Plumbing Contractor Insurance

It should, because it's a different kind of job than a service call. Slab leak repairs mean jackhammering floors or rerouting lines through walls and attics, often in occupied homes. Repipes in older homes mean replacing a system that's already failing, and the line between your new work and the old pipe you didn't touch can get blurry in a claim. Tell your carrier how much of this work you do, since some underwrite it separately. Then protect yourself on every job: document the existing condition with photos, write the scope so it's clear what you replaced and what you didn't, and get the homeowner's sign-off. Those records carry a lot of weight if a leak shows up months later.

Today, you can file the CSLB workers' comp exemption if you truly work alone. That changes on January 1, 2028, when every active CSLB license must carry workers' comp regardless of employees, under SB 1455. And the exemption disappears the moment you hire anyone, including a part-time helper or an apprentice; California law requires every employer to carry coverage. GCs and property managers may also want proof of comp from you before they'll put you on a job. If you're planning to grow, it's worth pricing an owner-only policy now. We can quote it alongside your general liability and file it with the CSLB, so you're ahead of the deadline instead of racing it.

On GC work, plan on a certificate showing general liability at $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate, with the GC and owner named as additional insured — usually including completed operations. Commercial contracts often add primary and non-contributory wording and a waiver of subrogation, plus proof of workers' comp and auto liability for your trucks. Property managers running apartments and commercial buildings tend to keep approved-vendor lists and want a current certificate on file before you're dispatched. Let it lapse at renewal and you can drop off the list without anyone calling to tell you. We issue certificates same-day in most cases and track your renewal dates, so the paperwork never costs you a service call.

Each policy has its own inputs. Workers' comp runs off your payroll, how it's classified, and your experience mod. General liability looks at revenue, residential versus commercial work, service versus new construction, and how much of your book is repipes, slab leaks, water heaters, or drain cleaning. Your claims history matters here, especially water damage claims. Commercial auto depends on the number of trucks, where they're garaged, how far they travel, and your drivers' records. Tools coverage follows the value of your equipment, from hand tools to jetters and camera rigs. Limits and deductibles move every line. Carriers weigh all of this differently, which is why we shop the whole program instead of renewing whatever came in the mail.

Commercial auto carriers review the driving records of everyone you put behind the wheel, so list every regular driver and check records before you hand over keys. A tech with a bad record can affect your rates or, with some carriers, be excluded. When an employee runs to the supply house in their own car, their personal auto policy may deny the claim because it was business use — and the injured party can come after your company. Hired and non-owned auto coverage is what responds there, and it's one of the most commonly missed coverages for plumbing shops. One more gap to close: your auto policy covers the truck, not the tools and parts inside it. That's what tools and equipment coverage is for.