Concrete contractor insurance in California

The real risks in concrete work

Concrete is permanent, and so are the claims. Underwriters ask concrete contractors about what happens after the forms come off, not just during the pour.

• Cracking claims. A homeowner sees cracks in a new driveway or patio and calls a lawyer. Some cracking is normal. Claims often turn on whether the cracks caused damage to other property.
• Subsidence and settlement. Soil moves. A slab or footing that settles can crack walls, jam doors, and damage the structure above it. These are some of the biggest claims in the trade.
• Foundations. Foundation work carries more weight than flatwork because everything else sits on it. Expect more questions if you pour foundations, footings or structural walls.
• Drainage and water. A slab poured with the wrong slope sends water toward the house instead of away.
• Job-site injuries to others. Trip hazards, open excavations, rebar ends, and wet concrete left unmarked on a public walkway.
• Pumping. Concrete pumps and booms add their own risk. If you own or run a pump, tell the agent, because some policies limit or exclude pump operations.

Flatwork vs foundations

What you pour changes how your policy is written.

• Flatwork. Driveways, sidewalks, patios, garage slabs and decorative concrete. Claims tend to be smaller: cracking, trip-and-fall, drainage.
• Foundations and structural. Footings, foundations, retaining walls and structural slabs. Claims can be much larger because a failure affects the whole building.
• Commercial and new construction. GCs on these jobs want completed operations coverage that keeps going after you leave, because settlement can show up years later.

When the quote asks about your work, give the real split. A policy written for flatwork only may not respond to a foundation job.

What GCs and homeowners ask concrete contractors for

• A certificate of insurance (COI). It shows your general liability policy exists and its limits.
• $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate. The limits most GCs write into their subcontracts.
• Additional insured. GCs usually want to be named additional insured on your policy, not just listed as certificate holder. Many also ask for primary and non-contributory wording and a waiver of subrogation.
• Completed operations. On foundation and commercial work, GCs often check that completed operations coverage is on the policy.
• Proof of workers' comp. Required for every C-8 licensee. See the CSLB section below.

Once your policy is in force, Aster sends the certificate to your GC. See our certificate of insurance guide.

Exclusions concrete contractors should read for

• Subsidence or earth movement exclusions. Many policies exclude damage caused by soil settling, sinking or shifting. For concrete work this can remove the biggest claims from coverage. Read this one first.
• Completed operations limits. Check that completed operations is included, not excluded or capped low.
• Residential or tract work limits. Some policies exclude new home construction or multi-unit projects.
• Pump and equipment limits. Pumping operations may be limited, and a pump truck on the road falls under commercial auto, not GL.
• Subcontractor requirements. If you hire subs, many policies require them to carry their own insurance and name you as additional insured.

GL never covers injuries to your own workers (workers' comp), your own tools and equipment, your trucks (commercial auto), or the cost to tear out and repour your own faulty work. It covers the damage your work causes to others. Every quote on the board lists what is included and excluded.

CSLB rules for C-8 concrete contractors

• Workers' comp even with no employees. CSLB requires C-8 concrete licensees to carry workers' compensation even if they have no employees. The no-employee exemption other trades file is not available to you. See our workers' comp guide.
• The $25,000 license bond. Every licensee carries the $25,000 contractor license bond. It is not insurance.
• LLC licences. An LLC must carry liability insurance with at least a $1,000,000 aggregate if 5 or fewer people are on the licence, plus $100,000 for each additional person, up to $5,000,000. It also needs a $100,000 worker-wage bond. See the LLC requirement.
• Contract notice. Home improvement contracts must state whether you carry commercial general liability insurance, with the insurer and phone number if you do.
• Home builders. If you build single-family homes, you must disclose in writing whether you carry commercial general liability insurance.

For non-LLC concrete contractors, CSLB does not require GL by law but strongly recommends it. GCs, commercial owners and many homeowners require it by contract.

How the online concrete quote works

1. Enter your C-8 license number. We find your business in the CSLB public record and show how many A-rated insurance companies write your classes.
2. Confirm you are the owner and check your licence details.
3. Answer about a minute of tap-to-answer questions: homes or businesses, new construction, sales, payroll, subs, crew size, years in business, claims and current insurance.
4. The quote board shops A-rated programs live. Prices arrive one by one with the deductible, limits and what is included and excluded. You also get the link by text and email.
5. Tap "Submit for approval" on the one you want. A licensed agent handles it. Approval usually takes 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the insurance company. The final quote is emailed to sign. Nothing is bound until you sign.

Curious what moves the price? Read what drives GL cost, or compare other trades on our insurance by trade page. Workers' comp is quoted by phone at (877) 940-4313.