General Contractor Insurance
Insurance for your job sites, crews, tools, vehicles, and subcontractor work
As a general contractor, you are responsible for keeping projects moving while managing employees, subcontractors, tools, equipment, vehicles, materials, property owners, vendors, and changing job-site conditions.
An accident, injury, theft, lawsuit, damaged property, vehicle crash, or subcontractor issue can affect the job and your business. The right insurance program should reflect the work you do, the projects you take on, and the people and property involved.
Concklin Insurance Agency helps general contractors review coverage for job-site liability, employee injuries, tools and equipment, business vehicles, subcontractor work, builder's risk, and other project-related exposures.
Insurance Built Around the Work You Do
Your insurance should match the kind of contracting work you perform and the size of the projects you take on.
Concklin works with general contractors involved in:
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Residential remodeling
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Custom homes
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Commercial buildouts
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Tenant improvements
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Light commercial construction
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New construction
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Renovation work
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Repair and improvement projects
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Projects involving subcontractors
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Projects requiring tools, equipment, vehicles, and materials at different job sites
A contractor handling residential remodels may have different insurance needs than a contractor managing commercial buildouts or larger renovation projects. Your coverage should be reviewed around how your business operates.
Common Risks for General Contractors
Your work can create risk before, during, and after a project.
Common concerns include:
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Property damage at a job site
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Injuries involving customers, tenants, visitors, or the public
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Employee injuries
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Subcontractor-related claims
- Claims tied to completed work
- Design or project management errors on certain projects
- Theft of tools, equipment, or materials
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Damage to rented or owned equipment
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Auto accidents involving business vehicles
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Pollution or environmental concerns on certain jobs
No single policy covers every construction risk. The goal is to understand where your business is exposed and which coverages should work together.
Key Insurance Coverages for General Contractors
General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance helps protect your business from certain injury and property damage claims involving other people.
For example, it may respond if someone is injured at your job site or if your work damages someone else's property. It may also help pay legal defense costs if a covered claim leads to a lawsuit.
Commercial Auto Insurance
If your business owns or leases vehicles, commercial auto insurance should be reviewed.
You may use trucks, vans, trailers, or other vehicles to move between job sites, haul tools, pick up materials, meet customers, or support daily operations.
If your or your employees use their own vehicles for work, that should be reviewed separately under hired and non-owned auto coverage.
Builder's Risk Insurance
Builder's risk insurance helps protect a construction project while work is in progress.
It may cover the structure, materials, supplies, and completed work if there is a covered loss during construction. Builder's risk can apply to new construction, remodeling, renovation, and other projects where the building or improvements need protection before the job is finished.
Responsibility for builder's risk can vary by project. It may fall to the property owner, general contractor, developer, or another party, so it should be reviewed before work begins.
Pollution Liability
Some contracting work can create pollution-related claims.
This may involve fuel, chemicals, mold, dust, fumes, waste, contaminants, or environmental cleanup. Pollution concerns are not limited to large environmental contractors. Remodeling, renovation, excavation, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and construction work can all create situations where pollution liability should be reviewed.
Workers' Compensation Insurance
If you have employees, workers' compensation should be part of your insurance review.
If an employee gets hurt, workers' compensation can help cover medical costs, lost wages, and related expenses.
Workers' compensation requirements vary by state, but the risk is practical. Even a smaller contracting business can face a serious employee injury claim.
Tools and Equipment Coverage
Your tools and equipment may move from job site to job site, sit in a vehicle overnight, or be stored away from your main business location.
A standard property policy may not be enough for tools, portable equipment, rented equipment, or materials that move with the work. Commercial inland marine insurance can help cover property that travels between locations, including contractor's tools and equipment.
Umbrella Liability Insurance
Umbrella liability insurance can provide additional liability limits above certain policies, such as general liability and commercial auto.
For contractors, umbrella coverage may be needed when a project requires higher limits or when a larger claim could exceed the limits on the underlying policy.
Professional Liability or Contractor's E&O
Some general contractors provide advice, coordination, design input, construction management, value engineering, or other professional services as part of a project.
General liability may not cover every claim tied to professional decisions, design recommendations, planning errors, or project management mistakes. Professional liability or contractor's errors and omissions coverage may be worth reviewing if your role goes beyond physical construction work.
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Subcontractor Risk
Subcontractors can help you take on more work and manage specialized parts of a project. They can also create risk for your business if their insurance is not reviewed before work begins.
Before a subcontractor starts work, you should know whether they carry their own insurance, what limits they have, whether the coverage is active, and whether their work creates added risk for the project.
Project Types We Help Review
Different projects create different insurance questions.
Residential Remodeling and Renovation Work
Remodeling and renovation work often happen in or around existing spaces. That can increase the chance of claims involving occupied homes or buildings, customer property, dust, water damage, older electrical or plumbing systems, hidden conditions, and damage to existing structures.
Custom Homes and New Construction
Custom homes and new construction may involve higher project values, materials, builder's risk, subcontractors, equipment, and liability limits that match the size of the job.
Commercial Buildouts and Tenant Improvements
Commercial buildouts and tenant improvements may involve landlords, property managers, tenants, lease requirements, shared spaces, certificates, tight timelines, and work performed around active businesses.
