SERVICE MASTER CLEAN

The 2025 ServiceMaster Clean FDD (Item 8 / Section 11.2) requires General Liability at $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate on an occurrence form, primary and non-contributory; Auto Liability with additional insured and waiver of subrogation; Workers' Compensation at state-required limits with stop-gap in OH, ND, WA, and WY; Employers Liability at $500,000 across all three limits; and a revenue-tiered Umbrella at $1,000,000 (GSS under $3M enterprise) or $2,000,000 (GSS $3M+). ServiceMaster Clean SPE LLC and affiliates must be named as additional insured, through an admitted A-or-better carrier, with 30 days' cancellation notice.

A janitorial bond is a fidelity bond. It pays the client if your employee steals from them — but only after a criminal conviction in most cases, and the surety then seeks reimbursement from your business. The most common real claim, a credible accusation without a conviction, often pays nothing. A third-party crime policy pays on proof of loss without a conviction and does not seek reimbursement. The FDD recommends a crime policy; treat that recommendation as a requirement.

Care, custody, and control (CCC) coverage — also called bailee coverage — covers accidental damage to a client's property while it is in your care. Standard GL excludes property you are working on. For ServiceMaster Clean operators who perform floor care, carpet cleaning, and upholstery cleaning, this exclusion directly affects jobs in your core service mix.

Commercial accounts often demand certificates exceeding the FDD's GL and umbrella minimums — especially healthcare, government, or large property clients. Your GL premium is rated on revenue, so adding commercial accounts increases the exposure base and the year-end audit. Commercial accounts also typically require higher umbrella limits ($2M to $5M), making umbrella tier an active cost driver as you pursue larger clients.

The FDD recommends EPLI at $250,000 to $1,000,000 but does not require it. A commercial cleaning workforce with hourly employees and above-average turnover is a textbook EPLI exposure. After-hours, unsupervised work at client facilities also creates third-party EPLI risk — claims from client employees alleging harassment by your crew. Rikor's baseline is $250,000 for a newer franchisee.

NCCI code 9014 (Janitorial Services) is the standard classification for commercial cleaning including ServiceMaster Clean. The per-$100 payroll rate is set by the state's rating bureau — NCCI in most states — and applied by the carrier. WC premium is reconciled at year end against actual payroll. A 1099 cleaner without a certificate showing their own WC coverage can be added to your payroll base at the audit.

Request a certificate of insurance from your insurer or broker. The COI lists your GL, umbrella, auto, and WC limits and names the commercial client as additional insured if the contract requires it. ServiceMaster Clean SPE LLC and affiliates must appear as additional insured with the primary and non-contributory endorsement and waiver of subrogation already on file.

A bond typically pays only after a criminal conviction and seeks reimbursement. A commercial crime policy with third-party coverage pays on proof of loss without a conviction and does not seek reimbursement. For commercial janitorial operations with after-hours building access, the crime policy is the correct instrument. Ask for the Loss Discovered form — it covers theft found during the policy period regardless of when it began.

Yes. Workers' compensation covers your employees for injuries at client locations. Injuries during cleaning — a slip on a commercial floor, a strain moving equipment, a chemical contact during floor care — are all WC claims. The NCCI 9014 classification applies at client sites. Confirm your stop-gap endorsement if any employees work in OH, ND, WA, or WY.