Has it come to this?  Should concrete pumping contractors require all their customers to have on file a copy of their general liability and workers compensation insurance.  Six months ago an illegal alien was injured on the job moving hose.  He was working for cash under the table for a concrete contractor that was also owned by an illegal alien.  The concrete contractor had no general liability insurance and no workers comp insurance.  The house was being built by a home builder under an LLC.  The house was finished and sold before the injured worker began to file suit.  The home builder had already sold the house and the LLC had no assets.  The only company on the job with insurance is the pumping contractor.  Guess who now has to fight a lawsuit?   What about all those C.O.D. jobs that are done for guys working on the side?  Where is the liability?

even yrs back in the late 80's when i owned my company i was requird to show proff of wc and so on. this is nothing new man

 part of the problem is as subcontractors, pump companies are in most cases 10 times the size of our customers and also have a single piece of equipment that is worth more than the houses we pump on, if not the whole neighborhood $ wise. the finger always gets pointed at the deepest pocket!

you boom guys sure do find ways to lose your ass, why not have a declaration in a work order that someone has comp or approved workers and if not you can have a right to sur charge the customer three time your liability insurance premium because a claim will raise your rates at any time in the future. concept is regardless of pumping make a profit.

eugene, Do you have any idea what a "boomguy's" premium is? let alone a "Bigboomguy" that has a bunch of other "boomguys" running "boompumps" for him? I realize these big shiny boompumps dont runaround with pricetags on 'em but the bigger ones cost well over 1,000,000$ thats 6 zeros, no decimal. Now lets see whats a "ballpumperguys" premium? Read the topic contents again the worker hurt himself "MOVING CONCRETE HOSE" the topic title could easily read "Did you hear Eugene's getting sued" you better start check'n for greencards tomorrow! Oh and let me know what kind figure you come-up with for your "premium surcharge"

You can buy a swell 65 meter for a bump over $850,000. [fewer 0s]

But yeah, you are right, the pumper is probably the only REAL contractor on a lot of jobs.

And the biggest target for litigation.

hey tootall i do not provide insurance for a two hundred dollar job. and yea i have to do most of the work or will have to stop someone from hanging thier ass out there.

if you guys are providing free insurance well not too bright. iam just saying that if they need your policy you should be able to charge for it, does it make sence.

i gave up contrating to pump and yea i do get some projects and make more money its called profit but when i pump its by the hour or a flat rate its called day labor COD if someone gets hurt well it was not my hose that jumped out and did it to them.

had a home owner helping the contractor move my hose and he went off a two foot wall into the soft dirt then a hose tender broke a scaffold board and went down four foot into the empty pool. niether one of these guys followed my instrution because the foreman was yelling out the calls. well i drove off unpaid because they wanted a certificate of insurance. so i called the person to bill out and was told that someone might have to go to the hospital and i told them good idea because you had a dangerous site without proper safety railings and you could keep my wages.

 I've been pumping 14 years,no accidents, no claims(wood knocking). Being safe and careful is not something you can purchase(being stupid wih a fat policy will not help you and brings the industry down as a whole,via higher premiums). I am a small linepump co no operators, own 2 olins,rock and pea. I've been with the same insurance co for 14 years,everyone I know(linepumpers) have lost their insurance or have been forced to use a certain carrier,De****.  I believe there should be competition between companys to ensure fair premiums vs service recieved.        For instance,If given a choice would you want a low premium ins co that may give you problems if an issue arrive?,or an A+++ rated nationally known power house that you know will resolve the issue. I'd chose higher rate better service(just my opinion).

Todd, as far as the question asked,Yes to absolve your comany of possible litigation,yes make them provide insurance certificates(i don't) Maybe in ten/twenty years it may be standard practice,but for now there are to many fly by night contractors and last minute calls/bailouts, that would prevent prescreening jobs.Or fly by night pumpers that lack insurance themselves.The last sentence is probably my biggest peeve of all.I do things by the book,legitimate/legal,but unfortunately a lot of my concrete pumping brothers do not. To me ,that issue alone is the hardest part of pumping,competing with others on a totally different playing field. Only by good service and and great work ethic am I still around.I am the more exspensive concrete pump in my area, as a result I dont work all the time but when I do its worth it to me.If you need a cheap pump, I know a guy with three claims in the last two years,with no insurance,(works everyday) want his number?

You make an arguable point about the "free insurance" issue. But man, there should be no such thing as a "two hundred dollar pump-job". unless of course your in the Phillipines, otherwise you've got to be cutt'n your own thruoght or someone else's(even w/a ball pump)           pump-off!

Accidents or a no win situation anyway you look at it, if your in the wrong its gonna cost you,if you are partly at fault its gonna hurt you,if you are free of wrong doing your insurance carrier should defend you thats why we have insurance if you dont your gambling with your livelihood and all your assets,not to smart,should we require all customers to have insurance ,it should be a clause on your ticket ,but should we have to check and get certificate ,I dont think so