A general contractor wants a certificate and additional insured wording before you can start. A renewal audit lands with a surprise number. A contract quietly required more than your policy carried. We are independent, so we build the program around the work and the contracts you actually sign, not a generic template.
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Contractor general liability commonly runs about $500 to $3,500 or more a year, with higher-hazard trades like roofing and framing at the top. Workers compensation is a separate rate on payroll, roughly $0.50 to $30 per $100 depending on the class code. Your real number is built on your trade, payroll, and contracts, not a flat rate.
General liability is the base, and for a contractor it has to include completed operations, the part that answers for a defect or failure that surfaces after the job. Workers compensation covers your crew and is where an uninsured subcontractor lands at audit. Commercial auto covers the trucks and trailers, and tools and equipment covers the gear that travels between jobs. Depending on the trade and the job, you add builders risk for work under construction, an umbrella to meet contract limits, and bonds for licensing and jobs. The point is not to buy everything. It is to match the stack to your trade and the contracts you sign.
Pricing varies widely by trade, payroll, and claims history, so treat these as reference ranges rather than a quote. Quote figures are always built on your actual data.
| Coverage | Reference range | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | ~$500 to $3,500+ per year | Trade class, revenue, limits, claims. Roofing and framing sit highest. |
| Workers compensation | ~$0.50 to $30 per $100 of payroll | The class code for your trade, payroll, and your experience modification. |
| Surety / license bond | Oregon CCB $25,000 residential general; California CSLB $25,000 | Your state and license endorsement. See the by-state requirements. |
| Tools, umbrella, and add-ons | Priced to values and contract limits | Equipment value, required limits, and what your contracts demand. |
Reference ranges, framed and sourced. GL and WC ranges reflect national trade-level data; bond amounts are from the Oregon CCB and California CSLB. See contractor insurance cost and what drives GL cost for the detail.
Most contractor claims that get denied were not bad luck. They were a gap nobody flagged. The four that come up again and again:
We build the program so these do not become the surprise, and we read the policy against the jobs you are bidding.
Your license and your insurance classification measure two different things, and the gap is where surprise audit bills and denied claims live. Take the two-minute self-assessment, then get classified on what you actually do.
Every trade carries different risk, contracts, and class codes. Grouped so you can jump to yours.
Subs, completed operations, contracts, and COIs across whole projects.
See the trade →Existing-home damage, water and fire during renovation, and installation coverage.
See the trade →Structural work at height, tools, and jobsite injury.
See the trade →Broad scope, excluded trades, and the licensing threshold.
See the trade →Hot work and fire risk, on site and mobile.
See the trade →Roof, electrical, and a performance promise in one trade.
See the trade →Water, fire, mold, and reconstruction, with pollution and care-custody exposure.
See the trade →Unusual operations, built to fit.
See the trade →Injury, property damage, completed operations, and the AI wording contracts demand.
Learn more →Employee injury, class codes, audits, and subcontractor exposure.
Learn more →Trucks, vans, trailers, and hired and non-owned exposure.
Learn more →Theft and damage to the gear that travels to every job.
Learn more →Heavy and mobile equipment, owned, rented, and leased.
Learn more →Tools, equipment, and materials in transit and off premises.
Learn more →Property under construction, often lender-required.
Learn more →Materials covered until the job is accepted.
Learn more →Excess limits your larger contracts require.
Learn more →Property and liability bundled for smaller contractors.
Learn more →Design, spec, and advice exposure GL misses.
Learn more →Environmental exposure general liability excludes.
Learn more →Employment claims from your own crew.
Learn more →Wire fraud, ransomware, and breach costs.
Learn more →Liability when the vehicle is not yours.
Learn more →License, permit, and contract bonds explained.
Learn more →The compliance bonds licensing requires.
Learn more →Bid, performance, and payment bonds for jobs.
Learn more →Most of what contractors need is not a quote. It is a clear answer at a moment that matters.
A second opinion on whether your policy meets the contract and the real exposure.
How it works →A client or GC asked for a COI or additional insured status. Start here.
How it works →Send us the insurance exhibit and we will check it against your coverage before you sign.
How it works →Licensing, license and permit bonds, workers comp rules, and subcontractor risk.
How it works →License, permit, and many contract bonds can be quoted and bound online through our bond tool. Quick when you need proof for a license or a job.
Licensing, bonds, and workers comp vary by state. Pick yours for a plain-language overview with the official sources to verify it.
The contractor Learning Center covers liability, audits, certificates, bonds, and subcontractors, written and reviewed by a real advisor.
Guides and straight answers, organized by topic.
Browse →The whole insurance stack, start to finish.
Read →Additional insured, waivers, XCU, bonds, defined.
Look it up →Every state, sourced from the boards.
See the table →The NCCI codes that set your premium.
Look it up →What it costs and what drives the price.
See the ranges →Tell us about the work, the crews, the vehicles, and the contracts, and we will check your limits, endorsements, and class codes against the jobs you are bidding. No pressure, no obligation.
Independent means your interests come first. We translate what a job requires into coverage that actually delivers it, and we are there when a claim or an audit happens. The process and the timing behind that are published here: how we work.
Tell us about the trade and the contracts you sign and we will give you a straight read on the gaps, the endorsements, and the limits. No pressure, no obligation.
5 out of 5 starsEugene, OR
Richard is fantastic. We just purchased commercial general liability with his help. He answered all my questions promptly and catered all my requests. He was easy to get a hold of on the phone and also via email. What a great experience from this agency. 10/10 highly recommend for all your insurance needs.View on Google (opens Google Maps in a new tab) →
5 out of 5 starsEugene, OR
I was referred to Richard through the dive community. He has been a pleasure to work with to obtain policies for our carpentry and charter businesses. Thank you!View on Google (opens Google Maps in a new tab) →
Reviewed for insurance accuracy by Richard Sweet, Vantage Point Risk. Last reviewed July 16, 2026. How we review this.
General education, not a coverage determination. A licensed advisor confirms your policy.