Contractor General Liability Insurance
Contractor general liability insurance covers third-party bodily injury, property damage, and completed-operations claims against your business. Most general contractors, project owners, and cities in California won't let you on a jobsite without proof of it. We shop multiple carriers to find the right GL policy at a competitive price.
What it covers
- Third-party bodily injury on or around your jobsite
- Property damage caused by your work or your crew
- Completed operations — claims that surface after the job is done
- Personal and advertising injury claims
- Legal defense costs, even for claims that don't stick
- Certificates of insurance for GCs, owners, and permits
You can't get on most jobsites without it
General contractors, developers, and public agencies across California require active GL coverage — usually $1M per occurrence — plus a certificate naming them as additional insured before your crew sets foot on site. No certificate, no work.
One claim can outweigh years of premiums
A ladder through a window is an inconvenience. A visitor injured by your equipment is a lawsuit. GL coverage picks up the damages and the legal defense so one bad day doesn't take the business with it.
How we make it simple
Tell us your trade, payroll, and typical jobs once. We take it to multiple carriers, come back with real options, and handle the certificates from day one — when a GC needs proof of coverage this afternoon, you call us and it's done.
General Liability — frequently asked questions
California doesn't legally require general liability insurance to hold a CSLB license — but in practice you can't work without it. General contractors, project owners, lenders, and most cities require active GL coverage and a certificate of insurance before you can bid, pull permits, or start work. Since 2023, the CSLB also requires licensed contractors with employees to carry liability-related coverage in specific classifications. Treat GL as a cost of doing business: without it, the jobs that pay well are off the table.
The standard ask on California jobsites is $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate — that's what most GCs and public agencies write into their subcontract requirements. Larger commercial projects may require higher limits or an umbrella policy on top. We'll match your limits to the contracts you actually sign, so you're not paying for coverage you don't need or getting bounced from bids because your certificate comes up short.
It depends on your trade, payroll, revenue, claims history, and limits — a handyman and a roofing crew pay very different rates. Because we're an independent agency, we shop your application across multiple carriers that compete for contractor business in California and present you the strongest options. Most contractors are surprised how affordable $1M/$2M coverage is when the policy is written correctly for their classification.
Same day in most cases. Certificates are the heartbeat of contractor insurance — GCs ask for them at bid time, before mobilization, and every renewal. When you're insured through us, you call or email and we issue the certificate, name the additional insureds, and send it wherever it needs to go. You stay on the jobsite; we handle the paperwork.
Ready to quote your general liability coverage?
One conversation and we take it to the market. Big or small… we write them all.