What Does General Liability Cover?
What Is Covered
- ✓Third-party bodily injury
- ✓Third-party property damage
- ✓Medical payments (no-fault)
- ✓Personal & advertising injury
- ✓Legal defense costs
- ✓Products & completed operations
What Is NOT Covered
- ✗Employee injuries (-> Workers Comp)
- ✗Professional errors (-> E&O)
- ✗Vehicle accidents (-> Commercial Auto)
- ✗Intentional acts
- ✗Pollution (-> Pollution Liability)
- ✗Faulty workmanship on your own work
GL Insurance Cost Factors by Trade — California Contractors
Trade operations, revenue, subcontracting, project types, limits, claims history, and carrier underwriting shape each review. Hover any row to request a trade-specific quote.
| Trade / License Class | Primary Exposure Factors | Application Inputs | Review Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Contractor (B) | Project mix and subcontracting | Revenue, payroll, losses | Complex | Get Quote |
| Roofing (C-39) | Height and completed work | Safety controls, payroll, losses | High | Get Quote |
| Electrical (C-10) | Electrical and completed work | Project mix, revenue, losses | Specialized | Get Quote |
| Plumbing (C-36) | Water damage and completed work | Project mix, revenue, losses | Specialized | Get Quote |
| HVAC (C-20) | Installation and service work | Project mix, revenue, losses | Specialized | Get Quote |
| Painting (C-33) | Height and surface work | Operations, revenue, losses | Variable | Get Quote |
| Landscaping (C-27) | Equipment and field work | Operations, revenue, losses | Variable | Get Quote |
| Concrete (C-8) | Structural and job-site work | Project mix, revenue, losses | Specialized | Get Quote |
| Drywall (C-9) | Interior and completed work | Operations, revenue, losses | Variable | Get Quote |
| Solar (C-46) | Roof access and electrical work | Project mix, revenue, losses | High | Get Quote |
These are review factors, not prices or offers of coverage. Eligibility, terms, limits, and premium require current application details and carrier underwriting.
CSLB Minimum GL Requirements by Entity Type
California Business & Professions Code §7071.19 mandates minimum GL limits for LLC licensees. Other entity types are not mandated by CSLB but are required by most general contractors and property owners.
| Entity Type | CSLB Minimum | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole Proprietor / Partnership | Not mandated by CSLB | $1M/$2M | Required by most GCs and property owners |
| LLC (1–5 personnel) | $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate | $1M/$2M | B&P Code §7071.19 |
| LLC (6–20 personnel) | $2M per occurrence / $4M aggregate | $2M/$4M | B&P Code §7071.19 |
| LLC (21+ personnel) | $3M per occurrence / $6M aggregate | $3M/$6M | B&P Code §7071.19 |
| Corporation | Not mandated by CSLB | $1M/$2M | Required by most GCs and property owners |
GL vs BOP — Which Do You Need?
A Business Owner's Policy (BOP) bundles general liability with commercial property coverage. Here's how they compare for California contractors:
| Feature | GL Only | BOP |
|---|---|---|
| General Liability (BI/PD) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Products & Completed Operations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Personal & Advertising Injury | ✓ | ✓ |
| Commercial Property Coverage | ✗ | ✓ |
| Business Income / Lost Revenue | ✗ | ✓ |
| Equipment Breakdown | ✗ | Optional |
| Best For | Contractors who rent/lease | Contractors who own office/shop |
| Pricing Basis | Operations, revenue, limits, and claims | Liability plus eligible property exposures |
How Much Does General Liability Insurance Cost in California?
General liability pricing is not set by revenue alone. Trade operations, payroll, subcontracting, project size, requested limits, claims history, locations, and carrier underwriting determine an individualized indication.
| Annual Revenue Band | Additional Review Inputs | Pricing Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $50,000 | Trade, operations, limits, and losses | Individual underwriting |
| $50,001–$100,000 | Trade, operations, limits, and losses | Individual underwriting |
| $100,001–$150,000 | Payroll, subcontracting, and project mix | Individual underwriting |
| $150,001–$250,000 | Payroll, subcontracting, and project mix | Individual underwriting |
| $250,001–$500,000 | Project size, contracts, payroll, and losses | Individual underwriting |
| $500,001–$750,000 | Project size, contracts, payroll, and losses | Individual underwriting |
| Over $750,000 | Operations, project mix, limits, and losses | Individual underwriting |
Revenue bands illustrate exposure review only and are not pricing tiers. Actual eligibility, terms, limits, and premium depend on complete application details and carrier underwriting.
General Liability Market Review
Carrier eligibility, limits, exclusions, endorsements, and pricing vary by contractor operations and underwriting. A current application and contract review are required to compare available options.
California General Liability answers and authority
Use these source-backed answers as a starting point. Licensing and coverage requirements can change; verify current guidance with the responsible agency and discuss your operations with a licensed professional.
What should a California contractor prepare for a General Liability review?
Prepare the trade and actual operations, project and contract requirements, requested limits, revenue and subcontractor details, locations, prior coverage, loss history, and any certificate or endorsement wording. The submission should describe the work actually performed and remains subject to policy terms and underwriting.
Where can a California contractor verify General Liability and licensing information?
Review CSLB guidance for license-related requirements, California Department of Insurance consumer guidance for commercial General Liability concepts, WCIRB resources when Workers' Compensation classification questions overlap, and California Division of Workers' Compensation guidance for employee-injury coverage questions. Official sources should be checked for current requirements.
How are General Liability limits and endorsements reviewed?
Limits and endorsements are reviewed against the contractor's operations, project contract, completed-operations exposure, additional-insured wording, waiver requests, locations, claims history, and carrier eligibility. A requested limit is not a promise that coverage or a particular endorsement is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Request a General Liability Coverage Review
Contractor-focused market review · Options subject to underwriting