An uninsured contractor injures himself in your home, sues you, and walks away with a six-figure settlement against your homeowner's policy. This happens. The verification that prevents it takes 90 seconds.
Step 1: Ask for the Certificate of Insurance (COI) — every legit pro has one. Step 2: Note the carrier name and policy number. Step 3: Call the carrier directly to verify the policy is active. Step 4: Confirm general liability coverage of at least $1M and workers' comp if they have any helpers.
On HandyMandyMan, every pro with the 'Verified Insured' badge has had their COI confirmed by us within the last 12 months. We re-check at renewal automatically.
Bonus tip: any pro who hesitates to share insurance documentation should be removed from your shortlist immediately. There is exactly zero legitimate reason to refuse.