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Opening a new cannabis retailer in Canada can be both an exciting and daunting task.

We’ve all watched the wildlife documentaries and know what happens when animals get separated from the herd. Don’t do it we can hear you scream, there’s a lion hidden in the grass!. Separation from the herd is extremely dangerous in the wild.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impact the health of Canadians, it is also having a substantial impact on many hundreds of thousands of businesses across the country.

Every business needs insurance, but your bricklaying and masonry business has unique coverage needs based on the kind of claims you are most likely to make. There are some things that can happen to any contracting business, like stolen tools and liability claims arising from injuries or damage that occurs on the work site. But what kinds of claims are most common for brick and masonry businesses like yours?

As with any trade, there are certain risks that come along with drywalling, and it’s critical for every drywall contractor to be aware of the risks, minimize them as much as possible, and get the right kind of insurance in place to protect the business if something bad happens.

The most frequent claims that our insurer partners see related to drywalling businesses are for damage caused by drywall dust that is not properly contained. Although in most cases, drywall dust doesn’t actually “damage” items that it lands on, if the dust gets into an HVAC system or is carried by the wind, it can settle across a wide area, and even get into electronic components, and the costs are all related to cleanup.

Another common type of claim for drywallers is for errant screws and nails that accidentally hit wiring or plumbing in the wall. When a screw goes into a wire, it can cause a short circuit and could lead to a fire. If a screw goes into a pipe, it could lead to water damage. Hitting a pipe is often much more problematic than hitting a wire, because you might not notice a problem for years afterward. The screw or nail makes a hole in the pipe, but also may seal it off. The problem may only come to light months or years later when rust or shifting of the structure allows water to escape.

All contractors should have tools and equipment insurance to protect the tools that are so essential to the work you do. You may be working at a construction site that’s not completely secure, or even if it is, there may be lots of other contractors coming and going, and your tools may look inviting. Whatever it is, drywallers make quite a few claims for lost or stolen tools.

Typically, the best way to avoid insurance claims for any contracting business is to follow the standards of your trade, and ensure that your staff are trained to do the same. Because drywalling is known to create a lot of dust, it is always recommended to set up containment barriers so that dust is contained within the area that is being worked on. This is usually done using plastic sheeting. Note any ventilation intakes within the containment area. If the HVAC system is running, these should be masked carefully to prevent spreading dust through the ventilation system. So-called “dustless” sanders are a huge help in reducing the spread of drywall dust.

In terms of avoiding claims for stray nails and screws, it’s simply a matter of taking care. And if you suspect that a screw went into something other than a stud, pull it back out. If you hit a pipe and it sprung a leak, at least you’ll know right away, and can take steps to minimize the water damage.

Safeguarding tools is also common sense. Don’t leave tools lying around. If you keep them in your truck, make sure the truck is always locked. Of course, never leave tools at a worksite overnight.

Learn more about Drywall contractor’s insurance

[Our thanks to Joanne Carmody from Travelers Canada, one of our trusted contractors insurance partners, who agreed to share her expertise for this piece.]

As a carpenter, you may be subcontracted at various stages of a construction or renovation project to complete a number of different jobs, including building concrete forms, framing, installing doors and windows, and installing cabinets. You and your employees are skilled tradespeople with a commitment to do the job right.

Whether it’s forty degrees or forty below, your HVAC business keeps your customers cozy in Canada’s wildly varying climate. And in turn, you can rely on HVAC contractors insurance to turn down the heat on the financial risks that your business faces every day. (Yeah, it’s a bad pun, but we’ll make up for it by giving you valuable information, so please read on…)

The best way to control insurance costs for your general contracting business is to avoid having to make claims if possible, and to control the cost of claims when they do happen.

So, you run your own business as a contractor and things are going well. You’re booked for weeks or months in advance and have a tonne of happy customers recommending you to their friends and family and others in the community.