What a Handyman's Insurance Actually Covers

"Licensed, bonded and insured" appears on almost every home service website in the country. Most homeowners read it as one reassuring phrase rather than three separate claims, which is roughly the point.

Here's what the words mean, and which one you should actually care about.

Insured: the one that protects your house

General liability insurance covers damage caused to your property while someone is working on it. A dropped tool through a window. A ladder into a light fixture. A tarp that shifts and lets compound onto a hardwood floor.

That's the coverage that matters to you as a homeowner, and it's the one worth confirming exists.

EasyFix carries general liability through Next Insurance. If you want to see the certificate before booking, ask — it takes a minute to send.

Licensed: not what most people assume, at least not here

This is where Illinois gets genuinely confusing, so it's worth being precise.

Illinois does not issue a state general contractor license. The state licenses particular trades — plumbing and roofing among them — but general contracting isn't one of them. It's regulated at the municipal or county level.

Which means a company advertising itself as a "licensed Illinois general contractor" is describing something the state doesn't issue. What they typically hold is a registration from one specific city, which is a real and legitimate thing — it just isn't statewide, and it isn't a license in the way the word implies.

I don't use "licensed" about EasyFix, because it would be borrowing weight the word doesn't carry here. What's accurate: registered LLC, insured, and holding an Arlington Heights municipal general contractor registration.

Bonded: mostly irrelevant for residential work

A surety bond is a financial guarantee, typically required on commercial and public contracts. For a handyman doing residential repairs, it rarely applies, and its presence or absence tells you very little.

How to check any of this in about two minutes

Ask for the certificate of insurance by email. Then read three things: the business name should match who you're hiring, the policy dates should include the day of your job, and it should say general liability.

If you want to go one step further, call the number on the certificate and confirm the policy is active. Insurers expect that call.

The thing worth asking that nobody asks

Not "are you insured" — almost everyone says yes. Ask "can you send me the certificate?"

The gap between those two questions is where most of the useful information is. Anyone actually carrying coverage has the PDF ready, because they get asked for it constantly.

— Kate with EasyFix Handyman Services

Common Questions

What does handyman insurance actually cover?

General liability covers damage to your property caused while work is being done — a dropped tool, a ladder into a fixture, material damage to a floor. That's the coverage worth confirming as a homeowner.

What's the difference between licensed, bonded and insured?

Insured refers to liability coverage protecting your property. Bonded refers to a surety bond, which mostly applies to commercial and public contracts. Licensed refers to trade licensing — which for general contracting in Illinois is issued by cities, not the state.

How do I verify a contractor's insurance?

Ask for the certificate by email, then check three things: the business name matches who you're hiring, the policy dates cover your job, and it lists general liability.