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C-33 · Trade coverage

Painting Contractor Insurance in California

One gust of wind during an exterior spray job can turn into a parking lot full of claims. We insure C-33 contractors with coverage built for the way paint actually behaves.

Why painting is different

The claim that travels on the wind

Overspray is the defining C-33 claim. Airborne paint doesn’t respect property lines — it finds parked cars, windows, roofs, and the neighbor’s patio furniture, and a single breezy afternoon can generate a dozen claims at once. Inside, it’s the gouged floor, the stained carpet, the ladder through the picture window. All of it is exactly what your General Liability’s property-damage coverage exists for.

The crew side matters too: exterior work on ladders, scaffolds, and lifts is where painting injuries happen, and it’s what drives your Workers’ Comp pricing — interior repaint crews rate very differently from exterior high-work crews. We quote the operation you actually run, with instant certificates for every GC and property manager that asks.

The painter coverage stack

Overspray-ready

the #1 painting claim, covered the way GCs and neighbors expect

Priced to your mix

interior vs. exterior, ladder vs. lift — your real work sets your real rate

Instant COIs

certificates for GCs and property managers, issued in seconds, 24/7

Common questions

Painter coverage, answered

What insurance does a C-33 painting contractor need in California?
General Liability at $1M/$2M, Workers’ Compensation — required for every licensee since January 1, 2026 — Commercial Auto for vans and trucks, the $25,000 CSLB license bond, and Inland Marine for sprayers, lifts, and scaffolding.
What’s the most common painting insurance claim?
Overspray. Airborne paint drifting onto parked cars, windows, roofs, and neighboring property is the classic C-33 claim — one breezy afternoon spraying an exterior can mean a dozen vehicle claims at once. It’s exactly what your General Liability’s property-damage coverage is for.
Does General Liability cover redoing a bad paint job?
No — redoing your own work is a business cost, not a covered claim. GL covers the resulting damage to other property (the floor the ladder gouged, the car the overspray hit), not the cost of re-painting the wall itself.
Does exterior and high work change my price?
Yes. Interior repaint work rates lower than exterior work on ladders, scaffolds, and lifts — height drives both liability and Workers’ Comp pricing. Tell us your interior/exterior split and how high you work so the policy and the price match reality.

Get coverage that knows the trade

Tell us about your painting work and we’ll come back with real options — usually within one business day.