Whether you’re a General Contractor or Sub, you need insurance that protects you against accidents, lawsuits and claims. A specialty contractor insurance policy is an easy way to cover multiple risks without having to settle for a one-size-fits-all policy that wastes money on coverage you don’t want or need.
When a fire, theft, or another type of disaster strikes, your commercial property and everything within it can suffer a significant loss. This can have a detrimental effect on your business.
Commercial property insurance can help protect the property your business owns and leases, including things like equipment, inventory, furniture, and fixtures. Whether you own your building or lease your workspace, commercial property insurance can be purchased separately or can be combined with other necessary coverage to protect your business’ physical assets.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If you are performing as a contractor on a construction project where other contractors and vendors are involved, you could be held liable for any damages or injuries caused by the other contractors or vendors, leaving you with costly legal fees and settlement costs. Your business needs to be protected against the risk of some other company, vendor or subcontractor causing damage to people or property of your mutual customer.
Consider having a contract in place with each entity that includes a hold harmless agreement in your favor. A hold harmless agreement provides that the entity will hold you harmless for any injuries or damage caused by their negligence. In addition, the contract should require that the entity list you as an additional insured on their policy. This may provide you with coverage under their policy for injuries or damage they cause if you are named in a lawsuit.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
As a contractor, you have many exposures associated with your business vehicles–owned or leased. With a fleet of cars, trucks, vans, or other types of vehicles used in the course of business, a single accident can potentially put your contractor business in financial jeopardy.
Business auto insurance provides coverage for vehicles owned or leased by a contractor and provides coverage for bodily injury, property damage, and other exposures, and could include comprehensive and collision coverage as well.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
You’re constantly moving your tools from one job site to another, exposing your contractor business to potential loss due to damage or theft. And without your specialized tools and equipment, your job site may come to a screeching halt.
As a contractor, you need contractors' equipment insurance - a policy specially designed to protect your tools and equipment on the move. The policy will cover equipment for a variety of losses, including fire, explosion, vandalism, theft, collision with other equipment or objects and overturning. Unlike standard commercial property insurance policies, contractors' equipment insurance often covers losses caused by floods and earthquakes.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
A building under construction is not covered under a standard building insurance policy or a home insurance policy since it is not a complete structure. As a contractor, you may be responsible for unique loss exposures related to buildings under construction such as the theft of building materials and high valued equipment such as generators and compressors.
Builders risk and installation insurance provides coverage for homes or buildings while undergoing construction, until they are completed. The policy covers the contractors’ interest in materials at the job site before they are installed, construction materials in transit designated for the contractors' equipment insurance–a policy specially and the value of the property being constructed until it is completed.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If one of your employees receives an injury or becomes ill due to a work-related occurrence, you are required by law to have the proper coverage in place.
Workers' compensation protects your employees should a job-related injury or sickness occur during the course of employment. This coverage is required by law and may vary by area, so be sure that you understand your obligations for all physical locations where your business operates in and all physical locations where you hire your employees.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
As a contractor, your business may be susceptible to many risks, such as claims due to bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and more. And, if you hire other contractors to perform work on your behalf, you can be held responsible for any damage they cause on the job.
Commercial general liability insurance is an absolute necessity for every contractor. This type of protection provides broad coverage for premises, operations, products, and claims to third parties or property when you are deemed responsible and liable. It will also pay to defend any covered lawsuit or action regardless of its merit.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Picture this:
Tom had always dreamed of starting his own construction company. So he finally took a chance and began working on small projects around town. As his reputation grew, he landed bigger and more significant projects.
One day, while working on a client’s home, a piece of scaffolding fell and damaged the client’s property. Tom had always been meticulous about safety protocols and had never experienced such an incident. However, accidents can happen, and Tom faced a significant financial burden.
Luckily, Tom had contractor’s insurance. His insurance policy covered the cost of the damages and legal fees associated with the incident. Without insurance, Tom would have been forced to pay out of pocket, potentially crippling his business.
Tom realized that even though he had taken every safety precaution possible, accidents can happen, and it’s essential to have insurance coverage to protect his business from unforeseen events.
From then on, Tom renewed his contractor’s insurance policy every year. He learned the importance of having insurance coverage to protect his business, employees, and clients. In addition, it provided him with peace of mind and allowed him to focus on growing his business without worrying about potential financial disasters.
Tom’s incident was a valuable lesson for him, and he educated his employees about the importance of safety protocols and insurance coverage. He knew that accidents could happen anytime, but his business would be prepared to handle any unforeseen event with the right insurance coverage.
If you need any help choosing the right contractor insurance policy, contact us today.
There are many types of professions that would need a contractor based insurance policy specially curated to their industry. In the State of Texas, it may not be required, but here at SOGO, we strongly encourage our contractor clients to think about adding a worker’s compensation policy to further protect your business in the event of an injury to one of your employees or sub-contractors.
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At SOGO Insurance, we focus on helping clients secure the best insurance rates by working with top-rated national and regional carriers. Our dedicated brokers deliver a personalized experience, empowering clients to choose from various coverage options.
