Framing contractor insurance that covers your biggest risks.

Cost depends on trade type, annual revenue, payroll, crew size, project types, and loss history. A solo contractor may pay a few thousand per year for basic GL and auto; larger firms with multiple crews and specialty coverage pay more. We quote your actual business in about 15 minutes — never a generic estimate.

Completed-operations coverage protects you from liability claims that arise after a project is finished. Defects discovered months or years after punch-out — structural failures, water intrusion, electrical issues — are completed-operations claims. Every contractor who finishes physical work needs this coverage properly structured in their GL policy.

GL covers bodily injury and property damage from your physical work. Professional liability (E&O) covers claims arising from professional decisions — errors in designs, specifications, project management, or consulting advice. Contractors who do more than physical work may need both.

Workers' comp rates are set by class code — each trade has specific codes. Carpentry is 5645, painting is 5474, plumbing is 5183, electrical is 5190, HVAC/mechanical is 5183 or 5537, masonry is 5022, and office staff is 8742. Correct classification prevents audit surprises and ensures claims are covered at the right rate.

Standard commercial property covers business property at a fixed location. Tools that travel to jobsites are only covered up to a small off-premises sublimit — typically 10% — and often not at all during active use. Inland marine tools coverage is what follows your tools wherever they go.

A commercial umbrella sits above your GL, commercial auto, and employers liability limits. When those underlying limits are exhausted, the umbrella responds. For contractors with subcontract requirements for $2M–$5M total liability limits, umbrella is the most cost-effective way to meet those requirements.

Surety bonds are financial guarantees — the bonding company guarantees you'll perform your obligations. Insurance pays the insured for covered losses; bonds pay the project owner or beneficiary if you fail to perform. License bonds, performance bonds, and payment bonds are required for contractors in most states and for most public projects.

If vehicles are used for business purposes — hauling tools, driving to jobsites, pulling trailers — you need commercial auto. Personal auto policies exclude regular business use. An at-fault accident in a work vehicle without commercial auto is an uninsured event.

Hired auto covers vehicles you rent for business; non-owned auto covers employees driving their own vehicles on your business. Both are inexpensive but important endorsements — if anyone runs an errand or makes a delivery for your business in a personal vehicle, non-owned auto responds.

Additional-insured endorsements extend your GL coverage to another party — typically a GC or project owner — so they're covered as an insured under your policy for liability arising from your work. GC subcontracts almost always require you to add the GC as additional insured. Blanket AI endorsements cover all GCs who require it without individual endorsements.

It depends on your policy. Some GL forms exclude work performed by subcontractors; others include it. For contractors who use subs, this provision is critical — especially for completed-operations claims where the sub's work failed. Always verify before binding.

After three years with coverage, an experience mod is calculated based on your actual claims history versus expected losses for your payroll and codes. A mod below 1.0 reduces your premium; above 1.0 increases it. One serious lost-time claim can move your mod for three years.

An occurrence policy covers claims arising from work done during the policy period, regardless of when the claim is filed — ideal for contractors with completed-operations exposure. A claims-made policy only covers claims filed while the policy is active, creating a tail risk when you switch carriers. Most contractors should carry occurrence-based GL.

After binding coverage, your agent issues certificates of insurance listing the required additional insureds. We generate certificates quickly and can accommodate GC-specific additional-insured endorsement requirements — same-day in most cases.

Often yes. We have admitted and E&S markets for contractors with prior GL claims, workers' comp losses, or difficult project types. Tell us your situation — most loss histories are insurable with the right market and program structure.

Yes. Contractors Choice Agency is licensed in all 50 states and writes contractor programs nationwide — Texas, California, Florida, the Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, Mountain West, and everywhere contractors work.

Typically 15 minutes on a call. We ask about your trade, revenue, payroll, loss history, and coverage needs — then shop the right markets and come back with real numbers. Not a ballpark, not a callback tomorrow — real quotes in 15 minutes.

Usually yes. A coordinated program — GL, workers' comp, commercial auto, tools, umbrella — closes gaps between policies and is typically cheaper and cleaner than placing separate policies from separate carriers. Coordinated programs also simplify certificates and additional-insured management.

E&S (excess and surplus lines) markets write coverage that standard (admitted) carriers won't touch — difficult project types, prior losses, specialty trades, or unusual exposures. For contractors in hard-to-place situations, E&S markets are often the solution that makes coverage available at all.