How To Avoid a Garage Keepers Legal Liability Claim

Business owners who operate dealerships, garages and auto repair shops are responsible for keeping their client’s automobiles safe while in their care, custody and control. To avoid paying out of pocket for any damage you cause to a customer’s vehicle while undergoing service or repair, it’s important to have Garage Keeper’s Legal Liability coverage in place.

Even if you have the best insurance policy imaginable, risk is all around you. For example, when Trevor’s new automotive repair shop technician carelessly moves a customer’s car out of the bay and hits the side of your building and damages the bumper of the customer’s car. Or, Maddie’s parking lot attendant who valets 40+ vehicles per night gets distracted by his iPhone and backs one of the cars into another one.  Guess who’s responsible for those cars if something happens? That’s right. Trevor and Maddie, the business owners. Trevor and Maddie spent decades building their businesses and they insured their businesses with all the necessary coverages. 

But, how can we help them avoid a claim altogether?

Mitigating risk prevents the need to file a Garage Keeper’s Legal Liability Claim. Here are some tips to share with your clients:

• Keep up with all scheduled equipment maintenance and physical plant upkeep, ensuring safety drives every decision.
• Hold regularly scheduled safety meetings with mandatory attendance for all staff members and include education on all MSDS regulations and fire prevention techniques.
• Take appropriate precautions for weather related events by ensuring all traveled areas of your business are well lit and free of obstacles.
• Hire staff with clean driving records and review DMV records to ensure they remain violation-free. Enforce warnings and disciplinary measures when your employees damage customer vehicles.
• Install surveillance equipment and erect property security signage in prominent locations on your property, housing all customer vehicles within this area. Properly secure and lock up all vehicles when unattended.

 
Our team at Jencap provides innovative and competitive insurance products for all your clients’ unique needs.