Texas Excavation Contractor Insurance
General liability with underground damage coverage, workers' comp, equipment and commercial auto for Texas excavators, from a licensed broker who knows how dirt work gets underwritten. Same-day certificates of insurance. Call (949) 868-7350.
What Insurance Does a Texas Excavation Contractor Need?
Texas has no statewide license for excavation or grading contractors. Cities and counties set their own registration, permit and bond rules, and public agencies often require their own bonds and insurance. Before you dig, Texas law requires you to contact Texas811 at least two working days ahead. Most general contractors, developers and public agencies require $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate in general liability.
The Hard Hat Insurance team, the marketing division of Bearstar Insurance Services, places Texas excavators with carriers that understand dirt work and reads the exclusions before you sign. Whether you grade pads for new subdivisions around Dallas–Fort Worth, trench for utilities in Houston, or clear land outside Austin and San Antonio, we match your coverage to your work, your equipment and your GC's certificate requirements.
Commercial General Liability
Excavation General Liability
General liability pays when your work damages someone else's property or injures someone who isn't your employee. For excavators, the most common claims are struck underground utilities, damaged driveways and landscaping, undermined foundations next to a dig, and settling that shows up after the job is finished. That's why XCU (explosion, collapse, underground) and completed operations coverage matter as much as coverage during the job.
Limits matched to your contracts and agency requirements.
Additional insured, waiver of subrogation and primary/non-contributory wording when your GC requires it.
Surety Bonds
Texas License & Permit Bonds
Texas has no statewide excavation license bond, but many cities, counties and public agencies require permit, right-of-way and performance bonds. We can often issue them the same day, with a quick quote and no long application.
Bad credit programs available.
License, permit and public works bonds.
Texas is the only state where most private employers can choose not to carry workers' comp. Excavators who opt out lose key legal defenses if an injured worker sues, must file an annual notice with the state and tell their employees, and are shut out of public projects and most GC contracts. Excavation is generally rated under class code 6217, with sewer, pipeline and utility work sometimes under other codes. We compare private carriers, and Texas Mutual is the insurer of last resort for contractors no one else will write.
Pay-as-you-go options available (helps cash flow).
Waivers of subrogation for commercial contracts.
Workers' Compensation
What We Cover
Commercial Auto
Work Truck & Fleet
Dump trucks, lowboys, equipment trailers and pickups hauling machines need commercial auto. A personal policy won't cover a truck used for hauling, and a loaded trailer changes how the vehicle is rated. Commercial auto covers your trucks, trailers and the drivers you hire, with higher limits when a contract calls for them.
Builders Risk
Builders Risk (Course of Construction)
Protect your project from fire, wind, water damage and theft of materials, all common on Texas job sites. We cover the structure from the ground up until the job is signed off.
Covers materials on-site and in transit.
Required by most lenders for new construction and remodels.
Contractor's Equipment (Inland Marine): Covers your excavators, skid steers, backhoes and attachments against theft, vandalism, fire, overturn and collapse, on site, in the yard or in transit.
Contractor's Pollution Liability: Covers contaminated soil and fuel or hydraulic spills, which standard GL excludes. Often required on public works and developer contracts.
Excess Liability (Umbrella): Utility, public works and commercial site contracts often require $2M to $5M in total liability.
And More
Local Service Area
Serving all of Texas. We insure excavation contractors statewide.
North Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano.
Central & South Texas: Houston, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso.
Call: (949) 868-7350
Jesus Galvan, licensed insurance broker, Texas license #2964780. Se habla español.
Need a COI Today?
Most GCs, developers and public agencies ask excavation subs for $1M/$2M GL with completed operations and no XCU exclusion, additional insured, waiver of subrogation, primary/non-contributory wording, an umbrella on utility jobs, and proof of workers' comp. Send us your GC's requirements and we'll confirm your policy meets them before you sign.
5 Excavation Exclusions That Can Leave You Uninsured
1. XCU exclusion (explosion, collapse, underground)
Excludes damage to underground utilities, collapse caused by digging, or blasting. For an excavator, this can remove the coverage you need most.
2. Earth movement or subsidence exclusion
Excludes claims from soil settling, shifting or sliding. Common after foundation digs, retaining walls and grading.
3. Pollution exclusion with no separate policy
Standard GL excludes contaminated soil and fuel spills. Without contractor's pollution coverage, a spill on site may be yours to pay.
4. Subcontractor and action-over exclusions
Some policies require every sub, including haulers, to carry their own insurance naming you as additional insured, or a claim on that job may be denied. Others exclude claims where an injured worker sues the GC, who passes the claim to you. Many GCs require that exclusion removed.
5. Residential or tract housing exclusion
Excludes work on homes or new developments, which can cut out a large share of an excavator's jobs. We review these provisions before you sign and tell you plainly what's covered and what it would cost to fix.
Texas Excavation Insurance FAQ
Do I need a license to do excavation work in Texas?
No. Texas has no statewide excavation license. Cities, counties and public agencies set their own registration, permit and bond rules, so check each place you work.
Does general liability cover hitting an underground utility line?
It can, if your policy doesn't exclude underground damage (the "U" in XCU) and you followed Texas811 rules. Check your policy for an XCU exclusion before you dig.
Is my excavator covered by my general liability policy?
No. General liability covers damage you cause to others, not your own machines. Excavators, skid steers and other equipment need a contractor's equipment (inland marine) policy.
What are Texas's 811 rules for excavators?
Contact Texas811 at least two working days before you dig, and notify again if work starts more than 14 days after your original notice. You're responsible for keeping track of the marks and asking for a refresh if they're gone. Skipping the call can turn a struck line into a claim your carrier fights.
What is the workers' comp class code for excavation in Texas?
Excavation is generally class code 6217, Excavation & Drivers. Sewer, pipeline and utility work may use other codes, and office staff and estimators should be classified separately.
What is the general liability class code for excavation?
Most carriers rate excavation general liability under ISO class code 94007 (Excavation). Grading, trenching and land clearing may be classed separately, so how you describe your operations matters. Your workers’ comp code is separate: excavation is generally 6217 in Texas. A wrong GL class can mean a surprise bill at audit or a denied claim, so we match the class to the work you actually do.
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.
© 2026. All rights reserved.