Property Management Insurance

[Daniel Lehman]

I am starting a business which involves offering residential services to people in the form of lawn care, house cleaning, light repairs (drywall, painting, fixing a single fence post, etc...) and basically just doing jobs that help maintain and upkeep properties. I don't have plans to get into construction and build decks or install new fencing for example.

I talked to an insurance broker and he suggested I get property management insurance. There was some confusion because he wasn't sure if I was starting a landscaping company and needed that insurance or if I was starting a janitorial business for house cleaning and needed that insurance. Eventually it was realized that I'm basically just doing light maintenance and general upkeep for properties and he suggested a property management insurance policy which would cover all that is needed.

I told him I thought you need a Broker's license (I live in Western NY) to be a property manager, or at the very least I would need a Realtor's license. He said I wouldn't because of the fact that I won't be collecting rent and finding new tenants etc. for other people.

Now, since I don't have any plan's to collect rent for people or find tenants etc, so what should I do here? Am I okay to run a business doing things that fall under property management in the form of maintenance and upkeep without technically being a PM?