When the Rain Moves In: Hard Truths for Mobile Car Detailers

The story below reflects what one mobile car-detailer wrote after 11 years in business:

“It’s been raining nearly nonstop this season, we’re talking weeks of gloomy skies with just a couple of dry days in between. In eleven years of detailing, I’ve never seen weather this relentless. It’s made it harder than ever to keep a steady flow of work, especially when most of your jobs rely on clear skies.”

“If you’ve got the means to build other income or pursue school, do it. Treat detailing as a side hustle, not your main source of income at first. Too many people spend everything on a van, gear, and branding, thinking five-star reviews will guarantee success , it doesn’t work that way anymore.”

What you see here isn’t just one person venting, it’s a cautionary snapshot of what life can look like when you’re in the business of cleaning and detailing cars for a living. The line between thriving and just scratching by is thinner than most new entrepreneurs assume.

The reality check

Weather matters. One detailer says that rain, overcast skies, and general bad-weather stretches have destroyed weeks of bookings.

Business guides confirm that auto-detailing and mobile services are highly weather-dependent. 

Competition is fierce. New entrants, “low-ball” offers, ceramic coating upsells, they’re all part of the mix.

The broader industry still grows. According to an industry overview, the U.S. auto-detailing sector is generating about $14-15 billion annually and remains viable. 

So: yes you can make it. But you cannot pretend the challenges don’t exist.

Why Mobile Detailers Are More Exposed Than They Think

When you’re running a mobile detail or car-wash operation, you are juggling risk on multiple fronts, not just “make the car look good” risk. Let’s break down some of those exposures.

Operational risk

• You’re working outdoors, exposed to rain, storms, overcast, cold, heat. If you show up for a job only to be rained out, or the customer cancels, it impacts revenue and labor.
• You might still have costs (travel, supplies, van + equipment, fuel) even when you don’t earn.
• If you’re working on wheels, removing iron particles, doing coatings, etc., you’re adding complexity, and adding risk of damage, injury, and insurance claims.

Market risk

• The detailer quote: “Some clients have big garages … but not everyone has a spacious garage.” Location and facility matter. If your setup isn’t resilient to bad weather, you’re vulnerable.
• The comment about “rain specials” is telling: “My friend does what he markets as ‘rain specials’. Basically, it’s a full interior detail… It’s surprising how many more clients he gets for that ‘special’ during the wet time of year compared to the dry when it’s marketed as just a full interior detail.”
  That shows adaptability matters.
• Outside finances matter: The original post mentions “Trump’s big bill causing people to cut back on spending and cut costs on any luxury services.” If that is fully accurate or not, the broader point is: when consumer discretionary spending drops. Yes, luxury services like detailing feel it.

Industry growth & mixed signals

Don’t mistake “growth” for “every business is guaranteed growth”. The mobile car wash & detailing market is predicted to expand globally.

Yet the same reports list weather dependency and operational costs as restraints on mobile detailing.

So you have an expanding market, but within it, survival still requires resilience.

What This Means for Insurance & Risk Management

If you’re running a mobile car-detailing business (or thinking about starting one), forget the glamorous “van, logo, 5-star reviews” dream until you’ve got a grip on the fundamentals. One of the fundamentals is: insurance coverage suited to your risk.

Here are some specific coverages you should be clear about:

Workers’ compensation, what you should know

• If you employ W-2 staff or even subcontractors in some states, you may need workers' compensation insurance. Nearly all states require businesses with employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance.

• The cost depends on the state, payroll, employee classification, and claims history. For small businesses, the average might be around $45/month as a median.

Example: One provider notes median cost ~$80/month.

• For a mobile detail business, your exposures (wet surfaces, travel risk, equipment handling) make this coverage meaningful.

Why insurance matters more for mobile detailers

• If a customer's vehicle is damaged, you may face liability claims.
• If you’re on a public/ private site, you may face bodily injury exposures (your employee slips, falls; you’re liable).
• Transporting tools, chemicals, a van, all bring equipment/property risk.
• Weather disruptions can force idle time; while insurance doesn’t fix that business risk, being uninsured amplifies it.

