I'd like to start doing some detailing work on the side. To be more specific, I'd just like to do interior and exterior cleaning and some minor paint correction with a PC or Flex 3401. I don't want to get into anything more involved than that. However, should I have business insurance before I start touching other people's cars? What I wonder about is if it'll worth doing this on the side if I have to start carrying business insurance. I'm only talking about doing a couple of cars per month because I already have a full-time job and don't have the time to put into anything more than a couple of cars per month. What do you guys think?
Need Advice on getting Insurance
- Thread starter mcpp66
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Porsche Pilot
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- Jun 25, 2010
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Re: Need Advice
Where do you plan on detailing from? House, mobile? My part time business is located at my home and I have a rider on my homeowners insurance that covers my business. It was a little cheaper that way instead of having a completely separate policy. No matter how you do it...make sure you are covered! I cant emphasize this enough. Pay now or pay later. Mrs Porsche Pilot is an attorney so I know the trouble you can get into without covering your backside. I dont think a policy premium is going to eat into your profits too much. Hell, just charge more to cover the cost!
Where do you plan on detailing from? House, mobile? My part time business is located at my home and I have a rider on my homeowners insurance that covers my business. It was a little cheaper that way instead of having a completely separate policy. No matter how you do it...make sure you are covered! I cant emphasize this enough. Pay now or pay later. Mrs Porsche Pilot is an attorney so I know the trouble you can get into without covering your backside. I dont think a policy premium is going to eat into your profits too much. Hell, just charge more to cover the cost!
dad07
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- Nov 9, 2010
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- Thread starter
- #4
Re: Need Advice
I prefer mobil, but if I know the customer well enough then I'd be willing to do it at my house. I guess my real question was should I get insurance even though I'm only going to be doing this on the side. I figured that the answer would be yes. I guess I should work on having a couple of regular customers lined up and then get insurance.
I prefer mobil, but if I know the customer well enough then I'd be willing to do it at my house. I guess my real question was should I get insurance even though I'm only going to be doing this on the side. I figured that the answer would be yes. I guess I should work on having a couple of regular customers lined up and then get insurance.
Porsche Pilot
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- Jun 25, 2010
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Re: Need Advice
You will be amazed at how busy you can get very quickly if you do quality work. Word of mouth advertising is where it's at. Start with a few friends cars and work up from there. I only do about 4 to 5 cars a month and dont do any routine washing and waxing. There isnt enough time or profit margin in it for me as a part timer. Full corrections are where it is at for me and it covers the car payments for the month. Plus, polishing is therapy for me. So, as for insurance...see how your business grows after getting a few under your belt. As you grow, think of the advertising bonus of being insured. You just never know what can happen and when so it pays to be prepared. I would hate for something unfortunate to happen, an act of god or whatever, and you are now stuck with footing a repair bill out of your own pocket. See where it goes, get an insurance rider and you will have some serious peace of mind. Dad's figures and advice are right on.
You will be amazed at how busy you can get very quickly if you do quality work. Word of mouth advertising is where it's at. Start with a few friends cars and work up from there. I only do about 4 to 5 cars a month and dont do any routine washing and waxing. There isnt enough time or profit margin in it for me as a part timer. Full corrections are where it is at for me and it covers the car payments for the month. Plus, polishing is therapy for me. So, as for insurance...see how your business grows after getting a few under your belt. As you grow, think of the advertising bonus of being insured. You just never know what can happen and when so it pays to be prepared. I would hate for something unfortunate to happen, an act of god or whatever, and you are now stuck with footing a repair bill out of your own pocket. See where it goes, get an insurance rider and you will have some serious peace of mind. Dad's figures and advice are right on.
Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
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Re: Need Advice
Here's a couple of related threads... interestingly enough, at some point I've given them all custom blue clickable links... so I'm going to make a thread with them all in one place as this is a common issue for people getting into detailing as a business either part time or full time...
How to structure your business? LLC - Corp or S-Corp
Insurance - Business owners what do you pay for insurance per year?
Insurance - Cost of Insurance?
Insurance - Business Insurance and Contracts? (Your help needed)
Questions about getting a business license to detail cars?
Insurance - Insurance Questions? Need help!
And I'm going to move this to the How to make money forum group.
Here's a couple of related threads... interestingly enough, at some point I've given them all custom blue clickable links... so I'm going to make a thread with them all in one place as this is a common issue for people getting into detailing as a business either part time or full time...
How to structure your business? LLC - Corp or S-Corp
Insurance - Business owners what do you pay for insurance per year?
Insurance - Cost of Insurance?
Insurance - Business Insurance and Contracts? (Your help needed)
Questions about getting a business license to detail cars?
Insurance - Insurance Questions? Need help!
And I'm going to move this to the How to make money forum group.
- Thread starter
- #8
Re: Need Advice
Thanks for moving this thread to the right forum! I was wondering why I couldn't find it. :xyxthumbs:
Here's a couple of related threads... interestingly enough, at some point I've given them all custom blue clickable links... so I'm going to make a thread with them all in one place as this is a common issue for people getting into detailing as a business either part time or full time...
How to structure your business? LLC - Corp or S-Corp
Insurance - Business owners what do you pay for insurance per year?
Insurance - Cost of Insurance?
Insurance - Business Insurance and Contracts? (Your help needed)
Questions about getting a business license to detail cars?
Insurance - Insurance Questions? Need help!
And I'm going to move this to the How to make money forum group.
Thanks for moving this thread to the right forum! I was wondering why I couldn't find it. :xyxthumbs:
AeroCleanse
New member
- Nov 17, 2008
- 2,422
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Your options are 1. Get insurance 2. Make them sign a waiver.
- Thread starter
- #10
Re: Need Advice
In my area I don't think there's much of a demand for paint correction so most business would probably be interior and exterior cleaning. I like to think I've gotten pretty good with the PC and Flex so I'd of course do that too, but nothing that would require anything more than those tools.
In my area I don't think there's much of a demand for paint correction so most business would probably be interior and exterior cleaning. I like to think I've gotten pretty good with the PC and Flex so I'd of course do that too, but nothing that would require anything more than those tools.
Fly bye
New member
- Nov 16, 2007
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Re: Need Advice
You should try and sell it. If you're good at it, then you have a valid selling point.
You should try and sell it. If you're good at it, then you have a valid selling point.