Painting contractor insurance in California

What actually goes wrong on painting jobs

Painting looks like a low-risk trade until a claim lands. Most painting claims are property damage to someone else's things, and they add up fast.

• Overspray. Spray drifts on the wind and lands on cars in the driveway, the neighbor's house, windows, boats or a parking lot full of vehicles. One windy day on an exterior job can mean a dozen cars to detail or repaint.
• Spills and stains. A tipped bucket on hardwood floors, carpet, stone counters or furniture.
• Ladders and scaffolds. A ladder that falls through a window, a scaffold that tips into a fence or a passerby, a drop cloth someone trips on.
• Lead paint on older homes. Sanding or scraping old paint can spread lead dust through a home. Lead claims are serious, and many policies treat them very differently from other claims.
• Fire. Oily rags from stains and finishes can catch fire on their own if they are not stored right.
• Completed operations. Peeling, bleeding or failed coatings that damage something else after you leave.

Interior vs exterior painting

The quote will ask what kind of painting you do, and the answer matters.

• Interior. Claims are mostly spills, stains and damage to floors, furniture and fixtures. Working inside an occupied home means more contact with the owner's property.
• Exterior. Overspray, ladders, scaffolds and height bring more risk. Spraying on a windy day, or near parked cars, is the classic exterior claim.
• Commercial and multi-unit. Apartments, offices and new construction often mean bigger crews, lifts, and GCs who want additional insured status and completed operations coverage.

Some painters also do drywall repair, pressure washing, waterproofing or epoxy floors. Mention it. A policy written for interior painting only may not cover work outside that description.

What GCs, property managers and homeowners ask painters for

• A certificate of insurance (COI) showing your general liability. Property managers often want one on file before you get keys.
• $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate. The limits most GCs and property managers ask for.
• Additional insured status. Listing someone as certificate holder is not the same as naming them additional insured. GCs usually want to be additional insured, often with primary and non-contributory wording and a waiver of subrogation.
• Proof of workers' comp if you have employees, or the exemption you filed with CSLB if you do not.

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

Exclusions painters should read for

• Lead exclusions. Many GL policies exclude lead-related claims. If you work on older homes, ask about it before you buy, and follow the lead-safe work practices that apply to your jobs.
• Overspray limits. Some policies limit or exclude damage from spray application, especially on exteriors.
• Height or scaffold limits. Some policies cap the height you can work at.
• Interior-only or residential-only limits. Make sure the policy matches the jobs you take.
• Pollution exclusions. Paint, solvents and stripping chemicals can fall under pollution wording. Check how each quote treats them.
• Subcontractor requirements. If you sub out work, many policies require your subs to carry their own insurance.

GL never covers injuries to your own workers (workers' comp), your own sprayers, ladders and tools, your vans (commercial auto), or the cost to repaint your own bad work. It covers the damage you cause to others. Every quote on the board lists what is included and excluded.

CSLB rules for C-33 painters

• Workers' comp. Every licensee files a workers' comp certificate or an exemption with CSLB. Today a painter with no employees can file the exemption. That changes: workers' comp for all licensees is set for January 1, 2028. See our workers' comp 2028 guide.
• The $25,000 license bond. Every licensee carries it. A bond is not insurance. See bond vs 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 a $100,000 worker-wage bond. See the LLC requirement.
• Contract notice. Home improvement contracts must say whether you carry commercial general liability insurance, with the insurer and phone number if you do.
• Small jobs. Since January 1, 2025, unlicensed work is allowed only under $1,000 in labor and materials, with no permit and no hired help.

For non-LLC painters, CSLB does not require GL by law but strongly recommends it. GCs and most homeowners require it by contract.

How the online painting quote works

1. Enter your C-33 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, 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. The link is also texted and emailed to you.
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.

Read what drives GL cost to see what moves the price, or compare other trades.