If you are using one or more watchmen, or plan to do so in the future, make sure you have a contract with the security company and be sure it includes in the contract that the company is solely responsible for the actions of its employees, agents, etc.
The contract is your protection from liability in case the watchman injures or kills someone.
Many, probably most, security companies do not have liability insurance. They used to have it, but insurance companies no longer are willing to sell only liability insurance, they include it with a complete package that includes buildings vehicles, etc, and the cost is more than the security companies can afford. So they are putting into their contacts that they are solely responsible.
This was the subject of lots of discussion in the condo where I live, concern that we would be liable. However, with the assurance of our attorney that we would be protected by the contract, we signed a contract to use an armed watchman.
If that were not true, said our attorney, he and all other attorneys would advise their clients not to contract with security companies and all the hotels, condominiums, housing projects, etc., that now use them would not be.
If you employ your watchmen, be sure your insurance company knows you have them as employees and that they are included in your liability coverage.
We checked with our insurance company and were told that our liability coverage does not include use of a private company, but that we could get insurance if we employed our own security people.
The contract is your protection from liability in case the watchman injures or kills someone.
Many, probably most, security companies do not have liability insurance. They used to have it, but insurance companies no longer are willing to sell only liability insurance, they include it with a complete package that includes buildings vehicles, etc, and the cost is more than the security companies can afford. So they are putting into their contacts that they are solely responsible.
This was the subject of lots of discussion in the condo where I live, concern that we would be liable. However, with the assurance of our attorney that we would be protected by the contract, we signed a contract to use an armed watchman.
If that were not true, said our attorney, he and all other attorneys would advise their clients not to contract with security companies and all the hotels, condominiums, housing projects, etc., that now use them would not be.
If you employ your watchmen, be sure your insurance company knows you have them as employees and that they are included in your liability coverage.
We checked with our insurance company and were told that our liability coverage does not include use of a private company, but that we could get insurance if we employed our own security people.
Last edited: