Contractors face more — and more serious — on-the-job risks than people in almost any other industry. Whether you own an electrical, excavation, plumbing, HVAC or any other type of contracting business, you know that accidents and other incidents can happen to you, and the people who work for you, any place, any time. Things can be fine one second, and the next, you’re dealing with a crisis.
Contractors insurance protects your business from financial losses that result from work-related accidents. They are often significant enough to force businesses to close. It’s critical that you take steps to protect yourself, your employees and your business with adequate coverages and limits that match the risks you face.
Because every contracting company is different, business insurance solutions for them can range from simple liability insurance to a much broader mix of coverages. The type of contracting business you own, it’s size, your number of employees, their experience, the kinds of projects you take on, your location and other factors will impact how much insurance coverage you will need and what your premium will cost.
Here’s everything you need to know to get the right contractors insurance at a reasonable price.
- How much does contractors insurance cost?
- What factors affect contractor insurance cost?
- How to get cheap contractor insurance?
- Who needs contractors insurance?
- What does contractor insurance cover?
- What other coverages do contractors need?
How much does contractor insurance cost?
On average, a contractor pays $150 a month, or $1,800 a year, for their contractor insurance. This is usually for contractor general liability insurance only. If contractors get more coverages, they will pay more. Below are some average costs of different insurance coverages that a contractor may need:
| Contractor insurance coverages | Average costs |
| General liability insurance | $150 a month |
| Commercial auto insurance | $175 a month |
| Professional liability insurance (or E&O) | $30 a month |
| Workers comp insurance | $210 a month |
These are just the averages. Be sure to shop around with a few companies or work with a broker like CoverWallet, commercialinsurance.net, or ez.insure to compare several quotes to get the cheapest one.
What factors affect the contractor insurance cost?
Several factors affect the cost of contractor insurance. Below are some big ones:
Type of contracting work
The biggest factor that affects the cost of your contractors insurance policy is the type of work that you do. For example, a landscaper is exposed to different types of risks than a roofer. And even among landscapers, people who do tree work are exposed to greater risks than those who tend flowers. Therefore, you would expect their premiums to differ.
Coverage types
It also depends on the types of insurance a contractor gets. For example, most contractors would need general liability insurance. Roofers pay the most for general liability insurance, averaging $3,590 a year. Locksmiths pay the least, at about $406 a year.
As you can see above, if you get more insurance coverages, you’ll pay more. Each coverage costs differently.
Number of employees and their experiences
The more employees you have and less experience they have, the more you’ll pay for the insurance. In some cases, you’ll have to buy insurance coverages by employee such as workers comp insurance and commercial auto insurance. In other case, you can buy a policy for your contracting firm and add your employees as additional insured in your company’s policy. General liability and professional liability insurance work that way.
Years in business
The longer you are in business, the more experience you have had, the lower your contractor insurance’s premiums. Insurance companies usually charge higher for new businesses since new businesses with less experience tend to make more mistakes and have more accidents and lawsuits.
Claims history of the contracting business
Of course, the more claims your contracting business has had in the past, the more premiums you’ll need to pay for your contractor insurance policies. Limit the number of claims if you can. If an incident isn’t worth claiming, you may want to pay out of your pocket to avoid increasing premiums in the future.
Manage the coverage limits and deductibles
Last but not least, you can choose to decrease the coverage limit and increase deductible to lower your premiums. While you can always increase deductibles, lowering coverage limits might not be alway possible since there may be minimum coverage requirements, like in commercial auto insurance.
How to get cheap contractor insurance?
There’re a few things you can do to try to lower your costs.
Shop around
Shop around with a few carriers or work with a broker like CoverWallet, commercialinsurance.net, or ez.insure so that you can compare several quotes to choose the cheapest one. Even if you have a general liability insurance policy already, you should review it every 2-3 years and see if someone can give you a lower rate. Companies often give lower rates to new customers and then raise them over time.
Work with an experienced agent or broker
Work with an insurance agent who has experience in your area of specialization, a representative from an insurer that specializes in contractors coverage or an online premium generating tool from a reputable insurance company to get the coverage you need at an affordable price.
Bundle your policies
The odds are, if you’re a general contractor, that you also need workers comp insurance, professional liability insurance, E&O insurance…the list goes on. Getting all of your policies from the same company should earn you a discount.
Raise your deductible
Usually, the default deductible on a general liability quote is $500. If you raise it to $1,000 or more, you’ll save money on premiums. Just make sure you have enough money set aside just in case.
Only get as big a policy as you need
If you’re barely scraping by, you don’t need $2 million in liability insurance. Be realistic. If you have no idea how much insurance you need, that might be a good time to talk to an agent.
Manage risks
These days, there are many software programs that will point out areas where you could improve your risk and increase workflow. Just a few are Salus Pro, SiteDocs, and TradeTapp.
Who needs contractor insurance?
The following kinds of contractors should consider carrying the coverage:
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Heating and air conditioning contractors
- Carpenters
- Construction workers
- Painters
- Landscapers
- Excavators
- Masons
- And more.
It’s usually a good idea for contractors, subcontractors and independent tradespeople to carry contractors insurance. In many cases, people who hire you will require you to have it, even if it’s not needed by law. In many cases you will have to show a certificate of insurance even before bidding on a job.