How to Structure Your Risk Strategy (Beyond Just Buying a Policy)

“It’s always gonna be a car to clean,” one commenter said, but the real issue is which cars, with which conditions, under which weather, for how much, and with what cost basis. To protect yourself you need a clear strategy. Here’s how you should think about it:

Business model clarity

• Are you fully mobile (van/truck, traveling to customer sites) or do you have a garage/shop space where you bring cars?
• Do you rely heavily on exterior washes (weather-dependent) or do you pivot to interiors or coatings (less weather-dependent)?
  One commenter said: “Since I started doing coatings … the weather affects me far less.”
• Do you advertise with review counts, social media, but have you done the math on weather slumps, idle time, cancellations?

Weather-proof your offer

• If rain is frequent in your region, build “rain-special” services in your offering. Interior details, specialized packages for wet months.
• Use marketing messaging: “Don’t let the weather stop your car from looking its best.”
• Ramp up digital scheduling so you can shift assignments around if weather threatens.
• Track your pipeline, cancellations, idle periods. Weather costs money, not just in lost revenue, but in fixed costs remaining.

Cost structure & pricing accordingly

• You’ll have periods where demand drops. Your pricing must absorb that risk.
• Include equipment depreciation, van maintenance, travel time, cancellation costs, and weather risk in your cost base.
• Think of contingency funds for slow spells.
• Consider bundling or subscription models: “Seasonal clean + inspection + coating discount” as a way to smooth income.

Insurance & compliance as a business lever

• Choose an insurer who understands your business: mobile, detailing, chemicals, and travel.
• Get quotes for mobile car wash insurance / auto-detailing operation, not just generic business insurance.
• For staff or contracted workers: get workers compensation insurance quotes early and understand state rules.
• Review your equipment list, van liability, and customer site exposures. A damage claim could wipe out your margin fast.
• One overlooked benefit: proper insurance (and documented safety/workflow) can reduce premiums or increase credibility when bidding for fleet accounts.

Marketing truthfully

• Don’t rely purely on “Instagram influencer” glam. The detailer quoted: “Think twice and do not put all your eggs in one basket.”
• Use your website and materials to show reliability, weather-adaptiveness, indoor options, coatings, fleet accounts, etc.
• Consider being transparent: “Rain delayed? We’ll shift indoors or reschedule, your time matters.” That builds trust.

At Farmers Insurance – Young Douglas, we work with businesses like yours. If you’re in the mobile or stationary auto-detailing business, we can help you benchmark, compare, and obtain coverage that aligns with the realities you face.

• We’ll provide multiple car-detailing business insurance options: liability, equipment, commercial auto, and property.
• We help you get tailored mobile car wash insurance quotes that reflect travel, weather risk, and customer-site work.
• We’ll help you get workers' compensation insurance quotes if you have employees, to make sure you’re compliant and protected.
• We’ll review your business profile, equipment, job types, and help you identify exposures you might have overlooked (chemical handling, slip/fall, customer vehicle damage).
• We’ll assist you in building documentation around operations (weather policy, cancellations, indoor backup), which may improve underwriting outcomes.

Know The Hard Truths

Starting or running a mobile car-detailing operation is appealing: low overhead, van, shine cars, and good reviews. But the shine hides the rough spots: weather ruins weeks, competition erodes rates, fixed costs linger when jobs dry up. The business is real, yes, and the market is solid, but not a guaranteed payday without smart structure, resilient operations, targeted marketing and appropriate insurance.

Be realistic: build your pricing and business model as if rain, slow months, cancellations will happen (because they will).

If you’re running a mobile detailing or car wash business and haven’t reviewed your coverage in a while, now’s the time to do it.

Check out how to insure your mobile detailing business for a look at what protections actually matter and how to find the right policy mix for your setup.