Coverage

General Liability Insurance

The foundation of every contractor's insurance program — protects against third-party bodily injury, property damage, and completed-operations claims on and off the job site.

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General Liability Insurance illustration

Good to Know:Rated by operations class, not payroll class codeApplies across every trade we quote

General liability (GL) insurance is the foundation of nearly every contractor's insurance program. It's designed to respond when your business operations cause third-party bodily injury or property damage — a client trips over materials on site, a wall gets damaged during installation, a passerby is hurt near your work zone.

Most GL policies are written on an occurrence basis, meaning the policy in force at the time of the incident responds, even if the claim is filed later — which matters for construction, where issues can surface well after a job wraps.

General contractors, subcontractors, property owners, and permitting authorities routinely require proof of general liability before you can start work, bid a job, or renew a license — making it less optional in practice than it is on paper.

Why It Matters

Common Claims General Liability Insurance Responds To

Third-Party Injury

A client, tenant, or bystander is injured on or near your active work site.

Property Damage

Your crew's work damages a client's home, a commercial building, or a third party's property.

Completed Operations Claims

Defects or damage tied to your work surface weeks or months after the job is finished.

Subcontractor Exposure

You're named in a claim tied to a subcontractor's work performed under your supervision.

What's Covered

What's Included

Bodily Injury Liability

Medical expenses and legal costs if a third party is injured because of your business operations.

Property Damage Liability

Repair or replacement costs if your work damages a client's or third party's property.

Completed Operations

Coverage for claims that arise after a project is finished — one of the most valuable protections for contractors.

Personal & Advertising Injury

Coverage for claims like libel, slander, or copyright issues tied to your advertising or business practices.

Cost Factors

What Affects Your Premium

Trade and class of operations
Annual revenue and payroll
Claims history
Coverage limits required by your contracts
States you operate in

Typical Range

Premiums vary widely by trade and revenue — lower-risk trades often start lower, higher-risk trades (like roofing) run higher. A real quote is the only accurate number.

Every business is different — the only way to get an accurate number is a real quote based on your trade, revenue, payroll, and claims history.

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FAQ

General Liability Insurance Questions

GL generally excludes your own business property, your own employees' injuries (that's workers' comp), professional design errors (that's E&O), and intentional or contractual liability beyond standard terms. It's built around third-party injury and property damage claims.

It depends on your trade, project size, and what your contracts require — many contractors carry $1M/$2M limits as a starting point, with umbrella coverage layered on for larger jobs.

Your GL policy covers your operations. Subcontractors should carry their own GL policy and name you as additional insured — that's the standard way to protect against a sub's uninsured mistake.

Once bound, certificates of insurance are typically issued quickly — most contractors need one to start a job, and we treat COI requests accordingly.

It isn't universally required by state law, but it's almost always required by general contractors, property owners, and clients before they'll let you on a job site, and many local licensing boards require proof of coverage.

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Free, no-obligation quote from a licensed agency — matched to your exact trade and class code.

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