Light Commercial Construction
Light commercial construction can involve larger property values, more subcontractors, heavier equipment, vehicle exposure, and higher liability requirements.
Why General Contractors Work With Concklin
Coverage Built Around Your Work
Concklin helps you review insurance based on the projects you take on, the people involved, the equipment you use, and the risks tied to your work.
If you are considering larger projects or a new type of work, our team can help you review what may need to change in your insurance program.
Help With Policies That Need to Work Together
Contractor insurance often involves several policies. Concklin helps you understand where each policy fits, where gaps may exist, and what should be reviewed as your business changes.
Practical Guidance for Subcontractor Exposure
Subcontractor relationships can create risk for your business. Concklin helps you think through subcontractor insurance, certificates, coverage limits, and related insurance questions.
Support as Your Business Changes
Your insurance needs can change when you add employees, buy vehicles, take on larger projects, use more subcontractors, purchase equipment, or move into a new type of work. Concklin helps you review those changes before they create coverage problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance do general contractors need?
Most general contractors need more than one policy. Common coverages include general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, tools and equipment coverage, builder's risk, and umbrella liability. Some contractors may also need pollution liability or professional liability depending on the work they perform.
Does a general contractor need general liability insurance?
Yes. General liability is one of the main coverages general contractors should review. It helps protect against certain injury and property damage claims involving other people, including some claims that happen during job-site work or after work is completed.
Does general liability cover everything?
No, General Libaility doesn't cover every risk.
General liability may not cover:
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Injuries to your own employees
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Damage to your own tools or equipment
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Auto accidents involving business vehicles
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Poor workmanship itself
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Certain professional service errors
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Pollution or environmental claims
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Damage to property in your care, custody, or control
That is why contractor insurance usually involves more than one policy. Your employees, vehicles, tools, equipment, projects, and subcontractor work should all be reviewed together.
Does general liability cover faulty workmanship?
General liability usually does not pay to repair or replace poor workmanship itself. It may respond to certain resulting property damage claims, depending on the policy and claim facts.
Do general contractors need workers' compensation insurance?
If you have employees, workers' compensation should be reviewed. Requirements vary by state, but the practical risk is clear: job-site injuries can create medical costs, lost wages, and related expenses.
Do general contractors need commercial auto insurance?
If your business owns or leases vehicles used for work, commercial auto insurance should be reviewed. Employee-owned vehicles used for work should be reviewed separately under hired and non-owned auto coverage.
What insurance covers contractor tools and equipment?
Tools and equipment are often covered through inland marine or an equipment floater. This can help protect tools, machinery, and equipment that move between job sites, vehicles, storage locations, and temporary work areas.
What is builder's risk insurance?
Builder's risk insurance helps protect a construction project while work is in progress. It may cover the structure, materials, supplies, and completed work if there is a covered loss during construction.
Does every project need builder's risk insurance?
Not every project needs a separate builder's risk policy, but builder's risk should be reviewed before construction begins. Responsibility for coverage may depend on the project, property owner, lender, general contractor, or contract requirements.
Does insurance cover damage after a job is completed?
Some general liability policies include completed operations coverage, which may help respond to certain claims after work is finished. The exact response depends on the policy, the work performed, and the facts of the claim.
What affects the cost of a general contractor insurance program?
Cost can depend on the type of work, revenue, payroll, number of employees, subcontractor use, project size, location, claims history, vehicles, equipment value, coverage limits, and safety practices.
What if I use subcontractors but do not have employees?
You may still have significant insurance needs. Subcontractor relationships can create contractual, liability, and certificate tracking issues even if you do not have direct payroll.
Contractors: How Rising Costs and Labor Shortages are Shaping Your Insurance Rates
If you are in the construction business, you already know the challenges. Skilled labor is harder to find, material prices keep climbing, and regulations seem to shift constantly. What many contractors do not realize is how directly these issues are affecting their insurance costs, particularly General Liability and Workers’ Compensation.
Here is a closer look at what is happening and what you can do to protect your business.
Insurance Insights and Risk Management Guidance
Our blog articles help you stay informed and make more confident insurance decisions.
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Client Resources
Client Portal
The Zywave portal gives Concklin clients access to professionally written insurance, HR, safety, compliance, and risk management resources. Content can be tailored by industry, state, and preference, with email updates available when new resources are added. Contact your Concklin representative with any questions.
Client Advocacy
Independent agents can serve as trusted advisors before and after coverage is bound. If a claim occurs, we can help you understand the process, communicate with the carrier, and gather information needed for the claim. Being in your corner means being there every step of the way, from helping you decide if a claim should be filed to talking with claims adjusters, the wellbeing of our clients is our number one priority.
Cyber Resources
Cyber threats can create serious costs for small businesses, including breach response, forensic work, customer notifications, legal expenses, and reputational damage. Concklin Insurance Agency offers cyber liability insurance, along with resources to help business owners better understand and reduce their cyber risk.
Request a review of your insurance program
Your insurance should reflect how your contracting business works, including your projects, job sites, employees, subcontractors, tools, equipment, and vehicles.
Concklin Insurance Agency can help you review your current coverage, identify gaps, and build an insurance program around your contracting business.