Most contractors build from the same core insurance stack, then the emphasis shifts with the trade. A roofer, a remodeler, and an excavator can carry the same limits and still be covered very differently. This checklist starts from the shared foundation and shows where each trade changes the picture.
The core stack
For most contractors, the foundation looks similar:
- General liability, the anchor for third-party property damage and injury claims.
- Workers compensation, once you have employees, based on your state’s rules.
- Commercial auto, for vehicles used in the business.
- Tools and equipment coverage, for what you carry and use on the job.
- Builders risk, for property under construction when you are responsible for it.
That stack is the starting point. What follows is how each trade shifts the weight inside it.
Roofing
Roofing is generally a hard class. Height and hot-work exposure drive it. Policies may carry height limitations or hot-work conditions, and general liability terms deserve close reading. Subcontracted labor is common, so certificates matter. For roofers, presenting the risk clearly to underwriters tends to make a real difference in terms.
Remodeling
Remodelers work in and around a client’s existing structure, which raises the risk of damaging property that was already there. Coverage for damage to existing structures, and careful reading of any residential terms, tend to matter most here. Subs are common on remodels, so risk transfer belongs on the list too.
Electrical
Electrical work carries fire exposure and specific liability concerns. The core stack applies, but the policy form should be read for any exclusions tied to the trade, and completed-operations coverage deserves attention because a wiring issue can surface long after the job.
Plumbing
Plumbing brings water damage and sometimes pollution exposure into play. A leak in a finished space can cause significant third-party damage. The core stack holds, and the form should be checked for how water and pollution exposures are treated, subject to policy terms.
Concrete
Concrete work involves heavy equipment, material handling, and completed-operations exposure if a pour fails later. Tools and equipment coverage and commercial auto often carry more weight here, along with a clear read on how faulty-work questions are handled.
Excavation
Excavation is where a generic policy most often falls short. Below-grade work can involve underground utilities, earth movement, and pollution exposures that a standard form may exclude or limit. Excavators should review how those exposures are handled specifically, rather than assuming the core stack covers them.
How to use this checklist
Treat the list above as a conversation starter, not a finished answer. The point is not to memorize which coverage each trade needs, it is to notice where your specific work departs from a generic contractor policy. That gap is where claims get denied.
A practical way to run it: take your actual operation, the heights you work at, whether you touch residential jobs, the equipment you haul, the subs you hire, and walk each item against the core stack. Where your trade adds an exposure, ask how the policy handles it and read the form rather than trusting the certificate. Two contractors can hold identical limits and be covered very differently because of what sits in the exclusions. A trade-specific review does exactly this work, matching the policy to how you actually run instead of to a label on the application.
Questions to ask your advisor
- Does my policy match the trade I actually perform, not a generic contractor label?
- Which exclusions apply to my trade, and do they touch my core work?
- Do I need builders risk on my current projects, and who is responsible for buying it?
- Is my tools and equipment coverage right for what I carry between jobs?
- For below-grade or height work, how are those specific exposures handled?
A checklist gets you started, but the real value is asking what your trade adds to the core stack. The gaps almost always sit in the difference between a generic policy and the work you actually do.
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