The contractor insurance expert who works as hard as you do.

Cost depends on trade type, annual revenue, payroll, crew size, project types, and loss history. A solo contractor may pay a few thousand per year for basic GL and auto; larger firms with multiple crews and specialty coverage pay more. We quote your actual business in about 15 minutes — never a generic estimate.

Completed-operations coverage protects you from liability claims that arise after a project is finished. Defects discovered months or years after punch-out — structural failures, water intrusion, electrical issues — are completed-operations claims. Every contractor who finishes physical work needs this coverage properly structured in their GL policy.

If you provide design-build services, write specifications, manage projects, or offer any professional advice beyond physical labor, yes. General liability covers bodily injury and property damage from your physical work — it doesn't cover errors in plans, specifications, or design decisions. Professional liability (E&O) fills that gap.

Workers' comp rates are set by class code — each trade has specific codes. Carpentry is 5645, painting is 5474, plumbing is 5183, electrical is 5190, HVAC/mechanical is 5183 or 5537, masonry is 5022, and office staff is 8742. Correct classification prevents audit surprises and ensures claims are covered at the right rate.

No — neither covers your tools properly. GL covers third-party bodily injury and property damage. Commercial property covers fixed-location business property. Tools that travel to jobsites need tools and equipment (inland marine) coverage. Without it, jobsite theft or damage is an out-of-pocket loss.

A commercial umbrella sits above your GL, commercial auto, and employers liability limits. When those underlying limits are exhausted, the umbrella responds. For contractors with subcontract requirements for $2M–$5M total liability limits, umbrella is the most cost-effective way to meet those requirements.

Surety bonds are financial guarantees — they're required for contractor licensing in most states (license bonds), required by project owners for public or large private projects (performance and payment bonds), and sometimes required by GCs in subcontracts. Bonds are not insurance — they're guarantees that you'll perform your contractual obligations.

If vehicles are used for business purposes — hauling tools, driving to jobsites, pulling trailers — you need commercial auto. Personal auto policies exclude regular business use. An at-fault accident in a work vehicle without commercial auto is an uninsured event.

Hired auto covers vehicles you rent for business; non-owned auto covers employees driving their own vehicles on your business. Both are inexpensive but important endorsements — if anyone runs an errand or makes a delivery for your business in a personal vehicle, non-owned auto responds.

After binding coverage, your agent issues certificates of insurance listing the required additional insureds. We generate certificates quickly and can accommodate GC-specific additional-insured endorsement requirements. Call us with the specific certificate requirements and we'll have it to you the same day.

Yes. Additional-insured endorsements are standard in contractor policies. We add GCs, project owners, and property managers as additional insureds on your GL and umbrella as required by your subcontracts. Blanket additional-insured endorsements are available so you don't need to call for every new GC.

It depends on your policy. Some GL forms exclude work performed by subcontractors; others include it. For contractors who use subs, this provision is critical — especially for completed-operations claims where the sub's work failed. We check this before binding.

After three years with coverage, an experience mod is calculated based on your actual claims history versus expected losses for your payroll and codes. A mod below 1.0 reduces your premium; above 1.0 increases it. One serious lost-time claim can move your mod for three years and significantly increase your comp cost.

The coverage lines are the same, but the structure and limits differ. GC contracts often impose specific GL, umbrella, and professional liability limits on subs. We review your subcontract requirements before binding to make sure your program meets what's contractually required.

Often yes. We have admitted and E&S markets for contractors with prior GL claims, workers' comp losses, or difficult project types. Tell us your situation — most loss histories are insurable with the right market and program structure.

Yes. Contractors Choice Agency is licensed in all 50 states and writes contractor programs nationwide — Texas, California, Florida, the Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, Mountain West, and everywhere contractors work.

Typically 15 minutes on a call. We ask about your trade, revenue, payroll, loss history, and coverage needs — then shop the right markets and come back with real numbers. Not a ballpark, not a callback tomorrow — real quotes in 15 minutes.

Usually yes. A coordinated program — GL, workers' comp, commercial auto, tools, umbrella — closes gaps between policies and is typically cheaper and cleaner than placing separate policies from separate carriers. Coordinated programs also simplify certificates and additional-insured management.

An occurrence policy covers claims arising from work done during the policy period, regardless of when the claim is filed — ideal for contractors with completed-operations exposure. A claims-made policy only covers claims filed while the policy is active, creating a tail risk when you switch carriers. Most contractors should carry occurrence-based GL.