Insurance for Contractors in Washington and Idaho
Contractors carry more certificate requirements than almost any other business. Washington registration through L&I requires proof of general liability and a bond, general contractors require additional insured endorsements before you step on site, and the tools in your truck are worth more than most policies assume.
What usually goes wrong
- Property damage and injuries on client job sites
- Completed operations claims that surface months or years after a job
- Tools and equipment stolen from vehicles and job sites
- Employees driving company trucks between jobs
- Subcontractors without their own insurance
The coverage we typically build
- General LiabilityInjury and property damage claims from customers, clients, and the public. The policy most contracts require.Details
- Commercial AutoVehicles your business owns, plus liability when employees drive their own cars for work.Details
- Workers Comp & Stop-Gap (WA)Washington workers comp runs through L&I. Stop-gap covers the lawsuits L&I does not.Details
- Workers Comp (Idaho)Required for most Idaho employers from the first employee. Bought from private carriers or the State Insurance Fund.Details
- Tools, Equipment & Business IncomeTools at job sites and in vehicles, equipment breakdown, and the income you lose while you rebuild.Details
- Commercial UmbrellaExtra liability limits above your GL, auto, and employers liability, usually at a lower cost per dollar.Details
- Commercial PropertyBuildings, equipment, inventory, and improvements, valued at what it would really cost to replace.Details
Tools and equipment that move between job sites belong on an inland marine (contractors equipment) policy, not a building-based property form.
The gap we see most
The most expensive contractor surprise is the premium audit. General liability for contractors is often rated on payroll or subcontracted cost, estimated at the start of the year and audited at the end. Pay an uninsured sub and the carrier may treat those costs as your own payroll. We collect certificates from your subs with you, before the audit does it for you.
Insurance by trade
Licensing, contract requirements, and the coverage we build for each.
- Insurance for General Contractors in Washington and Idaho
What general contractors need in Washington and Idaho: L&I registration with a $30,000 bond and $250,000 of liability insurance, Idaho registration with $300,000 including completed operations, subcontractor rules, additional insured endorsements, and the coverage program to build.
- Handyman Insurance in Washington and Idaho
Insurance and registration for handyman businesses in Washington and Idaho: when you must register (Washington's $500 exemption disappears if you advertise), bond and liability minimums, what handymen cannot do without a trade license, and the coverage to carry.
- Electrician and Electrical Contractor Insurance in Washington and Idaho
What electrical contractors need in Washington and Idaho: the Washington electrical contractor license with a $4,000 bond and a designated master electrician or administrator, Idaho's $300,000 liability requirement, and the coverage program electricians actually need.
- Plumber and HVAC Contractor Insurance in Washington and Idaho
What plumbing and HVAC contractors need in Washington and Idaho: Washington's plumbing contractor license with a $6,000 bond and $250,000 of liability, how HVAC is licensed, Idaho's plumbing and HVAC bonds, and the coverage program for water damage, completed work, and service vans.
- Cleaning and Janitorial Business Insurance in Washington and Idaho
Insurance for house cleaning and commercial janitorial businesses in Washington and Idaho: general liability with care, custody, or control coverage, janitorial bonds, workers comp and stop-gap, the independent contractor test, and what property managers require.
- Landscaping, Lawn Care, and Tree Service Insurance in Washington and Idaho
Insurance and licensing for landscapers, lawn care companies, and tree services in Washington and Idaho: when contractor registration applies, pesticide applicator insurance minimums, call-before-you-dig rules, and the auto, equipment, and liability coverage crews need.
- Insurance for Painters and Carpenters in Washington and Idaho
Insurance and registration for painting, finish carpentry, and framing contractors in Washington and Idaho: L&I specialty registration, bond and liability minimums, lead-safe renovation certification for pre-1978 homes, and the coverage to carry.
What our clients say
“We run a small contracting business and our old policy left us exposed on a couple of jobs. Trella found better general liability and tools coverage with another carrier and got it done quickly. Felt like they actually looked at how we work instead of just filling out a form.”
Stories from contractors & trades
Illustrative stories: what each business came in for, and what the review found.
A Cleaning Company's Clients Wanted Three Things It Had Never Bought
A janitorial company bidding on office buildings kept hitting the same wall: property managers wanted stop-gap, a janitorial bond, and employment coverage. Here is how the program came together.
Stop-gapGLEPLIConstructionA Roofer's Umbrella Only Works if the Policies Underneath It Are Right
A roofing company needed a $5 million umbrella for commercial jobs. The review found that without stop-gap and the right GL form underneath, the umbrella would not have responded to the claims roofers actually face.
UmbrellaGLStop-gapConstructionA Spokane Painter Took a Job in Coeur d'Alene. Washington L&I Didn't Follow His Crew.
A commercial painting company based in Spokane began taking jobs across the Idaho line. The review found its crew wasn't clearly covered for injuries in Idaho, and its stop-gap and umbrella had gaps of their own.
Workers compStop-gapGLUmbrellaConstructionAn Electrician Moved From Arizona and Asked Where to Buy Workers Comp
An electrical contractor relocated his company to Washington and asked a simple question: which carrier writes workers comp here? The answer surprised him, and the gap it revealed is one many Washington employers miss.
Stop-gapGLAutoConstructionAn HVAC Company's Technicians Took Their Vans Home. The Auto Policy Needed to Know.
A heating and cooling contractor with eleven service vans had a fleet policy that didn't match how the vans were actually used, and liability limits too thin for a fleet on the road every day.
AutoGLUmbrellaConstructionSix Trucks, Four Trailers, and a Landscaper's Auto Policy That Only Knew About Three
A growing landscaping company added trucks, trailers, and drivers faster than it updated its insurance. The review found undisclosed vehicles, an unlisted driver with a bad record, and equipment nobody had insured.
AutoGLStop-gapConstructionThe Remodeler Who Couldn't Start the Job Until His Certificate Matched the Contract
A kitchen and bath remodeler landed his biggest subcontract yet, then learned his general liability policy was missing three endorsements the contract required. Here is how the gap got closed before day one.
GLUmbrellaAutoConstructionTree Work Is One of the Riskiest Trades in Washington. The Insurance Has to Match.
A tree removal company with bucket trucks, chippers, and climbers had L&I and a basic liability policy. The review found missing stop-gap, heavy equipment on the wrong auto policy, and no umbrella over one of the highest-hazard jobs around.
Stop-gapAutoUmbrellaCommon questions
What insurance do I need to register as a contractor in Washington?
L&I contractor registration requires a surety bond and proof of general liability insurance at the minimums L&I sets for your registration type, plus an L&I workers comp account if you have employees. Your GL carrier files proof directly with L&I.
Why does my general contractor want to be an additional insured?
So your policy defends them if a claim arises from your work. It requires an endorsement on your policy, not just a certificate, and the wording has to match the contract.
What changes for contractors working in Idaho?
Idaho workers comp comes from private carriers or the Idaho State Insurance Fund, not L&I, and it is required from the first employee. Idaho Code 72-216 also makes a contractor liable for the employees of an uninsured subcontractor working under it, so collect a current workers comp certificate from every sub before they start.
Insurance for contractors & trades, reviewed line by line.
Send us what you have. We review it line by line against your leases and contracts, and tell you plainly what is missing. Free, and no obligation.