Cleaning Business Insurance and Bonding

What kind of work do you do?
Person dusting a side table with a pink cloth.
Choose from the nation's best insurance providers
Logos of Insureon's business insurance carrier partners

Cleaning business insurance in Ohio

Learn about business insurance requirements and the most common policies for cleaning businesses in Ohio.

Janitorial professionals cleaning office desks.
Light bulb

Find the right coverage

Insureon helps cleaning businesses find insurance and bonds that match their unique risks.

Get free expert advice and peace of mind knowing you have the right property and liability coverage for your small business.

What are the most common policies for Ohio cleaning businesses?

Cleaning companies may need different types of insurance coverage depending on the work they do, client contracts, partnerships, and other factors. These policies offer the best coverage for cleaning professionals in Ohio.

General liability insurance icon

General liability insurance

A general liability policy covers common cleaning risks, such as client property damage and bodily injuries. It's often the first insurance policy purchased by a cleaning business.

BEST FOR
  • Clients slipping on wet floors
  • Damage to customer property
  • Advertising injury lawsuits
Workers’ compensation insurance icon

Workers' compensation insurance

Almost every state requires workers' comp for cleaning businesses that have employees. It also protects sole proprietors from work injury costs that health insurance might deny.

BEST FOR
  • Employee medical bills
  • Disability benefits
  • Lawsuits over employee injuries
Commercial auto insurance icon

Commercial auto insurance

Commercial auto insurance provides property and liability coverage in an accident involving your business vehicle. It also covers vehicle theft and vandalism.

BEST FOR
  • Car accidents
  • Weather damage
  • Vandalism and theft
Business owner’s policy icon

Business owner's policy

Small cleaning business are often eligible for a business owner's policy. A BOP bundles general liability and commercial property insurance at a discount.

BEST FOR
  • Client injuries
  • Accidents that damage a client's property
  • Damaged or destroyed cleaning equipment
Umbrella / excess liability insurance icon

Commercial umbrella insurance

Commercial umbrella insurance boosts business insurance coverage for general liability insurance, commercial auto insurance, and employer's liability insurance.

BEST FOR
  • Multi-vehicle accidents
  • Employee injury lawsuits
  • Lawsuits over customer injuries
Surety bond icon

Janitorial bonds

Janitorial bonds are a type of surety bond. They protect cleaning and janitorial businesses against employee dishonesty, such as theft of client property.

BEST FOR
  • Employee dishonesty
  • Theft of money from a client
  • Stolen property
Looking for different coverage? See more policies.

What insurance do you need for a cleaning business in Ohio?

Depending on the specifics of your Ohio business, you may be required to hold several different types of business insurance policies before you can take on clients or secure commercial cleaning contracts.

Purple check mark

Workers' compensation insurance

To meet state requirements in Ohio, every small business with one or more employees must provide workers’ compensation insurance, which covers medical costs and disability benefits when an employee is injured on the job or develops an occupational illness.

Additionally, Ohio is one of four monopolistic states where workers' comp coverage must be purchased through the state fund.

Sole proprietors may not need Ohio workers' compensation coverage for their cleaning business license, but it's still a good idea to carry this insurance. Personal health insurance doesn't cover work-related injuries, so it can save you from out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Purple check mark

Commercial auto insurance

According to Ohio state law, business vehicles must be covered by a commercial auto policy.

Commercial auto insurance protects vehicles owned by your cleaning services business. It covers property damage and medical bills in an accident, along with vehicle theft, weather damage, and vandalism.

Though it's not required, personal vehicles driven for work purposes should be covered by hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA), as personal auto policies usually exclude business use. It can be added to general liability insurance or a business owner's policy (BOP).

Purple check mark

General liability insurance

General liability insurance is the foundation of a cleaning professional's protection. It covers legal fees related to accidents that damage a client's property or cause a bodily injury, along with libel and other advertising injuries.

Cleaning businesses in Ohio may be required to have a general liability policy depending on the counties they work in and the professional services they provide. They also might need it to sign a commercial lease or meet the terms of a client's contract.

Adding commercial umbrella insurance can boost the coverage limits on commercial general liability (CGL) insurance and other policies.

Purple check mark

Janitorial bonds

A janitorial bond is a type of surety bond that reimburses your clients for employee theft. Unlike insurance, your bond carrier will expect reimbursement when it pays for a claim. Your clients might request that your residential cleaning or janitorial company secure this coverage.

Protect your cleaning business with the right coverage

How much is cleaning insurance for a small business in Ohio?

Cleaning professional calculating cost of insurance for their business.

Small business owners in Ohio who buy cleaners' insurance policies from Insureon pay an average of:

General liability: $42 per month
Business owner's policy: $70 per month

Insurance companies look at several factors when calculating your cleaning business insurance costs, including:

  • Type of cleaning services offered (maid services, Airbnb, etc.)
  • Business equipment and property, such as vacuum cleaners, cleaning supplies, etc.
  • Annual business revenue
  • Where your business operates
  • How many employees you have
  • Coverage limits, deductibles, and endorsements

When do you need a cleaning business license in Ohio?

In Ohio, all cleaning businesses must receive a business license from the county where they'll operate their company. The type of license you'll need depends on the county or counties you plan to work in, if you maintain a single location or several, and your city of operation. For example:

  • Cincinnati cleaning businesses are required to to carry an occupational license, as well as a local business license.
  • Columbus may require your business to carry additional permits on top of your City of Columbus business license if your services include potentially harmful substances.
  • Cleveland cleaning businesses will need a City of Cleveland business license, and you'll have to contact the city's zoning department to confirm if your business location is properly zoned.

If your business offers specialized services like carpet cleaning, you'll likely need to get additional licenses or permits, such as a dry cleaning or water discharge permit. Also, if you deal with hazardous materials or provide janitorial services to commercial buildings, you may be required to carry extra permits or certifications.

Different than a janitorial bond, your cleaning business may be asked to carry license or permit bonds. These bonds assure local agencies and your clients that your business will complete a project in accordance with the law, building codes, and other regulations.

Looking at your municipality's requirements before starting your cleaning services business is a key step, as they'll be able to tell you which licenses, bonds, permits, and fees you need to acquire or pay.

How to get insurance for a cleaning business

Whether you're looking for cleaning liability insurance for self-employed professionals or a multi-person operation, you'll need to have some basic info about your business on hand to get free quotes. This includes your annual revenue, years of experience, and number of employees.

You can buy a policy online and get a certificate of insurance with Insureon in three easy steps:

  1. Complete a free online application
  2. Compare business insurance quotes and choose a policy
  3. Pay for your insurance policy and download a certificate of insurance

Insureon's licensed insurance agents work with top-rated U.S. providers to find the right types of coverage options for your business insurance needs, whether you work independently or have several employees working for you.

Verified business insurance reviews
Hear from customers like you who purchased small business insurance.
Get insurance quotes for your cleaning business
Save money by comparing insurance quotes from multiple carriers.