Will home owners insurance cover contractor's injury?

Question

An independent plumber was injured while working at someone's home. He is currently hospitalized and will take a very long time before he works again. The plumber does have an insurance policy, but it does not cover worker's comp. It only covers damage to his client's property, his vehicle and his tools. Will his client's home owners insurance cover this under personal liability?

Answer 1

Generally speaking, if he was in the process of work, then he will need a Work Comp policy to cover his injuries.  If he was having coffee with the homeowner after work was done, then there is a possibility.  Whether or not this will be covered is 100% dependent on what he was doing at the time he got injured.

Good luck to you!

Answer 2

Most homeowners policies have medical payments coverage that applies to a third party without regard to fault. The problem is that the limit of liability is usually quite low because it is intended to pay for immediate emergency type of expenses. Most policies cover only $1,000. with the opportunity to endorse a higher amount but few increase the standard amount.

You said it will be a long time before he works again. Medical payments will not cover loss of wages.

The plumber needed to purchase a health insurance policy and  a disability policy. Otherwise he has to sue his own client and prove that the homeowners negligence was the direct cause of his injury.

Answer 3

no.  the plumber should have had a policy in place for this

Answer 4

You are missing the most important piece of information: How did he get injured? If he was injured because of a hidden danger on the premises that the owner failed to warn the contractor about, then I could see them being liable. If he was injured due to the job he was doing, then the homeowner would not be liable. The general contractor or the plumber's company should have had Worker's Compensation in place for him, or he should have purchased a disability policy.

Answer 5

Depends on how the injury was incurred. If the plumber fell off a ladder or something, I doubt the homeowners will cover.