What Kind of Insurance Do I Need for Snow Plowing in the Pacific Northwest? 

You’re one of the few people who don’t dream of moving to Hawaii, Florida, or the Caribbean. You live to see the temperatures drop and driveways clog with the season’s first flurry. You’re the owner of a snow removal business in the Pacific Northwest, and you hope your winter nights are repeatedly interrupted by the pleas of iced-in commercial or residential customers. 

But are you really ready for this season’s flurry (no pun intended) of business calls? Do you have general liability and the other forms of coverage that make up snow plow insurance? 

Let’s look at why insurance in this area is so important. Then we’ll examine the various forms of coverage you need to look into. 

Why You Need Snow Plowing Insurance 

You’ve got a big, heavy truck with a giant metal blade attached to the front, and you’re rattling through deep ridges of newly fallen snow. You may be in the middle of blizzard winds while other traffic slips and slides around you. 

Are you kidding? Do you even have to ask whether you need snow plow insurance to plow snow? 

Let’s add a few more twists: you only drive with that blade on your truck on a seasonal basis, so it might not come as second nature to you. Visibility isn’t ideal. And if you have new workers, you don’t know if you can trust their driving skills under such conditions. 

Various forms of insurance are necessary when you own any kind of business, but that need grows even more critical when you’re in the snow removal business. 

What Is Snowplow Insurance? 

Snowplow insurance is an arsenal of coverage plans that, when combined, cover the various common and unique threats you might encounter in your snow removal business. Consider the following, in addition to other relevant forms of business insurance. 

Commercial Auto or Fleet Insurance 

You need this type of insurance if you use one or more vehicles in your business for any reason. Even if it’s a spare car that a part-time employee takes out when you need errands run. 

When it comes to the snow removal business, any plows you are operating are at the very center of your operation. It’s literally what your business is about. 

Consider the various ways your truck or plow might get damaged in an accident or even while sitting in your driveway off-season. Then, expand on that threat when you consider road conditions, visibility, and maybe inexperienced drivers in your business. 

Collision coverage will pay for road accidents that are the fault of you or your driver. Even when the encounter isn’t your fault, you need benefits for uninsured or underinsured motorists or hit-and-run drivers who are never caught. 

Add comprehensive coverage for vehicle damage that can’t or won’t be paid by another party. This includes collision with wildlife, vehicle theft or vandalism, or even “why me?” incidents such as garage fires or frozen tree limbs falling on it and caving in your hood. 

Yeah, it can all happen. It can paralyze your business until you can afford repairs or replacements unless you have sufficient insurance coverage. 

General Liability 

You send out a driver at 2 a.m., after a winter storm, not knowing that he’d just returned home from an epic barhop. He dutifully gets behind the wheel and blade and sideswipes four parked cars…. the lawsuits begin to pile up. 

This is just one example of how a company like yours could face exorbitant legal costs. Even winning your case is outrageously expensive. That’s why your business carries general liability. 

Your general liability coverage will help pay for lawyers and court costs to keep you in business when legal actions are taken against you or your crew. 

Workers Compensation 

This is a mandatory form of insurance coverage if you’re planning on hiring employees as your snow removal business grows. 

Workers comp financially protects your people and your bottom line if someone gets injured on the job. Again, consider big trucks, unfamiliar blades, poor weather conditions, and many other factors that could result in a mishap. 

How Much Is Snowplow Insurance? 

That depends on various factors, including the size, location, and volume of your business and the value of your fleet and equipment. You can easily answer the cost question by contacting an independent insurance agent and explaining the finer points of your operation. 

An independent agent can help you get the most affordable coverage possible. That might mean bundling your snowplow insurance coverage with insurance lines you already own, such as homeowners or your standard auto insurance. 

An independent agent also has the advantage of not working for a single insurance company. Instead, they contractually represent the coverage lines of multiple major carriers, so they can shop for the cheapest rates on all the coverage you need. 

Give Us a Call Before the Snow Falls! 

We know you’re looking forward to dropping temperatures, snow days, and interrupted nights. But first, look our way for the snowplow insurance coverage that will protect your business and get you back in business quickly if you’re sidelined with a crippled vehicle. 

Contact your independent Vern Fonk Insurance agent at (800) 455-8276 for dependable and affordable snowplow insurance. You can also get a quick quote online or find a PNW office and agent near you.