Batboard

Ok,

This might not make any sense at all but...

I have been doing installs for a long time now. But I have been doing it the "Good ol Boy" way where I install and take the money and thats it. No proof of transaction or me doing anything at all and I have NO insurance at all. I have a friend in the insurance business and hes telling me that if I wire someones car and it burns the car or causes something to go totally wrong and property/lives are damaged then my @ss is grass.

I would like to start keeping track of all the stuff I do. Anything from putting a radio in to doing a full blown install. I have the invoiceing software and everything.

What I am trying to figure out is some kind of warranty/disclaimer deal that says I am not responsible for anything that happens. I was just wondering what the guys that do this stuff EVERYDAY make people sign.

I may be lucky to do 3-4 good installs a month, so I dont see a need for insurance, but I KNOW one day it will come back to me when I destroy a new $50,000 vehicle.

So can anyone else help me write this thing?

I just need something basic that says... We agree to fix any malfunctioning parts that we installed but nothing else and we assume no responsibilities for mishaps down the road.

Maybe this is stupid, but now days you got to watch your butt.

Nick

Hate to tell you, but if any damage is done because of anything you did, YOU are responsible. You can wipe your *$$ with any disclaimer. Those of us in the business don't use them.

That's why I have 1 million in liability insurance in case Joe Fireman modifies something an a $750k ladder truck after I have been the last one known to have worked on the vehicle and it suddenly becomes toast or won't start for a call, etc.

The "good ole boy" system doesn't mean anything when there are those out there that are waiting for a piece of your hide when you screw up.

Disclaimer or not, someone will always be ready and waiting to sue for some inordinate amount of money. The disclaimer is only a TOOL in court so you have some basis to argue that the person knew there were risks and did it anyway.

Commtek:

This thread kind of ties in with what I posted on Friday about Insurance for Install work.

I didn't get any responses back from anyone on the board. If you don't mind me asking, what company do you use to insure with? I got some premium quotes back from a company based here in Iowa. I don't mind shopping around nationwide, but I'd prefer a local ins. company. Am still doing some research.

I, too, asked for a quote of $1M dollars in coverage. I don't intend to work on vehicles without the insurance and I merely intend to start out this as a side business and see if it's successful. I've secured all of the necessary zoning, state and Federal Tax Permits. I just haven't taken the plunge on an insurance policy, yet.

Thanks.

Blaze.

Exactly! If YOU were the last one to install a radio in a $900,000 ladder truck and some half-wit inbreed decides to "hook me up" some of "them there" Liteboxes since they know how to install foglights in their pickup truck with #24 speaker wire, then burns it down, they come after you and it's your job to prove that it wasn't your work. Even if a fuel line comes loose and burns it...YOU just worked on it, so of course, you must have done it.

Spend the money and gt at least some insurance. If something would happen, at least your insurance company will perform the investigation.

Another note: make sure you use real materials for installations. If you use garbage wire, connectors and such, it could still fall back on you since you didn't use any type of approved materials.

Another note yet about ATO fuses: I've seen many shops use generic fuses 'cause they're 1/2 price. Unless they say "BUSS" or "LITTLEFUSE", they are not SAE rated fuses. These two companies are the only ones that are legally even allowed to produce these fuses according to the patent holder. There's alot of China and Singapore junk getting dumped here. Most of these can be easily lit with a cigarette lighter...can't do that with a Buss or Littlefuse.

Bottom line: CYA (cover your ass) unless you have too much extra cash laying around.