Contract With Security Companies

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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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.
 
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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Any idea if this applies to boats? Good info, thanks

If you mean insurance on your boat, like on a car, that is totally different.

What I was writing about was using an armed watchman(en) and who is liable if during the course of his shift a watchman wounds or kills somebody.

What we learned was that if you are getting the watchman from on of the companies, the company is if you have a contract with the company and if the contract states the company is solely responsible. If you are using a watchman from a company and don't have a contract, you are responsible and it is very likely your liability insurance won't help you.
 

TropicalPaul

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Sep 3, 2013
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I use a security company and pay an eye-watering RD$26,800 per month, out of which they pay the guy RD$9,500 and put the rest in their trouser pocket. However the reason I do this is precisely because if anything happens and the guard shoots someone, it will be their problem, not mine. Most security companies have good connections with the police - often they are set up by ex police chiefs - so they know their way around the system. I have taken a lot of advice on this as I really resent the money they are making out of me, but everyone I have spoken to has agreed that if they are armed, it's always best to employ security guards through a firm.
 

Mountaintrout

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Feb 9, 2013
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If you mean insurance on your boat, like on a car, that is totally different.

What I was writing about was using an armed watchman(en) and who is liable if during the course of his shift a watchman wounds or kills somebody.

What we learned was that if you are getting the watchman from on of the companies, the company is if you have a contract with the company and if the contract states the company is solely responsible. If you are using a watchman from a company and don't have a contract, you are responsible and it is very likely your liability insurance won't help you.

What if I was living on the hook and had an armed guard on my boat while I was away from it?
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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What if I was living on the hook and had an armed guard on my boat while I was away from it?

If he is your employee, make sure you have yourself covered by insurance. If you hire somebody from a security company, be sure you have a signed contract that includes that the company is responsible for his actions.

If you don't have insurance and your guard is not from a company, don't let him have a gun.
 
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Mountaintrout

New member
Feb 9, 2013
119
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If he is your employee, make sure you have yourself covered by insurance. If you hire somebody from a security company, be sure you have a signed contract that includes that the company is responsible for his actions.

If you don't have insurance and your guard is not from a company, don't let him have a gun.

Thanks for the info.