Contractors
Back to ContractorsGeneral Liability for Contractors
Every job puts you in someone else’s home, building or job site, where one accident can turn into a costly claim. General liability helps protect your contracting business when a client, visitor or other third party says your work caused an injury or damaged their property. It is also the coverage general contractors and property owners most often ask to see before you start.
What It Covers
Damage to Client Property
Helps pay when your work accidentally damages someone else’s property, such as a plumbing connection that leaks and soaks the floors and ceilings below.
Third-Party Injuries
Helps with claims when a homeowner, tenant or passerby is hurt because of your operations, such as tripping over materials or being struck by falling debris.
Completed Operations
Can respond after the job is done, for example if a fire traced to wiring you installed damages the home months later. The cost to redo your own work is usually not covered.
Legal Defense
Typically pays for attorneys and court costs to defend a covered claim, even if the claim turns out to be groundless.
Who Needs It
- General contractors and remodelers who manage projects and hire subcontractors.
- Trade contractors such as electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, carpenters, painters, roofers and masons.
- Contractors who must show a certificate of insurance or add a client as additional insured to win a job.
Optional Coverages
- Additional Insured EndorsementExtends coverage to a general contractor, property owner or client who asks to be named on your policy, often a condition of getting the contract.
- Commercial UmbrellaA separate policy that adds liability limits above your general liability, commercial auto and employer’s liability, useful when a contract requires higher limits.
- Contractor’s Professional LiabilityIf you design, draw plans or offer design-build services, errors in that work are usually not covered by general liability and need a separate professional liability policy.
Working with us
How We Help
- 1
Tell Us What You Need
Share a few details about you, your property or your business. It only takes a few minutes, online or by phone.
- 2
We Shop the Market
As an independent brokerage, we compare options from multiple top-rated carriers to find the right fit.
- 3
Review and Get Covered
We walk you through your options in plain language, answer your questions and help you choose with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
Common Questions
Does general liability pay to fix my own faulty work?
Usually not. General liability is designed for injuries to others and damage your work causes to other property, not the cost of repairing or redoing the work itself. For example, if a pipe you installed leaks, the policy may help with the water damage to the home, but typically not the cost to replace the pipe. The exact terms depend on the policy.
A general contractor asked me for a certificate and additional insured status. What do I do?
This is a common request before you can start on a job. Send us the insurance requirements from the contract, and we can help issue a certificate of insurance and check whether your policy allows the additional insured, waiver of subrogation or other wording they ask for. Some requests need an endorsement added to your policy first.
Why is liability insurance for contractors in New York often more expensive?
Construction in New York carries a higher exposure to injury lawsuits, partly because state labor laws can hold owners and contractors responsible for certain falls from heights, such as from scaffolds, ladders or roofs. Your trade, revenue, type of projects and claims history also affect the price. Some policies limit or exclude certain work, such as roofing or work above a set height, so it is worth reviewing exclusions with an agent and comparing several carriers.
Ready to Get Started?
Get a personalized General Liability quote or speak with one of our experienced agents.