California Contractor Insurance
Asena Capital Insurance Services — California-licensed insurance brokerage serving contractors statewide. Phone: (858) 925-9555. Email: info@asenainsurance.com.
Asena Capital Insurance Services provides California C-54 tile contractor insurance guidance for ceramic, porcelain, quarry, paver, glass mosaic, and natural stone tile operations. A review can include General Liability, Workers Compensation when applicable, Commercial Auto, the required contractor bond, tools, equipment, completed operations, and contract requirements.
Share whether the business performs surface preparation, waterproofing, demolition, repairs, cutting, or grinding. Lifting, ladders, wet work, silica considerations, employees, subcontractors, vehicles, and material transport can affect the review. Coverage terms, certificates, eligibility, pricing, and effective dates depend on the actual business and underwriting.
Review the official CSLB C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile classification, the California Workers Compensation guide, and Commercial Auto for contractors. Request a tile contractor coverage review.
CSLB's definition: “A ceramic and mosaic tile contractor prepares surfaces as necessary and installs glazed wall, ceramic, mosaic, quarry, paver, faience, glass mosaic and stone tiles; thin tile that resembles full brick, natural or simulated stone slabs for bathtubs, showers and horizontal surfaces inside of buildings, or any tile units set in the traditional or innovative tile methods, excluding hollow or structural partition tile.” (California Code of Regulations / Business and Professions Code, via cslb.ca.gov).
CSLB's public license file (September 2026) shows 5,943 current C-54 licenses statewide. 43% have a workers' comp policy on file and 54% are filed exempt. 56% are sole owners, 39% corporations and 3% LLCs; 270 were issued in the last 12 months.
Right now 63 C-54 licenses are suspended for workers' comp and 275 for bond problems — a suspended license cannot legally contract.
| Licenses | With WC policy | Exempt | New (12 mo) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | 182 | 38% | 60% | 19 |
| San Jose | 145 | 49% | 49% | 7 |
| Sacramento | 131 | 44% | 55% | 6 |
| Los Angeles | 92 | 43% | 53% | 10 |
| Anaheim | 92 | 49% | 46% | 5 |
| Fresno | 84 | 52% | 44% | 5 |
| Bakersfield | 76 | 57% | 42% | 7 |
| Riverside | 72 | 40% | 57% | 1 |
| Escondido | 64 | 47% | 53% | 5 |
| Santa Rosa | 63 | 57% | 41% | 3 |
Any California contractor with employees must carry workers' comp (Labor Code 3700). A license with no employees can currently file an exemption with CSLB; beginning January 1, 2028 (SB 1455), CSLB will require workers' comp for all active licenses, with joint-venture licenses the only exception.
Tile and stone setting is generally reported under WCIRB class 5348.
Every active California contractor license needs a $25,000 contractor license bond on file with CSLB (raised from $15,000 on January 1, 2023). For owners with good credit, the bond commonly costs about $140–$250 a year; price depends mainly on credit.
LLC licenses also need a $100,000 employee/worker bond and liability insurance of at least $1 million (plus $100,000 per member over five, up to $5 million).
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Tile contractors in California should describe the work actually performed, the CSLB classification that applies, employees and payroll, subcontractors, vehicles, locations, contracts, and claims history before an insurance review. Coverage, limits, eligibility, pricing, and effective dates depend on the complete operation and underwriting; this page is not a binding quote or legal determination.
Prepare the legal entity, CSLB license and classification, description of tile installation, surface preparation, waterproofing-related work, and interior remodeling, employee duties and payroll, subcontractor practices, vehicles and equipment, locations, contract requirements, prior coverage, and claims.
No. The classification is one input. Actual operations, project mix, employees, subcontractors, vehicles, locations, contracts, losses, policy terms, and underwriting also affect the review.
The review may include General Liability, Workers' Compensation where applicable, Commercial Auto, tools or equipment, contractor license bonds, and contract-specific certificates or endorsements. The appropriate combination depends on the actual business.
Official references: California CSLB · CSLB workers' compensation requirements · California DIR employer information · CSLB licensing classifications