For a solo trade or home-service business in Metro Vancouver, the core policy is commercial general liability (CGL), most commonly bought at $1M or $2M of coverage. Many operators add tools & equipment coverage and — if a vehicle is used for work — ICBC business-use rating on the auto policy. Cleaners working in homes and offices are often asked for a bond. WorkSafeBC is separate: it's mandatory once you hire, optional for a sole proprietor working alone.
No law in BC requires a cleaner, painter or landscaper to carry liability insurance — but most clients, most strata councils, most general contractors and several municipalities effectively require it before you get on site. Treat it as a cost of looking like a business.
Commercial general liability — the one every trade needs
CGL covers the thing that ends businesses: damage you cause to someone else's property or person while working. The ladder through the window, the pressure washer that lifts the siding, the epoxy fumes that trigger a neighbour's claim. A $1M policy is the common floor for solo operators; strata councils and commercial property managers increasingly ask for $2M and a certificate naming them as additional insured. Premiums for a solo operator in a low-risk trade commonly run a few hundred to around $1,500 a year, rising with revenue, crew size and risk — HVAC, epoxy and anything at height sit higher than cleaning. Quotes vary widely between brokers; get two.
What CGL does not cover
Your own tools, your own vehicle, your own injuries, and faulty workmanship you have to redo. Each of those is a separate decision:
- Tools & equipment (inland marine) — covers theft or damage to your gear, including from a vehicle. Worth it the day your kit is worth more than a month of income.
- Commercial auto — a personal ICBC policy may not respond to a claim that happens while you're driving for business. ICBC rates by use; declare business use and, for a van with a decal and equipment, expect a commercial rate class. Mobile detailers, junk haulers and landscapers towing trailers are the ones most often caught here.
- Your own injury and lost income — this is what WorkSafeBC Personal Coverage exists for if you're a sole proprietor; disability insurance is the private alternative. See WorkSafeBC in plain English.
- Errors & omissions — rarely needed for hands-on trades; relevant if you inspect, design or advise.
Trade-by-trade: what's typically asked of you
| Trade | Core | Commonly added | Often asked for by clients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | CGL $1–2M | Janitorial bond | Bond + certificate for offices, stratas, property managers |
| Painting | CGL $1–2M | Tools; commercial auto | Certificate naming the strata or GC as additional insured |
| Landscaping | CGL $1–2M | Equipment; trailer & commercial auto | Pesticide applicator certificate if you spray |
| Pressure washing | CGL $1–2M | Equipment; pollution/chemical rider if soft-washing | Certificate; strata approval |
| Handyman | CGL $1–2M | Tools | Certificate; note that electrical, gas and plumbing work are excluded unless you hold the licence |
| HVAC | CGL $2M+ | Tools; commercial auto; pollution | Technical Safety BC licence and certificate on every quote |
| Epoxy flooring | CGL $2M | Tools; pollution/chemical rider | Warranty terms in writing |
| Mobile detailing | CGL $1–2M | Garage-keepers / care-custody-control for clients' vehicles; commercial auto | Proof you're covered while their car is in your hands |
| Junk removal | CGL $1–2M | Commercial auto for the truck; cargo | Transfer-station account, certificate for commercial jobs |
The certificate of insurance — the piece of paper that wins the job
Clients don't read policies; they ask for a certificate. Your broker issues it on request, usually the same day, naming the client or strata as additional insured for that job. Build it into your quote process: a quote that says "licensed, insured — certificate on request" beats one that doesn't, and it's the single easiest way to look like the established company you're competing with.
Curious what a complete file looks like from the other side of the table? Here is a worked example of a full contractor compliance file — the eight documents a strata council or property manager should be asking for, and the free public registries that verify each one.
Where Prontco fits
We don't sell insurance and we don't register you with WorkSafeBC. What we do is put your insurance line, your licence number and "certificate on request" onto your quote templates, your website and your Google profile — so the coverage you bought actually does its marketing job — and flag WorkSafeBC and bonding during setup so nothing is a surprise on your first commercial job. See what's included →
Sources and caveats
Coverage names and typical ranges reflect what Metro Vancouver brokers commonly quote for solo trade operators as of 2026; your premium depends on trade, revenue, crew, claims history and broker. WorkSafeBC — insurance · Technical Safety BC. This is a plain-English guide, not insurance advice; confirm your own coverage with a licensed broker.
Frequently asked
Is liability insurance required to start a cleaning or painting business in BC?
No BC law requires it, but most clients, strata councils, property managers and general contractors — and some municipal licence categories — require proof of commercial general liability before you can work. In practice, treat it as mandatory.
How much does liability insurance cost for a solo trade business in BC?
For a solo operator in a lower-risk trade, $1M–$2M of commercial general liability commonly runs a few hundred to around $1,500 a year. HVAC, epoxy and work at height cost more. Quotes vary widely — get two.
Does my personal car insurance cover me when I drive for work?
Often not. ICBC rates by use; if you drive to jobs, carry equipment or have a decal on the vehicle, declare business use and expect a commercial rate class. Mobile detailers, junk haulers and landscapers towing trailers are most often caught out.
What is a bond and do cleaners need one?
A janitorial or fidelity bond covers a client against theft by you or your staff. It is cheap and commonly requested by offices, stratas and property managers hiring cleaners.
Is WorkSafeBC the same as liability insurance?
No. WorkSafeBC covers workers' injuries and is mandatory once you hire; a sole proprietor working alone isn't required to register but can buy Personal Coverage. Liability insurance covers damage you cause to other people and their property.
Trade-specific launch guides
City guides