Key takeaways
5Public liability (PL) insurance isn't strictly mandatory under Australian law for cleaners. In practice, it's mandatory because:
The question for AU cleaners isn't whether to carry PL, it's how much and what gaps to watch.
The AU cleaning industry has settled on three coverage levels:
The choice between $10M and $20M depends almost entirely on what contracts you want to win. If you're bidding for commercial, body-corporate, or government cleaning contracts, $20M is the floor.
Public liability covers third-party property damage and bodily injury caused by your business activities. Three scenarios that come up regularly:
A cleaner has just mopped the kitchen of a residential client. The client walks in and slips, fracturing their wrist. ED visit, x-rays, surgery, six weeks off work.
This is the classic PL claim. The injury occurred because of your cleaning activity (wet floor). Liability is reasonably clear — you should have placed a wet-floor sign, you should have warned the client, you should have ensured the area was secure.
Medical costs alone can hit $20,000–$40,000. Loss-of-income claims for time off work add another $10,000–$30,000. Settlements typically land $50,000–$150,000 for a routine wrist injury, much more if there's permanent impairment.
A cleaner is dusting a high shelf with a feather duster. The duster catches a $4,000 Murano glass vase. The vase falls and shatters.
PL covers this. Replacement cost, plus an excess (typically $250–$1,000 depending on policy). Without PL, you're paying $4,000 out of pocket — and possibly losing the client.
Property damage claims are far more common than injury claims. Most operators experience at least one in their first three years.
A cleaner uses an acidic bathroom cleaner on a natural stone vanity. The stone etches permanently. Replacement cost (with installation): $3,800.
PL covers chemical damage caused by your activities. This is one of the most common claims in cleaning — operators don't always know which chemicals are safe for which surfaces, and natural stone, sealed timber, and certain paint finishes are particularly vulnerable.
Critical exclusions that cleaners regularly hit:
For a sole-trader residential cleaner doing $50k–$80k turnover:
For a small team (3–5 cleaners) doing $250k turnover:
For a multi-vehicle operation (10+ cleaners):
Premiums scale with revenue, claim history, and the nature of cleaning work (medical-cleaning attracts higher premiums than residential due to claim profiles).
When commercial clients ask for "proof of insurance", they want a Certificate of Currency (CoC). This is a one-page document from your insurer confirming:
Procurement teams cross-check the business name against ASIC. They want a CoC less than 30 days old for new contracts. Renewal CoCs are typically required annually. Track expiry dates with reminders — a lapsed CoC means a paused contract.
For PL only, going direct (Vero, Allianz, BizCover) is fine. Comparison sites (iSelect, comparethemarket) work for simple residential PL.
Once you're stacking PL + WC + Tools + Vehicle + Care/Custody/Control, a broker who specialises in cleaning trades saves you time and finds gaps generic comparison sites miss. Broker commission is paid by the insurer, not you — there's no operator-side cost to using a broker for the bundle.
Good brokers to know in 2026 for cleaning: BizCover (online), Westcourt (broker, cleaning specialty), Coverforce (broker, multi-trade).
Public liability is the cheapest insurance you'll buy and the one most likely to save the business. $10M for residential at $500/year buys peace of mind. $20M for commercial work at $1,000/year buys contract eligibility. Renew on time, file a current CoC with every major client, and don't let it lapse.
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