Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Janitorial Services: Commercial, Residential, and Other Classifications

What does Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Janitorial Services cover?

If a cleaning person slips on a freshly buffed floor and hurts their ankle, that’s going to cost your janitorial or cleaning business a lot of money unless you’re properly insured.

It’s also going to cause that worker to need medical care, time off work, and perhaps even rehabilitative therapy to get back to 100%. This coverage is designed to protect both employees and the companies that employ them. 

Workers’ compensation insurance can cover medical bills and expenses, as well as a percentage of lost wages during time off work related to injury or illness recovery.

There are three main areas of coverage involved:

Medical expenses:

Immediate and ongoing medical costs related to the incident, including medications, surgery, doctors’ visits, specialist referrals, etc., and death benefits for fatal incidents. 

Lawsuit costs:

Court costs, lawyer fees, witness fees, and settlement costs are all covered by this area of workers’ comp insurance. 

Compliance:

This is simply about maintaining coverage that is compliant with the law in your state, as fines can be imposed for those who do not comply.  

Janitorial Services Classification Codes and Considerations

Class codes for a janitorial business can be a bit tricky. That’s because even though some companies are divided into residential and commercial services, there are also plenty that do both. Therefore, it’s best to understand the classifications before you dive in. 

9014 – This classification is the most common one in janitorial services. It includes general cleaning, commercial cleaning, post-construction cleaning, vacation rental cleaning, pet waste removal, ground-level window cleaning, pressure washing, and other related services.

0917 – This code applies to residential cleaning services. It also covers businesses that handle both residential and commercial cleaning, provided that over 50% of their work is residential.

9170 – This specific code is for window cleaning that takes place above ground level. More details on this classification are discussed below.

9403 – This code is designated for junk or waste removal services provided by cleaning contractors. Due to the rise in junk hauling services, this separate code ensures accurate classification.

5610 – If your business involves post-construction cleaning and major debris removal, employees should be classified under this code.

Kickstand Note: 

Many janitorial businesses have part-time workers and often assume they don't need workers' comp for them. However, all employees, regardless of their work hours, need to be covered by workers' compensation insurance.

In addition to these classifications, there are some special considerations to keep in mind. 

Combination Services 

If you do both residential and commercial cleaning, you should separate your payroll and make sure that you classify employees accordingly. If the majority of your business is commercial, underwriters may be okay using code 9014 to classify employees.

However, you should also have the 0917 code for residential on your policy as an “if any basis” so that it gets paid, even if you are listed primarily as commercial. 

Hood and Vent Cleaning 

Although hood and vent cleaning is considered part of the 9014 classification, most underwriters don’t like it there. Issues like roof and height exposure are factors that the underwriter doesn’t want to see.

Therefore, you should talk to your insurance provider about classifying these services accurately so that you’re covered and claims get paid if anything happens. 

Construction Debris Removal

While construction cleaning, such as final cleaning or move-in and move-out cleaning, is covered under code 9014, the removal of construction debris is not. If employees are hauling and cleaning up sheet metal, bricks and cinder blocks, etc., it’s going to be under code 5610 instead.

Otherwise, you may not get claims paid accurately with your workers’ compensation insurance for janitorial services. 

If you’re only doing 5610 cleanouts once or twice per year, the underwriter may allow you to list as 9014 primarily. You’ll still want to include the other code as an “if any” addition, though. 

Carpet Cleaning 

Although it’s technically a janitorial service, carpet cleaning is classified as laundry and coded 2581. If you only clean carpets once in a while, you may not need this code.

However, if your entire business (or a segment of it) is for carpet cleaning, you need to classify employees under the 2581 code. 

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Off-Ground Window Cleaning 

Cleaning exterior windows on tall buildings is not considered general janitorial services. The 9014 code will only cover ground-level cleaning or residential window cleaning.

You need to have employees classified under 9710 if they are cleaning windows above the ground. This informs the insurance company of the additional risk involved. 

Pest Control 

Although it’s under the same class code as janitorial, pest control is fumigation. Therefore, many underwriters won’t write workers’ comp for it even though it’s in the same class.

Make sure that you’re being transparent about your business and its operations so that you can properly classify employees and get the protection that your business needs. 

Lawn Care and Maintenance 

Workers’ compensation insurance for landscapers and lawn maintenance professionals falls under its own classification, not part of janitorial or cleaning services. There are multiple codes, with 0042 being the most common (landscaping or gardening contractor).

Other codes include:

• 9102 – Lawn maintenance, mowing services, and park maintenance (no tree removal or planting)
• 6217 – Landscaping with tree removal and/or excavation
• 0042 – Sod or turf installation, general landscape contractor 

Tips for Saving Money on Janitorial Services Insurance 

Business insurance can get expensive and when you need different types of coverage, it adds up quickly. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a small fortune to get the protection that your business needs.

Here are some tips that can help you save:

• Make sure payroll is accurate. If you don’t estimate your payroll properly, you’ll have to pay the difference when the policy is up. 
• Document and report all incidents, no matter how minor they may seem. Small issues can escalate over time, and failing to report them promptly could result in denied claims due to insufficient documentation.
• Have a process in place for filing workers’ comp claims in your janitorial business. This will make things easier for both you and your employees. 
• Always be prepared for an audit. Audits can happen unexpectedly, so keep your payroll and insurance records well-organized and up-to-date.
• Shop around and make sure that you’re getting the best coverage. There are a lot of companies out there claiming to have great prices, but they often skimp on essential coverage—avoid them at all costs. 

For more money-saving tips and to learn about setting up programs or asking for discounts, check out our detailed blog on how to reduce your janitorial workers' comp costs. 

Janitorial Workers’ Comp Pay-As-You-Go 

Pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation is often advertised as a way to save money, but that's not always the case. For established janitorial businesses with a steady payroll, it might not make much of a difference. However, for startups or growing businesses, it can be a real game-changer.

If you're just starting out or your business is expanding, your payroll can change a lot from month to month. One month you might hire two new employees, and the next month you might need to let one go. 

Traditional workers' comp plans require you to estimate your annual payroll upfront, which can be tricky and often leads to overpaying or underpaying. With pay-as-you-go, you only pay premiums based on your actual payroll, calculated in real-time. This means no large upfront payments and more accurate costs that adjust with your payroll changes.

While it might not save money directly, it gives you the financial flexibility to pay the right amount based on your current situation.

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How to choose an Insurance Agency

Workers’ compensation insurance is based on risk, just like all insurance products. Therefore, some industries and businesses will find that they are considered to be a higher risk and thus pay higher premiums for insurance coverage. The good news is that if you choose a reputable insurance provider, they should be able to get you covered, even if you have a few things working against you. 

In addition to finding someone that has the coverage that you need, you’ll want to look for an insurance agency that has:

• Experience in business insurance policies and products 
• Dedicated expertise in workers’ comp for janitorial services, as well as other related coverage
• A reputation for high-quality service and support 

If you do it right, you’ll have the perfect coverage for your business in no time. 

The Bottom Line

Workers’ comp insurance for janitors is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Protect your employees and your investment with top-notch coverage.

Get an instant quote and partner with the experts at Kickstand Insurance to get your business covered.