What insurance do contractors usually need in Texas?

Most contractors start with General Liability, Workers' Comp, and Commercial Auto, then add tools coverage, umbrella, bonds, builder's risk, or E&O depending on trade and contract requirements.

How fast can I get a COI for a Texas job?

COI timing depends on the carrier, the certificate holder details, and whether endorsements are required. If you are an existing client, use Request a COI and include the requirement clause and job details for the fastest turnaround.

What causes COIs to get rejected most often?

Wrong legal names, missing jobsite details, limits that do not match the packet, and assuming a COI note equals an endorsement. Start with our certificate of insurance guide before you upload.

What does Additional Insured mean and why do GCs ask for it?

It is a common contract requirement tied to liability and risk transfer. The wording matters, and requirements vary by contract, project, and carrier.

What is Primary and Noncontributory and do I need it?

It is a common compliance requirement that affects which policy responds first. If it is in your contract or portal, treat it as a separate item to verify.

Why do contractors get premium audit bills?

Audits reconcile estimated payroll, class codes, sales, and subcontractor costs against actuals. Surprise bills often come from unclear job duties or missing subcontractor proof.

I use subcontractors. What insurance proof should I collect?

You typically need to collect and track subcontractor COIs and renewals to meet contract requirements and reduce audit problems.

Do you have an office in Texas?

We serve Texas contractors and the surrounding metros, and we focus on fast quoting and compliance support.

How fast can ContractorsInsured cover a Texas contractor?

We typically return two to three quote options within 24 to 72 hours once we have your trade, revenue, payroll, subcontractor use, and claims history, and we issue the COI immediately after binding.

Contractor Insurance in Texas

In short

Contractors Insured is a licensed insurance brokerage serving contractors across Texas statewide. We place core policies (general liability, workers compensation, and commercial auto) plus common add-ons, and we issue fast COIs and endorsements. We support contractors in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. As ContractorsInsured.net (TX Lic #3305690), we shop multiple Texas-admitted carriers for Texas contractors, quote the same business day, and issue the COI right after binding.

Written and reviewed by Pascal Burke, Licensed Insurance Broker, founder of ContractorsInsured.net, a licensed brokerage serving contractors in California and Texas. CA License #6015321 · TX License #3305690. Licensing and disclosures.

// 01 · Overview

Insurance for Texas contractors, statewide

In brief: A licensed brokerage placing core policies and add-ons for contractors across Texas.

We support contractors in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Fort Worth.

No policy yet but a GC wants a COI? We quote general liability the same business day, bind, and issue the certificate right after. Already covered? Send the certificate holder details and endorsement wording and we match it.

Get a quote Request a COI

// 02 · Who we help

Who we help in Texas

In brief: Trades that run into frequent certificate and endorsement requirements.

We focus on contractor trades that run into frequent certificate and endorsement requirements, especially when bidding or onboarding with GCs and property managers.

We primarily support

Roofing contractors (residential and commercial)
General contractors (subs-heavy and self-performing models)
Plumbing contractors (service, retrofit, and new construction)

What Texas contractors come to us for

Multi-carrier shopping (independent broker approach)
Faster COIs and clearer endorsement requests for portals, bids, and job starts
A clean quote checklist that helps underwriting move quicker

// 03 · Compliance

Common compliance requirements we help with in Texas

In brief: Most compliance problems are documentation and wording problems, not coverage gaps.

Most "insurance compliance" problems are documentation and wording problems. We help you request the right items before you upload to a portal or send to a GC. These are the common requirements you may see in bid packets and contracts:

Certificate of Insurance (COI): what it proves, what it does not, and how to request it correctly
Additional Insured (AI): endorsement expectations, not just a COI checkbox
Primary and Noncontributory (PNC): "who pays first" requirements that can trigger rejections
Waiver of Subrogation (WOS): commonly required and easy to mishandle without the exact clause
Premium audits: why they happen and what documentation reduces surprise bills
Contractor class codes: how duties and payroll splits impact workers' comp
Subcontractor insurance compliance: what to collect from subs and how to track renewals

For the full library, visit the compliance hub.

// 04 · Coverages

Coverage types we place for Texas contractors

In brief: A core set of policies first, then add-ons based on vehicles, payroll, tools, and contracts.

Most contractors start with a core set of coverages, then add policies based on vehicles, payroll, tools, contract requirements, and job type.

Core policies contractors ask for most often

Common add-ons depending on trade and contract

Ghost Policy (where applicable, and with clear disclosures)
Contractor Bonds
Tools and Equipment (Inland Marine)
Umbrella and Excess
Builder's Risk
Professional Liability (E&O)

// 05 · By trade

Start with your trade in Texas

In brief: Trade plus coverage pages answer the fastest questions: what you need, what affects pricing, what causes rejections.

Trade-specific guidance usually answers the fastest questions: what you typically need, what affects pricing, and what causes COI rejections. These are the most common combinations contractors need for bids, onboarding, and job starts.

General contractors (Texas)

Roofing contractors (Texas)

Plumbing contractors (Texas)

If you already know the policy you need, start with the general contractors, roofing contractors, or plumbing contractors trade pages.

// 06 · Metros

Choose your Texas metro

In brief: Metro pages route you to the trade and coverage guidance for where you work.

These metro pages route you to the trade and policy guidance for the area you work in.

Not seeing your city? Use the quote form and select your closest metro. We serve Texas and surrounding areas.

// 07 · How it works

How contractor insurance works in Texas

In brief: Your real requirements come from the contract in front of you, not a single statewide rule.

Texas does not require most private commercial contractors to carry general liability by state law, but in practice the people who hire you do. General contractors, property managers, and project owners set the insurance terms in their contracts and bid packets, and the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) regulates the carriers and brokers who place those policies. Your real requirements come from the contract in front of you, not a single statewide rule. As a licensed brokerage, we read those requirements and place coverage that matches them.

Workers compensation is a special case in Texas. Texas is the one state where private employers can legally choose not to carry workers comp, a status often called nonsubscriber. Even so, most general contractors and public projects still require their subcontractors to carry it, so many Texas contractors buy a policy specifically to win work and stay compliant on jobsites.

Common Texas bid and COI requirements

Across Texas metros, the certificate and endorsement language tends to repeat. Bid packets and contracts commonly ask for a specific general liability limit, an Additional Insured endorsement naming the hiring party, Primary and Noncontributory wording, and a Waiver of Subrogation. We help you confirm the exact clause before you upload a certificate to a portal or send it to a GC, which is what prevents most last minute rejections.

For coverage details, start with general liability insurance for Texas contractors, and review how general liability insurance for contractors works at the policy level. Contractors Insured is a licensed brokerage founded by Pascal Burke, a licensed insurance broker, serving contractors in Texas and California.

// 08 · Get started

Fast quote checklist for Texas contractors

In brief: Faster quotes come from clean underwriting inputs and the compliance packet if you have one.

Faster quotes come from clean underwriting inputs: trade, job types, payroll, revenue, subs, and the compliance packet if you have one. When you start a quote, you will typically be asked for:

Trade (roofing, GC, plumbing) and where you work in Texas
Years in business and a short description of job types
Revenue range and payroll range (estimated is fine to start)
Subcontractor usage percentage (rough estimate)
Claims history (basic summary)
Current coverage (if any) and target effective date
Optional upload: bid packet insurance requirements, prior COIs, or current declarations pages

If your situation is compliance-driven (example: "need a COI today"), say that clearly in step 1 so it can be routed correctly.

This is general information, not legal advice. Coverage, eligibility, policy forms, endorsements, and pricing vary by carrier and underwriting approval. Specific contract language and bid packet requirements should be reviewed with your broker before binding.