Snow Days Ahead | What to know about snow removal insurance Ontario
The fluffy stuff is coming. So good news for snow removal businesses in the province of Ontario. According to a recent CTV news article, you can expect solid business opportunities this winter.
For example, CTV notes, “Residents of Ottawa and Ontario are being warned to brace for a “cold and totally flaky” winter. … “If you like snow, then you should head out to western Quebec and Ontario, where snowier-than-normal conditions are forecast,” says the Farmers’ Almanac.”1
And with snow in the forecast, getting your snow removal insurance Ontario aligned before the first flakes fall is likely on your mind. But as a snow removal business, you know that your industry faces unique risks. Therefore, it’s essential that you work with insurance brokers who understand your risks.
And brokers who have experience in matching coverage that precisely fits your risks. ALIGNED Insurance brokers know snow removal and how to start aligning options for your business.
How to proactively manage key snow removal risks
First things first. According to WSPS – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services – there are specific things you can do to manage your snow removal risks. In a recent edition of their Network News they provide 11 expert tips for safe snow removal.
For instance:
“1. Treat snow removal like any other job. Identify and assess hazards before you start and take all possible steps to eliminate or minimize them. 2. Pile snow in safe locations so that sudden meltdowns don’t flood farm buildings, create run-off problems in nearby waterways, or re-freeze during thaw cycles.
3. Keep up to date with all maintenance requirements. Putting it off is just asking for things to go wrong.
4. Conduct a circle check before starting up equipment.
5. Wear proper clothing and footwear. Dress in layers. Wear or keep within arm’s reach a winter jacket, winter boots gloves and toques. Keep an extra jacket in the cab. If working in busy areas, wear high visibility safety clothing.
6. Prevent fatigue, especially when working extra shifts or at night. Power nap if necessary.
7. If travelling on public roads, follow all rules of the road.
8. Ensure you can stay in touch with others while you’re working. Install a GPS tracking system so that others know where you are at all times.
9. Conduct end-of-shift inspections and make any necessary repairs or adjustments.
If you hire people to help you remove snow,
10. Know your responsibilities. You’re considered an employer under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. WSPS has a long list of resources to help you fulfil these responsibilities.
11. Ensure anyone working for you has proper training.”2
In addition to effectively managing risk on the job, snow removal insurance Ontario can protect you and your business when worst-case scenarios happen.
If you are in the snow removal business in Ontario, we can help you find the best insurance options.
What to know about snow removal insurance in Ontario
Your risks aren’t easy to place. As a result of the high frequency of slip and fall incidents that the snow removal industry faces there’s a limited market for snow removal coverage. In addition, more and more property managers and landlords are transferring all legal responsibility for slips and falls to snow removal proprietors. In short, your business faces significant liability risks.
And if this wasn’t enough risk to consider, there’s also the fact that personal injury law firms actively market the general public. Meanwhile, some law firms are encouraging the general public to bring lawsuits against numerous parties in the event of a slip and fall snow-related situation.
However, ALIGNED Insurance brokers have experience with placing snow removal risks and relationships with insurance companies that provide coverage for these exposures. Therefore, we take a specialized approach when it comes to finding the best snow removal insurance options for our Ontario clients.
For example, we help with:
- Completing a proactive contract review to ensure we have a thorough understanding of the risk exposures you are facing.
- Interviewing and selecting a control adjuster to ensure that the adjuster that you are working with will be a good fit for your business.
- Ensuring you will have consistent legal representation that will aggressively fight snow removal insurance claims and not simply settle.
- Providing assistance with managing subcontractor relationships to help minimize insurance costs and losses.
We know that you have a lot invested in your snow removal business. That’s why we are here to help you manage risks and be prepared for worst-case scenarios with the best possible insurance products.
Get your Ontario snow removal insurance with us now
You need insurance to plow ahead. We know that. And despite complexity of risk exposures snow removal companies face, we are able to help you secure cost effective snow plowing insurance.
So we work directly with snow removal clients to help you and your people understand and proactively manage risk with contractual risk transfer and other proven strategies.
There are many types of snow removal projects we can help with getting insurance options. For instance:
- Clearing of federal, provincial or municipal roads or highways
- Commercial property parking lots
- Condos
- Sidewalks and bus shelters
- Residential driveways
- U.S. exposures
In conclusion – it’s essential to work with experienced snow removal insurance brokers
To sum up, it’s essential to have confidence in the people who you work with. Above all, you need to know that when things go wrong, they will be there to support you and your business.
That is to say, your ALIGNED insurance broker only represents you, the insurance buyer.
Certainly, we take pride in delivering a different and better insurance experience to Canadian businesses. This is why supporting commercial businesses and advocating on behalf of our clients is our primary focus. Most importantly, our commitment to you is the reason why your ALIGNED broker you is your advocate in the insurance marketplace.
Here are a few recent Google reviews that our Ontario clients have shared about us online.
- “We have had 3 properties insured by ALIGNED and never had an issue.” – ALIGNED Cambridge client
- “The staff at ALIGNED were very helpful in outlining insurance options to meet my needs at very competitive prices. Great attentive service!” – ALIGNED Toronto client
- “Great experience, the people are very knowledgeable, friendly and they have very comparable pricing! Highly recommend them!!” – ALIGNED Toronto client
- “This is a person who took 4 hours in one call to make sure I got the right coverage and was protected. An obvious sense of pride of ownership permeated throughout our conversations and consultation. I would recommend ALIGNED without reservation.” – ALIGNED Cambridge client
- “The staff at ALIGNED were very helpful in outlining insurance options to meet my needs at very competitive prices. Great attentive service!” – ALIGNED Toronto client
