LICENSED INDEPENDENT COMMERCIAL BROKER | JASON LOPEZ | FL LIC #G280136
Contractor Insurance in Florida
General Contractors, Subcontractors & Licensed Trades
General contractors, property owners, licensing authorities, and customer contracts can all require proof of insurance before work begins. I build contractor coverage around the work you actually perform, the people and vehicles involved, and the requirements attached to the jobs you are bidding.
Contractor insurance in Florida is not one policy. It is usually a combination of coverages selected around the work you perform and the requirements attached to your business.
For a construction employer, workers’ compensation generally becomes required in Florida once there is one or more employees, subject to applicable exemptions. Contractors may also need general liability, commercial auto for business vehicles, property or equipment coverage, and other protection depending on the operation and the contracts being signed.
I am Jason Lopez, an independent commercial insurance broker. I build the coverage around your trade, workforce, vehicles, contracts, and licensing requirements, then compare the available markets that are interested in writing your type of business.
Coverage Built for Contractors, Not Adapted for Them
Contractors have exposures that look very different from those of an office or retail business. A general contractor may require specific limits before you step onto a jobsite. Your license category may carry its own insurance requirements. A customer contract may require additional insured status, a waiver of subrogation, or other specific provisions.
I start by looking at those requirements and how your business actually operates. That makes it easier to determine what coverage belongs in the package before a certificate request or contract deadline creates a problem.
What Florida Requires Contractors to Carry
Workers’ compensation requirements
Florida construction employers generally must carry workers’ compensation when they have one or more employees, including non-exempt business owners. Qualifying corporate officers and LLC members may be eligible for exemptions, but an exemption applies to the individual rather than automatically exempting the entire business.
Liability and property damage requirements tied to contractor licensing
Florida construction licensees are required to maintain minimum public liability and property damage insurance. The required amounts depend on the contractor category. Florida DBPR currently states that general and building contractors must maintain at least $300,000 in liability insurance and $50,000 in property damage insurance, while other categories generally carry lower minimums established by rule.
For current contractor licensing and insurance requirements, you can review the guidance directly from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Construction Industry Licensing Board.
Contract requirements can go beyond the state minimum
A general contractor, property owner, or customer may require limits and insurance provisions beyond the minimum required for licensing. Those requirements can include additional insured status, waivers of subrogation, specific liability limits, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, or other coverage. I would rather review those requirements before you bid or sign the agreement than after the job is awarded.
Inland marine coverage may also be required to protect tools, equipment, and other property while in transit or at job sites
What a Contractor Package Includes
General Liability
Covers certain claims involving third-party bodily injury, property damage, and other covered liability exposures arising from your operations. It is also commonly required in construction contracts, sometimes with specific limits or additional insured requirements.
Workers' Compensation
Florida construction employers generally need workers’ compensation once they have one or more employees, subject to applicable exemptions. Payroll, job classifications, and claims history can all affect the premium, which is why accurate classifications matter before the policy reaches audit.
Commercial Auto
Covers vehicles used for business operations, subject to the actual policy terms and vehicle use. Contractors who regularly use trucks, vans, or other vehicles for jobsites, tools, equipment, or employees should not assume a personal auto policy is designed for that exposure.
Licensed Trades We Work With
If your work involves licensing requirements, certificates of insurance, employees, vehicles, tools, or contract-specific coverage, your insurance package should reflect those exposures rather than treating your business like a generic small company.
General contractors · Electricians · Plumbers · HVAC · Roofers · Painters · Flooring · Landscaping ·
Handyman Services · Concrete and Masonry · Drywall
Why Contractors Choose an Independent Broker
More than one carrier’s answer
Different insurance companies have different appetites for construction trades. A class one carrier prices aggressively may be less attractive to another, which is one reason I compare available markets rather than treating the first quote as the answer.
Certificates and contract requirements
Construction jobs often come with certificate requests, additional insured requirements, and other insurance paperwork. Because I placed the coverage, you are working directly with the broker who already knows the account rather than starting over with a call center each time something is requested.
Class codes reviewed before audit
Workers’ compensation pricing depends heavily on payroll and the type of work employees actually perform. If your classifications or payroll estimates do not reflect the business, the difference can surface during the policy audit and affect the final premium.
Contractor Insurance Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance does a contractor need in Florida?
The answer depends on your license, employees, vehicles, trade, and contracts. Florida construction licensees have liability and property-damage insurance requirements tied to their license category, and construction employers generally need workers’ compensation once they have one or more employees unless an applicable exemption applies. Commercial auto is separate and depends on how vehicles are owned and used. Your contracts may require limits or coverage beyond the state minimums.
Does a subcontractor need their own insurance?
If a subcontractor doesn't carry their own workers' compensation, in construction the hiring contractor is generally responsible for them, and their payroll can be added to your audit. Collect a certificate of insurance from every sub before they start, and keep it. This is the most common and most expensive audit surprise in the trades.
Can I get a certificate of insurance the same day?
Sometimes, but I would not promise that every certificate or endorsement can be completed the same day. A straightforward certificate may be quick, while an additional insured endorsement, change in limits, or unusual contract requirement can require carrier review. Send me the request as early as you can and I will tell you what is needed.
How much does contractor insurance cost in Florida?
There's no flat rate, and any broker who quotes you one before asking questions is guessing. Your price comes down to your trade's class codes, your annual payroll, your revenue, the limits your contracts require, your claims history, and whether you're buying the policies separately or as a package. Roofing and framing price very differently from painting or flooring. Tell me what you actually do and I'll come back with real numbers from more than one carrier.
Have a Contract or Job Requirement to Meet?
Send me the insurance requirements, certificate request, or details about the work you perform. I’ll help you determine what coverage the job calls for and compare the available options for your contractor business.