Handyman insurance rates spiking on ladder jobs, sick of this BS

I'm a handyman out here in Arizona the inspectors are sticklers on everything, been doing this 15 years patching drywall, hanging shelves, and small ladder repairs in Phoenix area homes. Lately my commercial general liability insurance jumped 40% because of some claim stats on ladder falls, even though I've never had a big incident. I use Milwaukee M18 step ladders and always tie off, but the premiums are killing my margins on these $500-800 gigs. Tried shopping around to a couple brokers but they all say the same, handymen are high risk now with all the TikTok hacks gone wrong. Saw a post in Handyman Nation group where a guy in Cali had to drop ladder work altogether. Anyone else dealing with this crap? Thinking of raising rates just to cover it.

Shop around for policies that exclude ladder work if you can, or bundle with your auto insurance for a discount. I switched to Progressive last year and saved 25% on my handyman coverage.

Insurance companies see us handymen as the wild west, one viral video of a guy falling off a step stool and boom, rates for all of us skyrocket. 😂

This is why private equity is buying up all the small handyman ops, they negotiate better group rates and screw the solos like us. Fight back by joining a trade association for bulk discounts.

Document every job with photos before and after, especially ladder setups, it saved my ass on a denied claim last month. Use a cheap GoPro or your phone.

Same here man, my back's killing me from hauling ladders in this heat, and now insurance wants more? Total BS, had to pass on two gigs last week.