Not starting a big issue but

[Snow Lover 14]

how do these slash and dash people get away without being insured?

If you damage someones property your automaticaly responsable for the cost of that repair is the way I understood it.

What do they do have them sign some kind of wavier or contract that says there not responsable for any type of damage?

I wouldn't do this was just curious.

[Douglas Hicks 128]

Most people do not ask about license/insurance/bond/workers comp. People who want a cheap price don;t care about contractors coverage and get what they deserve. I have competitors who are not insured, I turn them in, and then follow-up w/the builders board. I keep calling until someone is assigned to the case, then follow-up some morre and if there is no actions, I find the name of the supervisor and annoy them. When something acually gets done, I write a letter to the supervisor praising the case worker and send a copy to the case worker. Those of us who are licensed, insured and are legal make a mistake by letting the scabs get by. Also , enclose copies of insurance, bond, workers comp, lisences and certifiacation with your bid. In Oregon, if you hire someone who is not lisenced and there is a problem, the CCB won't step in and help. If you hire someone who has no workers comp, the claim is filed against you.

In 2004 I lost a fire suppression system install to an unlisenced contractor from Idaho. I pursued the case and the unlisenced contractor got fined $1,000.00. The buisiness that hired him could also have faced fines. And in case you want to know, I am authorized to work in Idaho, as well as Oregon.

Douglas Hicks

General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

Licensed by the State of Oregon as a General Contractor, # 78491

[PressurePros 248]

There is a guy I talked to last week. He actually brags to people he has no insurance. He tells them it keeps his overhead lower and he can pass that savings on to the customer. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This guy also ragged on me for using "chemicals" on decks. Hot water and pressure is all you need, young fella. Yeah okay. He washes siding with high pressure from a ladder. He has been in business fifteen years and he says he has only had to replace minor damage here and there. The best part though is, I have come acrossed his estimates in the field. He is not much cheaper than me because his archaic method takes forever. There is nothing you can do about it except to educate your customer. My brochure has a section called "Is Your Contractor Up To Standard". In most cases, one whoopsie too many puts these guys out of business.

Now when it comes to fire supression and KEC, a restaurant has to be boneheaded not to verify insurance (and 80% of my former customers in this end of the business never asked me)

[newlook 265]

Nothing you can do about those that do not carry insurance. As PressurePro mentioned the only thing that you can do is try to educated your customer about the exposure they would be taken if they went with an uninsured company.