Industry Guide
Commercial Insurance for Contractors
Contractor accounts are among the most complex and highest-premium commercial insurance submissions. A typical contractor needs general liability, workers comp, commercial auto, umbrella, and often tools and equipment coverage — each with its own ACORD form and underwriting requirements. Understanding how to collect the right information and submit complete packages is one of the most valuable skills a commercial agent can have.
Required coverages for contractors
Required by almost every general contractor and subcontractor. Covers bodily injury and property damage during operations and after work is completed.
Mandatory in most states. Contractors with employees — including part-time and seasonal workers — must carry WC.
Required for work trucks, trailers, and any vehicle used on job sites or for transporting equipment.
Many GCs require subs to carry $2M or $5M in umbrella limits. Also protects the contractor's own business from large judgments.
Covers buildings under construction and the materials on the job site against fire, theft, and weather damage.
Covers contractor tools and equipment — whether at the shop, in the truck, or on the job site. Standard property policies often exclude tools off-premises.
Key underwriting questions for contractors
Underwriters focus heavily on operations detail for contractor accounts. The questions that matter most:
→What type of work is performed? (new construction, remodeling, specialty trade)
→Residential vs. commercial? What percentage of each?
→What percentage of work is subcontracted out?
→Do subcontractors carry their own GL and WC? Are certificates collected?
→Any work above 3 stories? Underground work? Demolition?
→Any prior claims in the past 5 years?
→Payroll breakdown by trade and classification
→States where work is performed
How AgencyAssist helps with contractor submissions
Contractor accounts require detailed information across multiple ACORD forms. AgencyAssist sends the contractor a single plain-English intake link that collects all the information needed for their GL, WC, and auto submissions simultaneously. The completed ACORD 125, 126, 127, and 130 are generated automatically — ready to submit to multiple carriers at once.
Complete contractor submissions in one workflow
One intake link. A complete submission summary generated automatically — not an official ACORD form.