercial acounts, such as rental properties managed by realestate companies, that not only want the $1mill liability, but the same in commercial motor vehical insurance and proof of workers comp. coverage.
And that's just to get on the grounds.


wayne

[Mike Barcaskey]

my workman's comp and commercial auto covers all my business
my general liability covers only the tree service

my two commercial accts for ADC work are ok with me being self-insured.

I've run into that million dollar limit on my tree biz. it's
just BS.
it's just arbitrary number they pulled out of the air. absolutely no thinking involved.
case in point, there is one town here that tries to inforce a million dollar general liabilty policy on any tree service working in their jurisdiction. It's BS they cant inforce and the code enforcement officer never gives me problems with my 300,000. (in fact my company wont write a million as a matter of course)

it's all a racket!

[SgtWal]

The local colleges have risk assessment officers now, as do many larger companies. Arbitrary or not it is a requirement from the customer themselves not local government. It is enforced by you not getting the contract.
Our primary work is urban ADC. Our income anchor is the repeat customer like these realestate companies. It's their pocketbook after all.


wayne

[Mike Barcaskey]

right, the customer ditates to a certain extent the working conditions. But my original question stands, what's the exposure in this business?

[SgtWal]

Let's see. Putting a ladder through a window, cracking shingles or tiles and causing a roof leak, popping a gutter loose, falling through a roof or attic floor, dislodging a chimney brick or tile, dislodging a heat or AC duct, or a water or sewar line, a cage or tool sliding off a roof onto a car, pulling an electric line loose in that blown in insulation, or cracking a plaster ceiling.
Then there's the kid with the Out-of-Sight on his hand, the one that tried to pet the raccoon in the cage, and the fool that ran over the mole trap with his lawn mower and knocked out the customer's windows.
With the courts today,any of these could wipe you out.
And God help you if you use Mole Tox, Snake Away, Tanglefoot, or any other chemical.

wayne

[Mike Barcaskey]

good points Wayne, thank you