Contractor Insurance for California Builders & Trades.

California's WCIRB maintains specific class codes for almost every contractor trade. Roofers (5552), framers (5403), interior carpenters (5645) — all have dramatically different rates. The single biggest mistake we see is contractors letting a broker code their whole crew as 'carpentry' when they're doing roofing or framing. Saves a little on upfront premium and gets hit with five-figure back-premium at audit. We code every role correctly from day one and dispute auditor reclassifications when they're wrong.

The auditor reconciles your estimated payroll against actual, verifies class codes match actual work, and checks for uninsured subcontractors. They'll typically request: payroll registers, 941s, DE-9s, 1099s, certificates of insurance from subs, and a description of operations. Uninsured subs get reclassified as employees and you owe back premium on their labor. We prep you before the audit and review the result before you sign.

California's AB-5 imposes the ABC test for independent contractor classification. There's a specific exemption for construction subcontractors (Business & Professions Code § 7448) if they have their own CSLB license and meet other conditions. But many sub relationships fail the exemption. Misclassification penalties include back workers' comp premium, payroll tax, and personal liability for the owner. We review your contractor relationships and flag the risky ones.

Most California GCs require both ISO CG 20 10 (covers ongoing operations) and ISO CG 20 37 (adds completed operations), with primary-and-noncontributory language. The wrong endorsement looks compliant but exposes you to denial at claim time. We match the endorsement to your contract's exact requirements and ship same-day. Most other brokers take 2-3 days. We've watched contractors lose jobs over this.

Personal auto policies exclude commercial use. If you're in an accident driving to a job site or hauling materials in a 'personal' vehicle, the claim can be denied — leaving you personally exposed. Every vehicle used for work needs to be on a commercial auto policy, including the F-150 you sometimes use for the business. We also add hired and non-owned auto liability to cover employees driving their personal cars for work.

Theft from job-site trucks and storage trailers is the most common contractor claim we see. GL doesn't cover your own property. A homeowners or personal auto policy won't cover tools used commercially. You need an inland marine policy (tools & equipment floater) that covers your gear wherever it goes — truck, job site, storage trailer. We make sure per-item sub-limits don't leave expensive tools uncovered.

California public works projects above $25,000 typically require both performance and payment bonds at 100% of contract value. Many private commercial projects too. Getting bonded the first time requires pre-qualification by a surety: CPA-prepared financials, a business plan, track record of completed projects, and personal indemnification. Capacity grows over time as you build a successful bonding history. We coordinate with surety underwriters to grow your capacity.

Coverage for a building under construction — neither the owner's property policy nor your GL fully covers it. A fire, theft, or weather event mid-construction can leave you in a coverage gap. Many California commercial contracts require contractors to carry builders risk. We place it per-project or on a blanket basis depending on volume, and confirm coverage for materials in transit, off-site storage, and soft costs.