Core Coverage Lines for Construction Companies
The right construction insurance program combines several coverage lines, sized to your operation and the contracts you carry. For most construction businesses, that means:
- General liability insurance — covers third-party bodily injury and property damage claims arising from your operations, completed work, and jobsite activity. Most contracts specify minimum limits and require specific endorsement language before a contractor can mobilize.
- Workers' compensation insurance — required in nearly every state for businesses with employees. In construction, where physical injury risk is elevated, this coverage is foundational. It covers medical expenses and lost wages for injured workers and limits your exposure to employee injury claims.
- Commercial property insurance — covers tools, equipment, materials, and any owned or leased structures. For contractors with heavy equipment or excavation operations, inland marine and equipment floater coverage can extend protection to machinery and equipment moving between jobsites.
- Commercial auto insurance — covers owned, leased, and in some cases hired or non-owned vehicles used in your operations. Most construction businesses rely on trucks and trailers that need commercial-grade coverage, not personal auto.
- Commercial umbrella insurance — many construction contracts require liability limits that exceed what a standard general liability policy carries. An umbrella policy layers additional limits above your primary coverage and satisfies those higher contract thresholds.
Construction sites carry a different risk profile than almost any other commercial operation — shifting crews, subcontractor relationships, heavy equipment, and contract requirements that vary by project and owner. A standard commercial policy rarely fits without modification. Construction insurance programs need to account for jobsite liability, workers' compensation exposure, property in transit and on-site, and the specific endorsement language that general contractors and project owners put in their contracts.
BTC Insurance Services has worked with construction companies, general contractors, specialty trades, and subcontractors since 2011, building programs that hold up when a claim happens and satisfy the certificate and endorsement requirements that come with every new bid. We serve construction clients across nearly 40 states, and the same producer and account manager who sets up your program handles your account for the life of the relationship — no handoffs, no starting over with someone new.
Coverage Built for the Way Construction Work Actually Runs
Certificates, Endorsements, and Contract Insurance Requirements
One of the most common friction points for contractors is the gap between what their current policy provides and what a contract actually requires. General contractors and project owners routinely specify minimum liability limits, additional insured status, waiver of subrogation, and primary and non-contributory wording — and a certificate that doesn't reflect the right endorsements can hold up a bid or delay mobilization.
BTC's producers review contract insurance requirements with construction clients and confirm that the policy structure and endorsements in place satisfy what the contract demands before a certificate goes out. If a contract requires primary and non-contributory language, we verify it's in the policy — not assumed. If additional insured status needs to be added or updated, we handle it. The goal is that a certificate of insurance leaving our office is one that passes review on the other end.
If you're bidding a project and the owner or GC has sent over insurance requirements you're not sure your current program meets, that's exactly the kind of question we work through with clients.
General Contractors, Subcontractors, and the Insurance Requirements Between Them
The distinction between general contractor and subcontractor insurance matters both for how coverage is structured and for how liability flows on a project. General contractors typically carry the primary general liability program and are responsible for ensuring that subcontractors working under them carry their own coverage at specified limits.
Subcontractors do need their own insurance. A GC's policy does not automatically extend coverage to a subcontractor's operations, and most subcontract agreements require the sub to carry general liability and workers' compensation at minimum — often with the GC named as an additional insured. When a subcontractor is uninsured or underinsured and a claim arises from their work, that exposure can fall back on the general contractor.
BTC helps general contractors understand what their subcontract agreements should require and how to document subcontractor coverage before work begins. For subcontractors, we build programs that satisfy the certificate and endorsement requirements that GCs routinely ask for, so coverage isn't the reason a job doesn't move forward.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Construction Insurance
What insurance do general contractors typically need?
Most general contractors carry general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, and commercial property or inland marine coverage for equipment and tools. Depending on contract requirements, a commercial umbrella policy is often needed to reach the liability limits that project owners and lenders specify. The right combination depends on the size of your operation, the type of work you perform, and the contracts you're bidding.Most general contractors carry general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, and commercial property or inland marine coverage for equipment and tools. Depending on contract requirements, a commercial umbrella policy is often needed to reach the liability limits that project owners and lenders specify. The right combination depends on the size of your operation, the type of work you perform, and the contracts you're bidding.Do subcontractors need their own insurance?
Yes. A general contractor's policy does not cover a subcontractor's operations, and most subcontract agreements require subs to carry their own general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Subcontractors are typically required to name the GC as an additional insured. Working without the required coverage can disqualify a sub from a job and expose the GC to liability if a claim arises from the sub's work.Yes. A general contractor's policy does not cover a subcontractor's operations, and most subcontract agreements require subs to carry their own general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Subcontractors are typically required to name the GC as an additional insured. Working without the required coverage can disqualify a sub from a job and expose the GC to liability if a claim arises from the sub's work.What does primary and non-contributory mean on a certificate of insurance?
Primary and non-contributory is an endorsement that specifies your policy pays first in the event of a covered claim involving an additional insured, before any coverage that additional insured carries on their own policy. Many construction contracts require this language because project owners and GCs don't want their own insurance drawn into a claim that originates with a contractor they hired. If your policy doesn't include this endorsement, a certificate showing it may not satisfy the contract requirement.Primary and non-contributory is an endorsement that specifies your policy pays first in the event of a covered claim involving an additional insured, before any coverage that additional insured carries on their own policy. Many construction contracts require this language because project owners and GCs don't want their own insurance drawn into a claim that originates with a contractor they hired. If your policy doesn't include this endorsement, a certificate showing it may not satisfy the contract requirement.Is heavy equipment covered under a standard commercial property policy?
Not always. Standard commercial property policies are typically written for property at a fixed location. Contractors who move equipment between jobsites generally need inland marine coverage — sometimes called an equipment floater — which covers machinery, tools, and equipment while in transit and at temporary job locations. Excavation contractors and others with significant equipment values should confirm their program includes this coverage rather than assuming it.Not always. Standard commercial property policies are typically written for property at a fixed location. Contractors who move equipment between jobsites generally need inland marine coverage — sometimes called an equipment floater — which covers machinery, tools, and equipment while in transit and at temporary job locations. Excavation contractors and others with significant equipment values should confirm their program includes this coverage rather than assuming it.How does BTC handle certificate of insurance requests for construction clients?
We process certificate requests for our construction clients and review the endorsement requirements specified in the contract before issuing. If a contract requires specific wording — additional insured, primary and non-contributory, waiver of subrogation — we confirm the policy is structured to support it before the certificate goes out. Our goal is that every certificate we issue holds up on the receiving end without back-and-forth.We process certificate requests for our construction clients and review the endorsement requirements specified in the contract before issuing. If a contract requires specific wording — additional insured, primary and non-contributory, waiver of subrogation — we confirm the policy is structured to support it before the certificate goes out. Our goal is that every certificate we issue holds up on the receiving end without back-and-forth.
Talk to BTC About Your Construction Insurance Program
Whether you're a general contractor bidding projects that require specific limits and endorsements, a subcontractor building out your first real program, or an established construction company due for a coverage review, we work through the details with you directly. You'll work with the same producer throughout — someone who knows your operation and your contracts, not a service team that rotates.
Call us at 801-327-0117, Monday through Thursday 8:00 AM–4:30 PM MST and Friday 8:00 AM–3:00 PM MST, or request a quote online to get started.