People who do this type of work face significant risks of accidents and other issues that could cost them a lot should something unfortunate occur. Even if your business is a relatively small one, you should speak with an insurance agency or company representative to find out if you should get coverage. It’s likely that they will recommend it.
What does contractor insurance cover?
Contractors insurance usually covers business liability exposures, such as injuries, damage to a client’s property or poor workmanship that your business is responsible for. The coverages most contractors buy and the things they cover include:
General liability insurance
General liability insurance is usually required before a contractor can start working on a project. It will cover your contracting business if it’s held liable because people are injured or property is damaged due to your work. It can also cover your business if the work it does is faulty. See our guide to the best general liability insurance companies for contractors.
Commercial auto insurance
Commercial auto insurance covers vehicles used on job sites, to handle work-related tasks and transport tools and materials to work sites. You can add coverage to cover equipment attached to certain vehicles including things like ladder racks and permanently attached tool boxes. (Regular tools, equipment and materials are not covered by this policy.)
Inland marine coverage
Sometimes referred to as property in transit coverage, it covers mobile machinery and equipment located anywhere or in transit. Learn more at the best inland marine insurance companies.
Workers’ compensation insurance
Commonly known as workers’ comp, this coverage is required in most states. It protects your employees if they become ill or injured at work. It covers things like medical costs, long-term care, therapy, missed wages, funeral and death benefits and more. See our guide to the best workers compensation insurance companies for contractors.
Most contractors secure their coverage through a Business Owners Policy (BOP), which packages together contractors liability insurance with coverage for personal property, commercial buildings and non-job-related accidents and injuries on business owned property. A BOP makes it fast and simple to add additional coverages and endorsements to your policy.
Tip: In most cases, independent and self-employed contractors are not required to buy workers’ compensation insurance. However, it may be required in certain states or to meet contractual requirements. If you are an independent contractor looking for the right insurance policies to protect you and your business, check out our guide of the best independent contractor insurance companies.
Think it’s impossible to be sued for shoddy work? Check out this story of a contractor who was sued over a swimming pool that can’t be used because it was built improperly.
What other coverages do contractors need?
There are additional coverages, endorsements and bonds many contractors purchase. These include:
- Contractors errors and omissions: This covers businesses for mistakes, errors, forgetting to convey information, misrepresentations and more. Learn more at the best contractors professional liability insurance companies.
- Umbrella liability: This provides additional coverage over your policy’s limits. This is coverage contractors who face greater levels of risk should consider. Learn more at the best commercial umbrella insurance companies.
- Contractors equipment. This coverage protects valuable contracting tools and equipment from damage that happens to them on the job. Examples of things that are often insured include compressors, pumps, power saws and landscaping equipment.
- Employee dishonesty: Workers are often tempted to take tools and equipment from job sites. This coverage will help you recover losses from employee theft.
- Equipment leased from others: This coverage protects equipment that your business rents or leases if it’s damaged or stolen, including things like forklifts, backhoes, lighting systems and generators.
- Additional insured: Offers an added layer of protection if two or more businesses working on a job site are sued.
- Expanded property damage: Provides an additional level of protection for property losses caused by contractors working on a job site. It’s particularly useful for contractors that work on expensive properties.
- Pollution coverage: Offers protection if a contractor is held liable for polluting water, air or land. This includes legal defense, medical care, pollution mitigation and more. Single instance and long-term pollution problems are typically covered.
- Waiver of subrogation. This endorsement prohibits an insurance carrier from recovering money they pay on a claim from a negligent third party.
- Per-project aggregate limit. Some clients will request that your coverage for their project be a certain limit. For example, they may want you to have $1 million in coverage, which would cover the project for up to $1 million in losses.
- Many insurers also offer construction bonds. A construction bond is a type of surety bond used by investors in construction projects. They protect against disruptions or financial losses because a contractor is not able to complete a project or to meet contractual requirements. Construction bonds ensure a project’s bills get paid.
These additional coverages can seem complex and confusing and in some cases they are. An insurance agent experienced in working with contracting businesses — or a rep from your insurance company — will be able to help you out with them.
Be aware: A certificate holder refers to the business owner or contractor that carries the coverages included on a certificate of insurance. An additional insured is another business or contractor that’s also included on the certificate holder’s insurance policy.
Tip: Not sure if an insurer you’re considering buying a contractors policy from is reputable? Take time to check ratings and read customer reviews. It will help you feel confident that you’re entrusting your business to an insurance company that is solid, stable and provides good service.
>>MORE: Best General Contractor Insurance Companies
>>MORE: Best Independent Contractor Insurance Companies
Why is risk and loss control important in contractor insurance?
While it’s important for contractors to get insurance to protect their businesses from the risks they face, it’s also critical to prevent those risks in the first place. Insurers won’t pay out on claims that can be traced back to negligence in the workplace or job site.
That’s why it’s a good idea to partner with an insurance company that offers risk control tools and educational resources. Some common examples of these include:
- Courses to help prevent accidents
- Safe driver and vehicle use training
- Checklists to keep work sites safe
- Signage that reminds workers about safety best practices
- Research on how to avoid common injuries.
Reducing risks isn’t just the right thing to do for your employees and business. It can also help reduce your contractors insurance costs over the long run.
Contractor insurance companies
Many insurance companies offer contractor insurance. It can be confusing the find the best companies for your contracting business. We have done the homework and research 20+ companies offering contractor insurance and here are our recommendations:
