Does a personal home insurance cover my housekeeping activities?

No. Any commercial activity is excluded from a personal home policy. If you clean for clients for a fee, you need a separate commercial policy.

Are my employees covered for workplace accidents?

Workplace accidents are covered by the CNESST. Registration is mandatory from the first employee in Quebec.

Should I insure my vehicles commercially or personally?

Any vehicle used to transport equipment, employees, or to visit clients must be insured under commercial auto insurance FPQ-1.

Do chemicals increase my premium?

Standard products are normal. The use of industrial solvents, acids, or decontamination after a loss classifies your business in a higher risk profile.

Do my subcontractors need their own insurance?

Ideally yes. Require a $2M liability certificate from each subcontractor. Otherwise, your policy will need to extend coverage.

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Q: What is the recommended minimum liability coverage?

In Quebec, $2M is the minimum accepted by most commercial and institutional clients. For public contracts or hospitals, $5M is often required.

Q: What is bonding (employee surety)?

Bonding compensates your client if one of your employees commits theft or fraud on their premises. Most contracts require $10,000 to $100,000 per employee.

Q: How long does it take to obtain an insurance certificate?

Once the quote is accepted, the official certificate is issued within 24 to 48 hours and sent directly to your client.

Your housekeeping or janitorial business operates every day on your clients’ premises — offices, condos, commercial buildings, hospitals, schools. A simple fall, a broken glass, a chemical leak or a theft by an employee can turn into a claim of thousands of dollars. At Assur360, our AMF-certified brokers compare more than 9 insurers to offer you comprehensive janitorial business insurance in Quebec — civil liability, equipment, commercial vehicles and employee bonding.

Commercial cleaning company — Assur360 insurance

IN BRIEF

Insurance for cleaning companies

Commercial maintenance firms (offices, factories, condos) have liability for damage to customer premises (scratched floors, damaged property, theft by employees). Care, custody and control guarantee essential.

Essential: fidelity bond / employee dishonesty covering theft by employees on client sites. Contract-requested in most commercial contracts.

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Insurers Compared

$2M

Minimum recommended liability

3 min

Submission time

100 %

AMF Brokers

Why insure your housekeeping business?

The janitorial and janitorial industry presents unique risks: access to customer premises, handling of chemicals, wet floors, employees without direct supervision, multiple movements. The right business insurance protects your business from lawsuits, property losses, and customer claims.

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Falling on wet floors

A visitor slides on a freshly washed floor in an office that you are cleaning. Back injury, $150,000 lawsuit. Commercial liability insurance covers your legal defense and compensation.

⚗️

Chemical damage

An industrial cleaner damages a hardwood floor or marble countertop. Professional liability insurance covers damage to your clients’ property.

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Employee bonding

An employee steals jewelry, electronics or money from a customer. Employee bonding compensates the customer and protects your reputation.

Essential Coverages for Your Cleaning Company

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Commercial Liability $2M

Protection against bodily injury and property damage caused to third parties during your cleaning activities. Most commercial customers require $2 million minimum.

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Equipment and tools

Industrial vacuums, scrubbers, steam generators, products in inventory — insured against theft, fire, accidental breakage, on your premises, in transit or at the customer’s site.

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Commercial Auto (Fleet)

Vans, vans and trailers used to transport equipment and personnel. Commercial FPQ-1 registration required — not personal.

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Bonding

Compensation in the event of theft, fraud or dishonesty of an employee at a customer’s premises. Mandatory for most commercial and institutional contracts in Quebec.

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Company assets

Warehouse, office, product inventory, parking, signage. Protection against fire, theft, vandalism and water damage, including business interruption.

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CNESST (WCB Quebec)

Mandatory registration with the CNESST to protect your employees in the event of a workplace accident. Contributions by industry and payroll — not private insurance.

Steps to insure your cleaning business

Profile of your company

Number of employees, annual revenue, types of customers (residential, commercial, institutional), territory covered, products used.

Specific risk analysis

Post-disaster cleaning, heights, pressure washers, solvent use, after-hours access — each activity influences the bounty.

Comparison of 9+ insurers

Our brokers shop for your file with specialized commercial insurers (Intact, Northbridge, Aviva, Travelers) to get the best price/coverage ratio.

Certification and Start-up

Certificate of insurance issued within 24–48 hours, sent directly to your customers requiring proof before starting contracts.

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Broker’s advice

If you use subcontractors, require them to hold their own $2 million SOA and provide a by-law certificate. Otherwise, your policy will have to cover their activities — which significantly increases your premium. Always mention this aspect to your Assur360 broker.

Cleaning company insurance rates in Quebec 2026

Company	Employees	Turnover	Annual premium approx.
Self-employed residential	Less than $1	$50,000	$450 to $800
Small Residential	2 to 5	$50,000 to $250,000	$900 to $1,800
Commercial Maintenance (Offices)	5 to 15	$250,000 to $1 million	$1,800 to $3,500
Industrial/Institutional	15+	$1M and over	$3,500 to $8,000+

*Indicative rates 2026. Get your exact price in 3 minutes.

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Cities served in Quebec

Assur360 insures housekeeping and janitorial companies throughout Quebec, including Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Saguenay, Thetford Mines, Longueuil, Lévis, Terrebonne, Repentigny and all surrounding regions. Our brokers know the specifics of local markets — urban condominiums, office towers, institutional buildings — and adjust your coverage accordingly.

Frequently asked questions — Cleaning business insurance

Does personal home insurance cover my household activities?

No. Any commercial activity is excluded from a personal home policy. If you’re cleaning at customers’ homes for a fee — even just one day a week — you need a separate commercial policy. Without it, a claim will be denied.

What is the minimum recommended amount of civil liability?

In Quebec, $2 million is the minimum accepted by most commercial and institutional clients. For public contracts, hospitals or high-value buildings, $ 5 million is often required. Your Assur360 broker adapts the limit according to your current contracts.

What is bonding?

Bonding compensates your customer if one of your employees commits theft or fraud on their premises (money, jewelry, equipment). This is different from liability — which covers accidental damage. Most maintenance contracts require a bonding of $10,000 to $100,000 per employee.

Are my employees covered against workplace accidents?

Your employees’ workplace accidents are covered by the CNESST (Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail). Registration is mandatory from the 1st employee in Quebec. The CNESST is not a private insurance — it is a provincial public plan.

Do I have to insure my commercial or personnel vehicles?

Any vehicle used to transport equipment, employees or to travel to customers’ homes must be insured under commercial auto insurance (FPQ-1). A personal policy excludes business use — a claim will be denied if the vehicle was used for work at the time of the loss.

Do the chemicals I use increase my premium?

Standard products (degreasers, disinfectants, glass cleaners) are considered normal. On the other hand, the use of industrial solvents, acids, hydrofluorics, strong ammonia or disaster decontamination classifies your company in a higher risk profile. Be transparent with your broker — omitted information voids the policy in the event of a claim.

Do my subcontractors need to have their own insurance?

Ideally, yes. Require a $2 million SOA certificate by name from each subcontractor before they start a contract. Otherwise, your policy will have to extend the coverage — which increases the premium and deductible.

How long does it take to obtain a certificate of insurance?

At Assur360, once the quote is accepted, the official certificate is issued within 24 to 48 hours and sent directly to your client (building owner, manager, institution). For an urgent start, our brokers can speed up the process the same day.

Why trust Assur360?

✓AMF certified firm

✓Chamber of Insurance Member

✓100,000+ quotes completed

✓13 partner firms in Quebec

✓Independent brokers

✓ Service in French throughout QC

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Last updated: June 26, 2026

Janitorial Business Insurance Quebec 2026