Insurance and Environmental Issues in Mobile Car Washing
By Lance Winslow
Well many in the mobile car washing Industry sub-sector say that running a home based small business like a mobile car wash is perhaps one of the simplest businesses in the World to operate. Indeed this is true and after spending 25 plus years enjoying the fruits of this mobile onsite car wash business, I can say it was a major plus. Nevertheless there are some serious issues which must be addressed in mobile car washing; namely the issues of Insurance and Environmental concerns and considerations.
In the Mobile Car Washing Business the Environmental issues are quite simple, no water is allowed to flow into a storm drain as per the NJDEP and the EPA Federal Clean Water Act along with the NPDES permits of townships, cities, counties and corporate properties. I have seen some people cleaning in office parks blocking storm drains and then vacuuming the water remaining that did not evaporate into waste wash water tanks either to take to a Coin-op car wash to dump (make a deal with owner-trade for pressure washing his location) or to the POTW sewer treatment facility.
Insurance is another huge issue and you will need 1-million completed operations insurance and Garage Keepers liability probably 100,000 per occurrence the cost will be based on your estimated annual income when you sign up, look for an Independent Insurance Agency handling commercial lines. They will be able to assist.
The mobile car wash business is a simple business model and a service, which everyone desires and it is for this reason that a savvy entrepreneur can in fact learn a lot from working in this sub-sector and enjoy it. It pays to think ahead on some of the more serious issues such as insurance and environmental concerns, as they must be addressed.