It doesn’t take just one or a couple of steps when hiring the ideal commercial painter Bay Area. There is a lot of serious work to be done – after all, you don’t want to experience the frustration of getting a contractor who doesn’t meet all the pertinent requirements and qualifications.
You may have likely heard of the phrase “bonded and insured” as one of the things require from professional painters. But is being “bonded and insured” from painters important to you as a client? The answer is simply, yes! It will benefit you, as a client, in a lot of ways. But what does being bonded and insured mean for professionals like a commercial painter?
Bonded
Being bonded means that a painting contractor has purchased a surety bond. A surety bond is a financial guarantee or a contract that protects clients in case the painting contractor has committed a fraud or unethical practices.
There are three parties involved in a surety bond:
- Principal – the party who purchases the bond. In this case, the principal is the painting contractor.
- Obligee – the party who will receive the bond. In this case, the obligee is the customer.
- Surety or guarantor – the party who produces the bond and assures to the obligee that the principal can perform his obligations.
When the principal purchases a surety bond, it is given that the principal has agreed to follow the local, state and federal laws that regulate the industry they’re in. If the principal fails to do their obligation or commits a violation, the client can file a claim against the principal’s surety bond.
For instance, you hire a painting contractor and the workers end up stealing your flat-screen TV. You will file a claim against the painting contractor’s surety. If the claim is proven after a thorough investigation, the surety will pay you the full amount of your stolen TV. In turn, the principal will have the responsibility of compensating the surety.
Not all states require professional painters to be bonded. However, some states do see professional painters as contractors. Because of this, professional painters are required to obtain a contractor’s license; but in order to do that, they should first carry a contractor’s bond.
Other states, though, consider painters as separate from the other professionals or see them as specialty contractors. Painters in these states might be able to carry a business service bond. Although not required by law, a business service bond can serve as a good marketing scheme and provide protection to their clients against possible fraud and malpractice.
Insured
Being insured means that a company is protected from anything that might happen while it is providing the service to the customers.
Let’s say a worker paints your roof, falls off and injures himself. What if the company this painter works for isn’t insured? You will have to answer the worker’s medical expenses. You would be in for bigger trouble if the worker potentially sues you. Then the claim will be filed against your homeowner’s insurance, which may even lead to its cancellation.
If the company this painter works for is insured, then the claim will be filed against the company’s insurance. That leaves you not being financially or legally responsible for anything at all.
That’s why when you are looking for a professional painter, you should ask them if they’re licensed. In California, when painting contractors are licensed, they are also required to carry a worker’s compensation insurance and a liability insurance. Ask them for valid documentations for licensing and insurance.
Truly, clients prefer a commercial painter Bay Area who is well bonded and insured. It is an assurance that the company is legitimate, credible and trustworthy, and working with such a painter gives clients a total peace of mind.
