Contractors · Florida
Florida Contractors Insurance: Liability & Workers Comp
Florida contractors must carry the coverage their licenses and crews demand. We compare contractor insurance in Florida across multiple A-rated carriers and issue certificates the same day.
What exact insurance does a licensed contractor need in Florida?
To activate a DBPR license, Florida general and building contractors must carry a minimum of $300,000 in bodily injury and $50,000 in property damage liability insurance. Additionally, construction businesses with one or more employees must carry active workers' compensation coverage. Most contractors also bundle commercial auto and inland marine tool coverage for complete operational protection.
What Contractor Insurance Covers on the Job
Most contractor claims start the same way: something goes wrong on someone else's property. Here is what responds in four common Florida cases.
The situation
A homeowner trips over your hose and breaks a wrist.
What responds
General liability pays her medical bills, and your legal defense if she sues.
The situation
Your crew cuts a water line and floods the unit below.
What responds
General liability pays for the damage to the neighbor's property.
The situation
A helper falls from a ladder and misses six weeks of work.
What responds
Workers comp pays his medical care and part of his lost wages.
The situation
Your tool trailer is stolen from the site overnight.
What responds
A tools and equipment floater pays to replace what was taken.
Florida Contractor Insurance Requirements
| What Florida requires | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| General and building contractors: $300,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, proven at licensure and at every renewal (Rule 61G4-15.003, F.A.C.) | This is the license floor. Commercial and public jobs commonly ask for $1,000,000 per occurrence. |
| Residential contractors and specialty trades such as roofing, plumbing, pool and air conditioning: $100,000 public liability and $25,000 property damage (Rule 61G4-15.003, F.A.C.) | The floor is lower, but the general contractor who hires you will set higher limits of his own. |
| Workers comp from the first employee in construction (§ 440.02(20)(b), Florida Statutes) | In most other businesses the minimum is four employees. In construction it is one. |
| Proof of workers comp, or an exemption, to get a building permit (§ 440.103) | No certificate, no permit. The permit office checks before it issues. |
| A contractor must require proof of workers comp from each subcontractor, and answers for an uninsured sub's workers (§ 440.10(1)(b)–(c)) | Collect each sub's certificate before the sub starts. An uninsured sub's injured worker can become your claim. |
These are the state's minimums, not a quote. Coverage, eligibility and pricing vary by carrier and by the work you do. Public jobs and many private contracts also require contract bonds. Each trade also has its own page: electrician insurance, plumbing insurance, roofing insurance, handyman insurance and tree service insurance.
Business Insurance for Florida Contractors
General liability
Pays for injuries and property damage your work causes to other people, plus your legal defense. It is the policy every job asks to see on a certificate.
Workers comp
Pays medical care and part of lost wages when an employee gets hurt on the job. In Florida construction it starts with your first employee.
Tools and equipment
An inland marine floater covers tools, gear and rented equipment on the truck, in the trailer or at the site. The building you are putting up is a separate risk, covered by builders risk insurance.
Commercial auto
Covers the trucks and vans titled to the business. A personal auto policy often excludes them.
Have This Ready for Your Contractor Quote
- Your license number and license category.
- Last year's revenue and payroll, with the amount paid to subcontractors.
- The limits your largest contract or general contractor requires.
- The certificates you already issue, and your current declarations page.
Who writes contractor insurance in Kendall and across Florida?
American US Insurance is an independent, bilingual insurance agency headquartered in Kendall that places contractor coverage across Florida. Because we are independent, we compare multiple A-rated carriers and work for you, not for one company. That matters for contractors, because carriers price roofing, framing and remodeling work very differently. We write contractor insurance in Kendall, Miami, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale for general contractors, trades and subcontractors. We handle the whole file, from the first quote to the certificate your next job needs.
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Payment bond vs. performance bond: one guarantees the job gets finished, the other that subs and suppliers get paid. When Florida public jobs need both.
Read More →Get Your Contractor Insurance Quote
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