Cape Cod runs on seasonal homes, and those homes run on local tradespeople. Painters, carpenters, flooring installers, and caretakers spend the off-season inside other people’s houses while the owners are away. Most of these businesses carry general liability insurance and assume it covers any damage they cause on the job. There’s an important exception worth understanding before the next project starts.
The Concept in Plain Terms
General liability policies commonly exclude damage to property in your “care, custody, or control,” along with damage to the specific part of a property you’re actively working on when that damage comes from your work. The policy is built to protect you from harming others, not to act as a guarantee on the item or area you’ve been hired to handle.
- A floor being refinished that gets damaged during the refinishing
- A client’s belongings moved into your truck or workshop
- Cabinets or fixtures you’re removing or reinstalling
- Damage to other rooms or areas you weren’t working on
- Injuries to the homeowner or visitors
- Damage to a neighboring property
Where Protection Can Come From
- Inland marine coverage for property you transport or store for clients
- Policy endorsements that some carriers offer to address certain custody situations
- Clear contract language about who is responsible for what
Before the Off-Season Work Begins
- Read the exclusions section of your general liability policy
- List the types of client property you routinely handle or move
- Ask whether an inland marine policy or endorsement fits your work
- Document the condition of each space with photos on day one
Pioneer Insurance works with contractors and caretakers across Yarmouth Port and the rest of Cape Cod to close gaps like this one before they become disputes with clients. Learn more about our commercial lines team, or reach out through Pioneer Insurance on Willow Street in Yarmouth Port, MA to review your business coverage.
