Why it matters
Who needs it — and when
If you bid commercial work in California, General Liability isn’t really optional. Virtually every general contractor and project owner requires proof of GL — usually with themselves named as additional insured — before you set foot on the site. The only licensees the CSLB itself requires to carry it are LLCs, at a $1 million minimum.
Without it, one property-damage claim comes straight out of your pocket, and you’re locked out of bidding most jobs. With it, you hand over a certificate, get on the schedule, and get to work. Our clients issue their own certificates instantly from the portal — no waiting on a broker to email a COI.
What it covers
- Bodily injury — a visitor or third party is hurt because of your operations
- Property damage — your crew damages the building, a neighbor’s property, or the owner’s equipment
- Products & completed operations — claims that surface after the job is finished
- Personal & advertising injury — libel, slander, and related claims
- Legal defense — attorney fees and court costs, even for claims that go nowhere
- Contract-required endorsements — additional insured, waiver of subrogation, primary & non-contributory wording