Completed operations: why a claim can come years after the job
Explained simply
Think of a shelf you hung for a friend. If it falls next year and hurts someone, they still call you. Completed operations is the part of your liability insurance for accidents that happen after the job is done.
You finish the job, get paid and move on. Then a letter arrives about water damage, a crack or an injury tied to work you did long ago. Completed operations coverage is the part of general liability built for that moment.
How a late claim reaches you
- You finish the jobThe work is done, signed off and paid.
- Time passesMonths or years go by. The client lives with your work.
- Something goes wrongA leak, a crack, a fall tied to what you built or installed.
- A claim names youThe owner, their insurer or a GC sends a demand to you.
- Your policy answersCompleted operations coverage responds, within the policy's terms.
The details · tap to open
What completed operations means
Coverage for harm your finished work causes later.
General liability generally covers third-party bodily injury and property damage from your work. That splits into two parts:
- Ongoing operations. Accidents while you are on the job. A ladder falls on a car. A client trips over your hose.
- Completed operations. Accidents caused by your work after it is finished and handed over. A pipe fitting you installed lets go next spring and floods a kitchen. A deck railing you built gives way and someone gets hurt.
Completed operations is included in many contractor GL policies, but not every one, and some limit it. It is one of the first things to check in a quote, because for most trades the bigger risk is not the day of the job. It is the years after.
Why the claim can come years later
Damage hides, then shows up long after you leave.
A lot of construction damage is slow. Water gets behind a wall and nobody sees it until the floor buckles. Soil settles under a slab over a few seasons. A roof holds fine until the first big storm. By the time the damage shows, you may have finished dozens of other jobs.
Claims also travel. The home may have been sold, and the new owner's insurer pays first and then looks for who to collect from. A GC who gets sued on a project can pull in every sub who touched that part of the work. Either way, the demand lands on you, about a job you barely remember.
That is why you want a policy that answers for work you already finished, not only work you are doing today.
Which policy answers a late claim
Occurrence or claims-made decides which year's policy pays.
Two ways policies are written, in general insurance terms:
- Occurrence. The policy in force when the injury or damage happened responds, even if the claim is made later. Many contractor GL policies are written this way.
- Claims-made. The policy in force when the claim is made responds, as long as the work falls inside its retroactive date. If you let it lapse, older work can be left with nothing behind it.
Also read for a prior work exclusion. Some policies do not cover claims from jobs you did before the policy started. If you switch policies, ask how your past jobs are handled. See what general liability does not cover for other exclusions to read for.
Keeping coverage in force without a gap is the simplest protection. A lapse can leave a whole stretch of work with nothing behind it.
What GCs ask for on completed operations
Additional insured status that lasts past the job.
GCs and commercial owners know late claims are where the money is, so many contracts ask for more than a certificate:
- Additional insured on completed operations. Not only while you are on site, but after the job too. Ongoing-only wording ends when you leave. See the additional insured endorsement guide.
- Primary and non-contributory wording, and a waiver of subrogation. See waiver of subrogation and primary non-contributory.
- Limits. GCs usually ask for $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate. Many policies carry a separate aggregate for products and completed operations, so read both lines on the quote.
- Proof. A certificate of insurance that shows the endorsements, sent before you start.
Find a policy that covers your finished work
Compare what each quote includes before you choose.
Aster's quote board shows each quote's limits, deductible, and what it includes and excludes, so you can check how finished work is handled before you pick one.
- Enter your CSLB license number and answer about a minute of questions about your trade and your work.
- Quotes from multiple A-rated programs arrive one by one on your board.
- Compare them and tap "Submit for approval" on the one that fits.
- A licensed agent handles it and emails you the final quote to sign. Nothing is bound until you sign.
Your trade changes the late-claim picture. See roofing, concrete and plumbing, or all trades on insurance by trade. Questions? Call or text a licensed agent at (877) 940-4313.
Common questions
What is completed operations coverage?
It is the part of general liability that covers injury or property damage caused by your work after the job is finished and handed over, within the policy's terms.
Does general liability cover work I finished years ago?
It can, if the policy includes completed operations and the claim falls under the right policy. With occurrence policies, the policy in force when the damage happened generally responds. Check for a prior work exclusion.
What is the difference between ongoing and completed operations?
Ongoing operations covers accidents while you are working on the job. Completed operations covers accidents your finished work causes later.
Why does my GC want additional insured on completed operations?
Because many claims come after the job is done. Ongoing-only additional insured wording ends when you leave the site, so the GC asks for coverage that continues afterward.
What happens to my old jobs if my insurance lapses?
A gap can leave work without coverage, especially on a claims-made policy or when a new policy excludes prior work. Keeping coverage in force without a lapse is the simplest protection.
General information about California rules, not legal advice. Check your own licence with CSLB. Coverage is subject to the policy's terms, conditions and exclusions, and to the insurance company's approval. Some licence types are quoted by an agent instead of online. Updated 2026-10-26.