Workers' Comp for House Cleaners: What a One-Person Business Actually Needs

You're a house cleaner and someone asked you for a certificate. Here's what you need to do today.

You work alone and someone asked for proof of insurance. You need workers' comp to show it exists. It's not about you — it's about the business. If you don't have it, you might not be able to work with that person or company.

Workers' comp is a type of insurance. It proves that, if you ever get hurt doing the work you do, there's a plan in place to help. But if you're the only person in your business, the insurance is mostly to prove it exists, not to cover you. More on that next.

A ghost policy is a quick way to prove your business has workers' comp.

A ghost policy is real insurance, but it doesn't cover you, the owner. It's for a business with no employees. If you're a house cleaner working alone, this is the kind of policy you get. It shows that your business has insurance, which is what the person asking needs to see. But it won't help if you get hurt. You can choose to be covered, but it costs more.

Ghost policies are made to satisfy a request for a certificate. If someone asks you for proof of insurance, a ghost policy is the right move. It's fast and it works. You get your quote, and you get the certificate.

You might need to show coverage for a client or a landlord.

Sometimes a client, a landlord, or a bank asks for a certificate of insurance. They want to know that your business has workers' comp. It's not about you — it's about the business. They don't want to take a chance if something goes wrong. A certificate proves that insurance exists. That's all they need.

As a one-person business, you don't have employees. But some people still expect proof. A ghost policy is how you get it. It shows that your business has insurance, even if you're the only person working.

You can choose to be covered, but it costs more.

The default is that the owner is not covered. That means if you get hurt doing your work, the insurance won't help you. If you want to be covered, you can choose to include yourself. That's called an owner inclusion election. It costs more. You can decide during the quote process if you want to pay for that extra coverage.

Most one-person businesses start with a ghost policy. It's quick and it works. If you want to be covered, you can choose to include yourself. But if you're working alone and no one else is on the job, the insurance is mostly for showing it exists, not for covering you.

You get your quote in minutes, and the certificate when you need it.

You can get your quote in minutes. The price depends on your state and the kind of work you do. Once you have your quote, you get the real price for your business. If you agree, you can buy the policy right then. The certificate is made for you, and you can send it to the person who asked for it.

There's no need to talk to anyone. You make the choices online. You get the certificate when you need it. It's fast and it's simple. You don't have to wait days or weeks.

Your state might say it's required — but it depends.

Some states say certain businesses need workers' comp. If you have employees, it's required. But if you work alone, it depends. Some people or companies might ask for it anyway. If they do, you need to show proof. But the rules vary by state. You should check your state's rules to be sure. You can start by getting your quote and seeing what your state needs.

Not every state has the same rules. Some might not care if you work alone. Others might say it's required. If you're not sure, your quote will tell you what your state needs. It's the best way to know for sure.

Workers' comp is not the same as other insurance types.

Workers' comp is not general liability insurance. Workers' comp pays for injuries to people who are covered by the policy. General liability pays for someone else getting hurt or property damage. If you're a house cleaner, workers' comp is about your business. It's not about other kinds of insurance, like cyber or property. You need to know the difference to pick the right one.

Workers' comp is about proving coverage exists. It's not about defending against a lawsuit. That's what other kinds of insurance do. But if you work alone, you probably don't need those. You just need to prove your business has insurance. That's what workers' comp does.