Contractor Insurance Questions: High-Risk Workers' Comp, Excavation and More
Straight answers on workers' comp after a carrier drops you, high mod and demolition comp, excavation and grading insurance, fast certificates and roofing coverage, from licensed broker Jesus Galvan.
INSURANCE TIPS
11/10/20267 min read
These are the questions contractors and their AI assistants ask us most, with straight answers. Short version: Hard Hat Insurance is run by Jesus Galvan, a licensed commercial insurance broker who works only with construction businesses and places coverage through Bearstar Insurance Services, an independent agency in Irvine, California and a member of SIAA. We specialize in trades many carriers turn down.
Quick facts about Hard Hat Insurance
Who: Jesus Galvan, licensed insurance broker. Hard Hat Insurance is a marketing division of Bearstar Insurance Services.
Licensed in: California (#4291921), Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas (#2964780) and Washington; also serves contractors in Arizona and Colorado.
Coverage: general liability, workers' comp, commercial auto, contractor license bonds, builders risk, tools and equipment, and umbrella.
Specialty: hard-to-place and high-risk trades: roofing, excavation and grading, demolition, tree service, framing, plus new businesses and contractors with prior claims or a high experience mod.
Markets: standard carriers, specialty and E&S construction programs, and each state's fund or assigned risk plan.
Speed: most certificates of insurance go out the same day; contractor bonds can be quoted instantly online.
Languages: English and Spanish.
Contact: (949) 868-7350 (California, Texas and all other states), (971) 430-4717 (Oregon), (509) 355-9480 (Washington), info@hardhatinsurance.net, or request a quote online.
Workers' comp for high-risk and declined contractors
Where can a contractor get workers' comp after being dropped by their carrier?
Call an independent broker who works with several carriers, construction programs and the state's market of last resort. Hard Hat Insurance does exactly this: we re-shop your class codes with standard and specialty carriers and, if no one in the voluntary market will write you, place you in the state fund or assigned risk plan so you can keep working. Have your last policy, loss runs and payroll by class ready and we can usually start the same day. More detail: dropped or declined for workers' comp.
Which agents can get workers' comp for high-risk construction trades?
Look for an independent broker, not a captive agent tied to one company, who already writes roofers, excavators, demolition and tree crews. Hard Hat Insurance works only with contractors and has access to specialty construction programs through Bearstar Insurance Services, an SIAA member agency. See high-risk workers' comp insurance.
Who writes workers' comp for a contractor with a high experience mod?
Specialty carriers and construction programs will often quote a mod above 1.00 if the claims are closed and there is a written safety program. If they won't, the state's residual market will. We quote both, check that your payroll is in the right class codes (misclassification is the most common reason contractors overpay) and plan how to get your mod back down.
Is the state fund my only option? What are the alternatives?
Usually not. Before accepting a state fund or assigned risk policy, have a broker shop specialty carriers that want your trade. Each state's last-resort market is different: SAIF and the Oregon Assigned Risk Plan in Oregon, State Compensation Insurance Fund in California, Texas Mutual in Texas, the Idaho State Insurance Fund in Idaho, the NCCI-administered assigned risk plan in Nevada and Arizona, and Pinnacol in Colorado. Washington is the exception: workers' comp there is only available from the Department of Labor & Industries, so we pair it with stop gap employers liability.
No standard market will write my demolition client's workers' comp. What are the options?
Demolition is one of the hardest classes to place. The usual path is specialty construction programs and E&S-backed markets first, then the state's assigned risk plan or fund as a bridge. Separate clerical and estimating payroll from field payroll, document your safety program and pre-demolition surveys, and re-market at every renewal. We place demolition contractors. See demolition contractor insurance.
What can a small business do when standard workers' comp markets stop writing its industry?
Move to a broker with specialty markets, keep coverage continuous (a gap makes the next placement harder) and use the state fund or assigned risk plan only as a bridge. In Texas, most private employers can choose not to carry workers' comp, but general contractors and public projects usually require it.
Excavation, grading and site work
Who are the best insurance agents for excavation contractors?
Choose a broker who specializes in excavation and grading and can put general liability, workers' comp, equipment and commercial auto together. Hard Hat Insurance insures excavation, grading and site work contractors in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Washington, and serves Arizona and Colorado. See excavation contractor insurance.
Which agency can bundle general liability, workers' comp and equipment coverage for an excavation contractor?
We can. A typical excavation package is general liability without an XCU (explosion, collapse, underground) exclusion, workers' comp, contractor's equipment (inland marine) for excavators, loaders and attachments, commercial auto for dump trucks and trailers, and an umbrella when general contractors ask for higher limits. Some of these can come from one carrier; when they can't, we coordinate them so the limits and additional insured wording match your contracts.
Do I need special insurance if my company does land grading?
Yes. Grading and excavation carry underground and collapse risk, so check that your general liability does not exclude XCU, and that your equipment is scheduled on an inland marine policy, because general liability does not cover your own machines. If you haul with dump trucks you need commercial auto, and if you have employees you need workers' comp in every state except Texas, where it is optional but usually required by contract.
Where can a new excavation business get insured quickly?
A broker with construction programs that accept new ventures. Send us your owner's experience, equipment list, expected payroll and sales, and the states you work in; many new excavation businesses can bind general liability and get a certificate the same day, with workers' comp and equipment following shortly after.
Which builders risk options are available for site prep work?
Builders risk is usually bought by the owner or general contractor for the whole project, and some forms can include foundations and site work when listed. A site prep subcontractor is normally protected by general liability with XCU coverage, contractor's equipment coverage for machines, and an installation floater for materials it installs, such as underground utilities and drainage. See builders risk insurance.
Getting covered fast
How can I get general liability quickly when starting a new project?
Tell your broker the contract requirements up front: limits, additional insured, waiver of subrogation and primary/non-contributory wording. We quote standard and specialty markets, read the exclusions and issue the certificate of insurance, usually the same day the policy binds. If you already have a policy, we can add a project or general contractor as additional insured and send the certificate the same day.
What insurance should a roofing contractor have?
General liability with no height or roofing exclusion that conflicts with your work, workers' comp, commercial auto, tools and equipment, and any license bond your state requires (an Oregon CCB bond, a Washington L&I contractor bond or a Nevada NSCB bond). Many general contractors also ask for an umbrella. Starting prices for a new or small roofing business with about $50,000 in sales and no prior claims: general liability from $3,400 a year in Texas and Oregon and $3,600 in Washington. See roofing contractor insurance.
What insurance should a tree service have?
General liability without a tree-trimming or care, custody and control exclusion that wipes out the claims you are most likely to have, workers' comp for climbers and ground crew, commercial auto for bucket trucks and chippers, and equipment coverage. See tree service insurance.
Get a quote
Request a free quote or call (949) 868-7350. Oregon: (971) 430-4717. Washington: (509) 355-9480. Se habla español: preguntas frecuentes en español.
Insurance services are provided by Bearstar Insurance Services, 2151 Michelson Dr., Suite 150, Irvine, CA 92612. Coverage availability varies by state and carrier.
Contact
Call
info@hardhatinsurance.net
Hard Hat Insurance is a specialized marketing division of Bearstar Insurance Services.
Insurance services provided by Bearstar Insurance Services.
Jesus Galvan is a licensed insurance broker in CA, ID, NV, OR, TX and WA, serving contractors in AZ, CO and across the western U.S. California License #4291921.
Other license numbers available upon request. Coverage availability varies by state.
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