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Completed Operations Coverage for Snow Removal Contractors

You plow and salt a plaza at 5 a.m. By noon the sun melts a snowbank, the meltwater runs across the lot, and by 6 p.m. it has frozen into black ice. Someone falls. You were not on site for more than twelve hours, but the injured person's lawyer names you anyway.

Claims like that are why completed operations coverage matters so much in snow removal.

What Completed Operations Means

Most general liability policies divide exposure into two parts:

  • Premises and operations: claims arising while you are actively doing the work.
  • Products and completed operations: claims arising after the work is finished and you have left.

For snow contractors, a large share of slip and fall claims fall into the second category. Conditions change after you leave, and the claim alleges your work was inadequate or caused the hazard.

Why It Is Especially Important in Snow Work

  • Refreeze. Melt and refreeze cycles create ice hours after service. This is a major issue with chinooks in Alberta and frequent freeze and thaw in southern Ontario.
  • Snowbank placement. Piles you create can melt across walkways and parking areas.
  • Salt timing. Questions about when and how much you salted often come up in claims. See salting and sanding insurance.
  • Delayed notice. Claims can surface weeks or months later. In Ontario, the 60 day notice rule shortens that window for private property claims, but notices still arrive after the fact.

What to Confirm With Your Broker

  1. Completed operations is included on your general liability policy and not excluded for snow and ice.
  2. The completed operations aggregate limit is adequate for your contracts.
  3. Additional insureds are covered for completed operations where your contract requires it.
  4. Your umbrella policy, if you have one, sits over completed operations as well.

Your Records Are Your Defence

Completed operations claims often turn on what the site looked like when you left and what you did about changing conditions. Time stamped snow logs, photos, weather notes and salt records are critical. Read snow logs and site documentation that win claims.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is completed operations included in general liability?

Often, but not always, and it can be limited or excluded. Confirm with your broker that it applies to snow and ice work.

How long after I plow can a completed operations claim be made?

Claims can arise hours, days or weeks after service. Legal deadlines vary by province and circumstance, so speak with a lawyer about any specific situation.