Painting Contractor Insurance in New York

General liability is required for your contractors license and almost every GC and property manager will require it before you set foot on a job site. Workers' comp is required by New York State law if you have any employees, including part-time and day laborers.

There's no single price. Your cost depends on your crew size, revenue, the type of work you do, and your claims history. But here's what most painting contractors we work with are actually paying:

General Liability: $2,000 to $5,000 per year for most painting contractors. Residential crews doing under $300K in revenue typically land on the lower end. Commercial painters and crews working at heights pay more.

Workers' Compensation: This is the most expensive line for most painting companies. Rates are based on payroll and your classification code. Your experience mod is the biggest swing factor.

Commercial Auto: A single work van or truck typically runs $2,500 to $5,000 per year depending on the vehicle, driver records, and whether you need hired and non-owned auto coverage.

Excess / Umbrella Liability: Adding $2M to $5M in total limits to satisfy GC requirements typically costs $2,500 to $10,000 per year on top of your GL and auto.

Yes. Keeping a clean claims history, maintaining a good experience mod, bundling your GL and auto with the same carrier, and working with an agent who knows which markets price painters the best are the biggest levers. Most painters who are overpaying are with a generalist agent who placed them in the wrong market.

Once your coverage is bound, we can issue a certificate of insurance the same day and provide you with a portal to generate your own COI's if you'd like. If a GC needs a COI before you can start a job, call us and we'll get it handled.

Most painting contractors in New York need four coverages:

General Liability covers third-party bodily injury and property damage claims. A paint spill on a client's floor, a ladder that damages a wall, a passerby who gets hurt near your work area.

Workers' Compensation covers medical expenses and lost wages if someone on your crew gets injured on the job. Required by New York State law if you have employees.

Commercial Auto covers the vehicles your crew uses to get to job sites and transport equipment. Personal auto policies won't cover a vehicle used for business. If your agent never told you that, you're driving uninsured right now.

Excess / Umbrella Liability sits on top of your GL and auto to get you to the $2M, $3M, or $5M total limits that GCs require. Without it, you lose the bid before you even submit a price.