A license, experience and good recommendations are among the top requirements you should check for when looking for a plumber. While the value of previous work can never be underrated, there are some basic, yet critical requirements that your plumber of choice should have before he/she starts any work in your home.

Insurance

There are two kinds of insurance your plumber should have:

• Liability insurance
• Workers' compensation

The liability insurance ensures that any damage done to your home by the plumber and his team in the process of doing their work will be taken care of by the plumber. This is important because, in the absence of this insurance, you will be left to take care of these damages, which will be an added expense for you.

Make sure that your plumber's liability insurance is a general liability insurance which includes public and product liability. Public liability covers the damages caused by the plumber and his crew, while product liability cover damages caused by faulty products that the plumber may have used while working on your house: for instance, a faulty pipe.

The workers' compensation takes care of any injuries to the workers while at work. This is critical because without it, as the homeowner, you are liable for anyone injured while working on your property. This means that you will have to take care of all their medical bills until they recover, or their funeral costs and compensation to their families in the event of death.

Bond

Your plumber should also have a surety bond before starting any work in your home. A bond provides added protection to you as the homeowner in that it covers repairs and replacements for work that was poorly done or incomplete.

It also takes care of compensating you for any items that may have been stolen by the plumber or his crew, and for any illegal practices carried out by the plumber that could attract fines such as failure to pay for a permit from your municipality.

Without the bond, you will be left with the burden of paying off all these expenses, without recourse for any unfinished or shoddy work.

All or nothing

Therefore, it is highly recommended that your plumber be both insured and bonded. Most licensed plumbers tend to be insured and bonded, but it is important to confirm that their covers are up to date while they are working for you. In addition, in some states, it is illegal to have plumbers without both covers working on your property, so be sure to check that out with your state and municipality.

For more information and details, consider contacting a local plumbing company, such as Sam's Local Plumbing, and discussing their insurance and bonding requirements.