INSURANCE FOR HVAC CONTRACTORS

Premises liability exposures at the contractor's office or shop are generally limited due to lack of public access. Retail sales increase the possibility of customers slipping, falling, or tripping. During installation at job sites, the electrical voltage must be turned off to reduce the risk of electrical burns or electrocution to others entering the area and turned back on after work stops, all while minimizing any disruption of electrical service to other homes or businesses in the vicinity.

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Unprotected welding can result in bodily injury or set the property of others on fire. The contractor's employees can cause damage to the client's other property or bodily injury to members of the household, the public, or employees of other contractors. Tools, power cords, and scrap all pose trip hazards even when not in use. If there is work at heights, falling tools, or supplies may cause damage and injury if dropped from ladders, scaffolding, cranes, or helicopters. Pressure-testing of boilers and other pressure vessels can result in explosions or fire.

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Completed operations liability exposures can be severe due to improper wiring or grounding. When a heating unit malfunctions, the cause may be difficult to determine. Specialists may be required to determine whether it arose from improper operation and maintenance, faulty system design, faulty manufacture, or faulty installation. The absence of an aggressive quality control program that documents full compliance with all construction, material, and design specifications may indicate a morale hazard and make it impossible to defend against serious claims.

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Hazards may increase in the absence of proper record keeping of work orders and change orders, as well as inspection and signed approval of finished work by the customer. Boiler work, LP gas units, and wood burning units have high products liability exposures. Improperly installed heating units pose potential injury to tenants and their customers within buildings due to exposure to carbon monoxide and other fumes or gases.

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Environmental impairment exposures may arise if the contractor is responsible for the disposal of old insulation and the use, transportation, and disposal of fuels and related pollutants due to the potential for contaminating air, ground, or water supply. Old air conditioning equipment may contain PCBs. Proper written procedures and documentation of both the transportation and disposal process are important.

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Workers compensation exposures vary based on the size and nature of the job. Both residential and commercial work involves lifting, work with hand tools, wiring, and piping. Cuts and puncture wounds from the fabrication and installation of sheet metal for ducts and vents, back injuries from lifting, such as hernias, strains, and sprains, electrical burns, slips and falls, foreign objects in the eye, and inhalation of fumes are common. Electrocution can occur from the use of high-voltage lines. Anytime work is done above ground, injury or death from falls and being struck by falling objects can occur.

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Complications from the large, heavy machinery and their use, misuse, maintenance, and transport have unique hazards. Welding can cause eye damage and burns. If welding is done in confined spaces, proper ventilation and fire protection are essential to prevent injury to workers. In repair and reinstallation operations, workers may encounter lead dust or old insulation to be removed, some of which may include "friable" (easily crumbled) asbestos. Procedures must be in place to identify and handle this exposure.

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Careful consideration must be given to the type of boilers, the fuel used, and the services the insured provides. Pressurized vessels present unique hazards with potentially severe losses.

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Property exposures at the heating contractor's own location are generally limited to those of an office, shop, and storage of materials, equipment, and vehicles. Operations may include retail sales. Ignition sources include electrical wiring, heating, and air conditioning systems. If repair operations involving welding take place on premises, the exposure increases. Welding involves the use of tanks of gases that must be stored and handled properly to avoid loss.

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The absence of basic controls such as chained storage in a cool area and the separation of welding from other operations may indicate a morale problem. Air conditioning and heating systems and their components may be targets for theft. Appropriate security controls should be taken including physical barriers to prevent entrance to the premises after hours and an alarm system that reports directly to a central station or the police department.

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Crime exposure is from employee dishonesty. Background checks should be conducted prior to hiring any employee. All orders, billing, and disbursements must be handled as separate duties and annual external audits conducted. All items should be physically inventoried on a regular basis to prevent theft. Thieves may target copper cable.

 

Inland marine exposures include accounts receivable if the contractor bills customers for services, computers, contractors' tools and equipment, including ladders and scaffolding, hoists, and portable welders, goods in transit, installation floater, and valuable papers and records for clients' and suppliers' information. If large or suspended heating units are lifted by cranes to rooftops for installation or dropped into place by helicopters, the units could be damaged from drops and falls.

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Since an accident may trigger both the equipment and installation coverages, as well as possible third-party liability, many contractors prefer to hire a crane or helicopter with a licensed operator. Contractors may rent, lease, or borrow equipment from others or rent, lease or loan their owned equipment to others, which presents additional exposure as the operator may be unfamiliar with the operation of the borrowed item. Goods in transit consist of tools and equipment as well as products purchased by the customer for installation at the job site.

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Heating units can be of high value and susceptible to damage in transit, frequently requiring expertise in loading to prevent load shift or overturn. If units to be installed are delivered to the site in advance, the contractor will need an installation floater. Hazards to machinery, tools, or building materials left at job sites include theft, vandalism, damage from wind and weather, and damage by employees of other contractors.

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Commercial auto exposures are generally limited to transporting workers, equipment, and supplies to and from job sites. If vehicles are used to deliver the heating and air conditioning units, special modifications or built-in equipment such as lifts and hoists may be required. Large heating systems may be awkward and require special handling and tie-down procedures. Drivers should be properly trained to prevent overturn and to navigate through high traffic areas.

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Serious property damage or injury to employees of other contractors, passing pedestrians, or motorists can arise during loading and unloading equipment and materials. All drivers must have appropriate licenses and acceptable MVRs. Vehicles must be maintained and the records kept in a central location.

Commercial Insurance And Business Industry Classification

• SIC CODE: 1711 Plumbing, Heating, Air-Conditioning

• NAICS CODE: 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors

• Suggested ISO General Liability Code(s): 91111

• Suggested Workers Compensation Code(s): 5537, 5183

 

Description for 1711: Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning

Division C: Construction | Major Group 17: Construction Special Trade Contractors| Industry Group 171: Plumbing, Heating And Air-conditioning

1711 Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning: Special trade contractors primarily engaged in plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and similar work. Sheet metal work performed by plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors in conjunction with the installation of plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning equipment is included here, but roofing and sheet metal work contractors are classified in Industry 1761. Special trade contractors primarily engaged in electrical work are classified in Industry 1731.

• Air system balancing and testing-contractors

• Air-conditioning, with or without sheet metal work-contractors

• Boiler erection and installation-contractors

• Drainage system installation, cesspool and septic tank-contractors

• Dry well construction, cesspool-contractors

• Fuel oil burner installation and servicing-contractors

• Furnace repair-contractors

• Gas line hookup-contractors

• Heating equipment installation-contractors

• Heating, with or without sheet metal work-contractors

• Lawn sprinkler system installation-contractors

• Mechanical contractors

• Piping, plumbing-contractors

• Plumbing and heating-contractors

• Plumbing repair-contractors

• Plumbing, with or without sheet metal work-contractors

• Refrigeration and freezer work-contractors

• Sewer hookups and connections for buildings-contractors

• Sheet metal work combined with heating

• Solar heating apparatus-contractors

• Sprinkler system installation-contractors

• Steam fitting-contractors

• Sump pump installation and servicing-contractors

• Ventilating work, with or without sheet metal work-contractors

• Water pump installation and servicing-contractors

• Water system balancing and testing-contractors