Contractor insurance for your trade
Explained simply
Each trade has its own kind of bad day. Roofers worry about leaks, electricians about fire, plumbers about water. Insurers price general liability by your CSLB class and write different exclusions for each one. Start with your trade.
A roofer and a painter can share a street and still need very different policies. Choose your trade to see the risks insurers weigh, what your customers will ask for, and the CSLB rules that apply to your class.
The risk insurers watch in each trade
- Roofing (C-39)Falls, torch work and leaks that appear later.
- Concrete (C-8)Slabs that settle or crack after you leave.
- Painting (C-33)Overspray on cars and neighbors, ladder falls.
- Plumbing (C-36)Slow leaks that ruin floors and walls.
- Electrical (C-10)A fire traced back to finished wiring.
- HVAC (C-20)Roof units, gas connections, crawling through attics.
- Landscaping (C-27)Thrown rocks, broken sprinklers, grading problems.
- General building (B)The whole project plus every sub you hire.
- Framing (C-5)The structure every later trade relies on.
- Drywall (C-9)Scaffolding, dust, damage inside occupied homes.
The details · tap to open
Choose your trade
Ten common CSLB classes and the risk each one carries.
| Trade | CSLB class | Main liability concern |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing | C-39 | Falls, torch and hot work, leaks into the home after the job |
| Concrete | C-8 | Settling and cracking that surface after completion |
| Painting | C-33 | Overspray, ladder work, damage to finished surfaces |
| Plumbing | C-36 | Hidden leaks and water damage found months later |
| Electrical | C-10 | Fire linked to completed wiring |
| HVAC | C-20 | Rooftop equipment, gas lines, attic access |
| Landscaping | C-27 | Debris thrown by equipment, irrigation, grading |
| General building | B | Exposure across the whole job and the subs you bring on |
| Framing | C-5 | Structural work the rest of the build depends on |
| Drywall | C-9 | Scaffolds, dust and harm inside finished living space |
Why your class changes the policy
Class decides who will write you, what they ask and what they exclude.
Insurers group contractors by class because the claims look different from trade to trade. A finished roof that lets rain into a living room. A driveway that sinks two winters later. A panel that sparks a fire. Each one gets priced on its own track.
Your class shapes your quote in three places:
- The programs willing to quote. No A-rated program writes every class. When you type your license number, the board shows the ones that write yours.
- The questions. New construction, residential versus commercial, subs and payroll carry more weight in some trades.
- The exclusions. Roofs see height limits and hot-work limits. Concrete sees subsidence wording. Builders see limits on new residential work. Every card on the board spells out what is in and what is out, so read that before you choose.
For the full list of price factors, see what drives contractor GL cost.
Classes that need workers' comp with no employees
Five classes cannot use the no-employee exemption.
Under B&P §7125, every licensee files either a workers' comp certificate or an exemption with CSLB. These five classes cannot take the exemption and must carry workers' comp even when the owner works alone:
- C-8 Concrete
- C-20 HVAC
- C-22 Asbestos Abatement
- C-39 Roofing
- D-49 Tree Service
The requirement is scheduled to cover everyone. SB 216 set 1/1/2026 for all licensees, and SB 1455 (2024) pushed that date to 1/1/2028. Read the 2028 workers' comp guide. Workers' comp is quoted online from your license number, just like GL.
Licence types handled by an agent
Six specialty licences are always quoted by phone.
A handful of specialty licences never go through the online board. A licensed agent quotes them by phone:
- C-22 Asbestos Abatement
- C-11 Elevator
- C-16 Fire Protection
- D-9 Drilling, Blasting and Oil Field Work
- D-30 Pile Driving and Pressure Foundation Jacking
- ASB asbestos certification
Holding one of these? Call or text (877) 940-4313. Commercial auto, umbrella and excess liability, and CSLB bonds are also handled by an agent.
More than one class on your licence
Quote the work you really do most.
Plenty of licences carry two or three classes. The quote reads every class from the CSLB record, then asks what work you mainly do. Answer with the work you actually perform, since a policy describing the wrong operations can leave a claim uncovered.
Whatever the trade, the online GL quote uses $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate, and we send the certificate to your GC once you are covered. If your licence belongs to an LLC, CSLB sets a minimum by law: see the LLC insurance requirement. Proof for GCs is covered in certificates of insurance.
Common questions
Why does contractor insurance cost more for some trades?
Insurers rate each CSLB class by how often and how badly it causes claims. Two contractors with the same sales but different trades will see different prices. Your license number shows your real one.
Which California contractors must carry workers' comp even as a one-person business?
C-8 concrete, C-20 HVAC, C-22 asbestos abatement, C-39 roofing and D-49 tree service cannot use the no-employee exemption.
Can a C-16 fire protection contractor quote online?
No. C-16, C-22, C-11, D-9, D-30 and ASB certification are quoted by a licensed agent by phone at (877) 940-4313.
My licence has several classifications. Which one gets insured?
The quote reads all of them from CSLB, and you pick the work you mainly do. Describe your real operations so the policy matches.
Does residential work change my contractor quote?
Yes. Homes and commercial buildings carry different risks, so the quote asks which you do. It can change which programs quote and what they exclude.
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 2026-10-25.