A janitorial crew works in your building unsupervised, often overnight, with access to almost everything. When something goes wrong — a damaged floor, a missing laptop, a worker hurt on a wet stairwell — whose coverage responds matters a great deal. These are the three kinds worth asking every contractor about. This is a general overview, not insurance or legal advice: your own insurance professional or counsel can tell you what your building, your lease or your organization actually requires.
General liability insurance
General liability is generally the coverage meant to respond when a contractor's work causes property damage or injures someone else — a floor machine that gouges a lobby floor, a chemical that marks a surface, a visitor who slips on a freshly mopped corridor. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the contractor's insurance agent, check the policy dates, and ask whether your organization or property manager can be listed on it if your own contracts call for that.
Workers' compensation
Workers' compensation generally covers a contractor's employees if they're hurt on the job. It matters to you because janitorial work involves ladders, wet floors, chemicals and lifting, and an injured worker with no coverage can create complications for the building where the injury happened. Requirements vary by state and by business size, so ask for proof of coverage rather than assuming. Be cautious with a contractor who describes their crew as independent contractors when that crew works set hours, under the contractor's direction, in your building.
Janitorial bonds
A janitorial bond — usually a form of fidelity or third-party crime bond — is generally meant to protect clients if one of the contractor's employees is found to have stolen from them. It's one of the more commercial-specific protections, and a reasonable thing to expect from any contractor holding keys to your building. Bonds differ in what they cover and how a claim works; some only respond once theft is proven, and some require a conviction. Ask what the bond covers and its limit, and read the terms rather than relying on the word "bonded" alone.
How to check coverage
- Ask for certificates to come from the insurance agent or carrier, not a PDF the contractor has had on file for a while
- Check the effective and expiration dates, and set a reminder to request renewed certificates before they lapse
- Make sure the named insured matches the business you're actually contracting with
- If any of the work is subcontracted, ask how the subcontractor's coverage is checked
Where accreditation helps
Coverage can lapse partway through a contract without anyone noticing. On CJSAC, an accredited member's verification page lists each required check — including insurance, workers' compensation and the janitorial bond — with the date it was reviewed. It doesn't replace asking for your own certificates, but it gives you an independent, dated record to check against, and a quick way to see whether anything has changed since you signed.