The contractor's insurance protects you from involvement in injuries to workers and third parties, and damages to other property associated with the work being done on your home.

Here are examples of how you could be liable if the contractor does not carry the right insurance:

• One of the contractor's worker's cuts his hand and loses a week of work while he is working on your property—you could be liable!
• Someone walking down the sidewalk trips over a piece of shingle dropped by the contractor's workman—you could be liable!
• One of the contractor's ladders tips over and breaks the neighbor's window—you could be liable!

We are a Class A licensed business in the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as holding additional local business licenses throughout Northern Virginia.

General Liability and Workman's Compensation Insurance.

One of the ways the state and local authorities ensure professionalism is through the business licenses they grant to contractors. The license is another assurance that the contractor is a responsible businessman.

The Commonwealth of Virginia requires all contractors to be licensed. The requirements to obtain a license are tougher than some other states. To obtain a license in Virginia the contractor must demonstrate experience or work history in the business, must pass a written examination, and must demonstrate stability through financial statements, credit reports and list of equipment. Local jurisdictions, like Prince William County, the City of Manassas, etc. also require separate business licenses.

Don't judge the value of proposals from different contractors on the lowest bid alone.