Commercial · Trades · Waterbury, CT

Insurance built for the
boots-on-site
contractor.

General liability is what lets you bid the job. We write coverage for contractors of all kinds, with certificates issued immediately on request.

Immediately

COIs on request

CT · MA

Licensed states

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Three claims that hit contractors.

Here's what coverage looks like when a job goes sideways.

The subcontractor's apprentice falls off a ladder.

Your GL responds to the third-party medical claim, your subcontractor's own WC handles his employee's wages, but only if you've enforced a hold-harmless and a current certificate. Ask us how to set that up so this doesn't become your claim.

The homeowner sues over "water intrusion" three months after walkthrough.

Completed-operations coverage on your GL is what stands up. Some policies leave it out, and you don't find out until you read the denial letter. Ask us to confirm it's on yours.

A truckload of copper walks off the job overnight.

Your truck policy doesn't cover it. Your GL doesn't cover it. A tools & equipment floater is a small rider that pays for the loss, and it's worth having on most contractor policies, because the alternative is eating the replacement cost yourself.

The seven things every
contractor policy should cover.

Not every contractor needs every line.

General Liability (GL)

Bodily injury and property damage to third parties. Required by most commercial contracts, and Connecticut requires it to register as a home improvement contractor (C.G.S. § 20-421). On state and town public works jobs over $100,000, the law also requires a payment bond (C.G.S. § 49-41). Liability limits are set by the contract; $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate is a common requirement.

Completed Operations

Covers claims that surface after the job is done, water intrusion, structural defect, the kind of thing that takes a year to show up. Ask us to confirm it's on yours.

Commercial Auto

Separate from your personal truck policy. If the truck is on a job site or hauling materials, personal coverage probably isn't responding to a claim.

Tools & Equipment / Installation Floater

Covers gear in transit, on site, and stored, including theft.

Workers' Compensation

Required in Connecticut once you have one or more employees (C.G.S. §§ 31-275, 31-284).

Umbrella

Sits on top of GL and auto for catastrophic claims. One bad fall can blow through a $1M GL limit. An umbrella is a good idea for just about anyone.

Professional Liability (E&O)

For design-build, consulting, or anyone giving plans or specs. Optional for pure trades, important for anyone whose advice is part of the deliverable.

What contractors
ask us first.

Common questions, answered. If yours isn't here, the phone is faster than a contact form.

If you do residential home improvement work, yes: Connecticut requires proof of general liability coverage (at least $20,000) to register as a contractor (C.G.S. § 20-421). When you pull a permit, the town will also ask for proof of workers' comp or a signed exemption affidavit (C.G.S. § 31-286b). For a solo trade it is usually one of the cheaper policies you will carry.

Our standard procedure is to issue a certificate immediately on request. Send us the certificate-holder language from the GC.

When the GC adds themselves as an additional insured on your policy, your insurance defends them too if something goes wrong on the job. It's standard practice, added by endorsement.

In Connecticut a sole proprietor doesn't have to cover themselves (you can opt in), but once anyone works for you, even part-time, you must carry workers' comp for them (C.G.S. §§ 31-275, 31-284). Partners are covered automatically unless every partner signs an opt-out, and corporate officers can opt out in writing. We had a contractor client who hired a relative part-time. The job required an electric saw to cut floorboards, and the relative severed his thumb using it. The client had no workers' compensation, and ended up paying out of pocket for the injuries and the damages. Call us before that day, not after.

Two things. Contractors tend to skip the audits on their workers' comp and liability policies, which leads to complications at renewal. And they neglect to insure their tools, equipment, and machinery, often the most expensive thing in the truck.

Usually one of three things: the limits are lower than what your contracts actually require, completed-operations is excluded, or it's written by a carrier that won't be there when a claim hits. If the cheaper policy fits, we'll say so.

Often yes. A Business Owner's Policy (BOP) bundles GL and property, and we add commercial auto and a tools floater alongside. One renewal date, one phone call, fewer gaps between policies.

Insurance built for the boots-on-site contractor.