General Contractor & Remodeling Insurance in Minnesota
You are responsible for everyone on the job.
The William Tuttle Agency arranges insurance for general contractors and remodelers across Minnesota — general liability with completed operations, the subcontractor certificate program underwriters expect, builder's risk for projects in progress, inland marine for tools, commercial auto, the Minnesota residential contractor license and bond paperwork, and workers' compensation once you have employees. Call (507) 451-1168 or request a contractor insurance quote.
Kitchens, basements, additions, whole-house remodels, and a rotating cast of subs whose paperwork becomes your problem.
A general contractor is insured for their own work and, in practice, for the subs they hire. General liability with completed operations is the foundation; the subcontractor certificate file is what keeps an audit from charging uninsured subs to your policy as employees. Builder's risk protects the project while it is open, inland marine covers the tools, commercial auto the trucks, and workers' compensation is generally required once you have employees. Minnesota licenses residential building contractors through the Department of Labor and Industry, with its own paperwork.
Remodeling is the biggest construction category in southern Minnesota by count of businesses, and it is where the insurance paperwork gets heaviest: homeowners want certificates, lenders want builder's risk, and every sub on the job should have coverage you can prove. The William Tuttle Agency writes general contractors and remodelers from one office at 121 W Broadway St in Owatonna.
What does general liability cover for a remodeler?
Bodily injury and property damage you are legally responsible for, from ongoing work and from completed projects. A client tripping over a saw horse is the ongoing-operations claim; a deck that fails two summers later or a bathroom that leaks into the floor below is completed operations, and that is the one that matters. Damage to your own work is commonly excluded — the policy pays for the ceiling below, not for redoing the tile.
How do subcontractors affect my policy?
More than anything else on the application. Underwriters ask what share of your work is subcontracted and whether you collect certificates of insurance from every sub. At audit, a sub without proof of coverage is often charged to your policy as if they were payroll — sometimes at a much higher rate. Collect a certificate before the sub starts, every time, and require them to name you as additional insured on larger jobs.
Do I need builder's risk for a remodel?
Often, and lenders usually require it on financed projects. Builder's risk covers the structure and materials while the project is under way — fire in a half-framed addition, a theft of cabinets from an unlocked site, a storm through an open roof. The homeowner's policy may not respond to work in progress, and yours does not cover the client's house. Ask who is buying builder's risk on each job before the first nail.
What license does Minnesota require?
Residential building contractors and remodelers in Minnesota generally need a license from the Department of Labor and Industry, which involves continuing education and contributions to the state contractor recovery fund, with an exemption for very small operators based on annual receipts. Confirm the current rules with DLI. Certificates and, where required, bonds are part of the same file; see surety bonds.
What about tools, trailers and trucks?
Tools and equipment go on an inland marine schedule — commercial auto covers the truck, not its contents. Enclosed trailers are listed on the auto policy for liability while towed and scheduled for physical damage. Crew driving their own vehicles to a job is the reason hired and non-owned auto liability exists. Theft from a job site over a weekend is the claim to ask about by name.
When does workers' comp start?
Minnesota generally requires workers' compensation once you have employees, and a part-time helper generally counts. Falls, cuts and strains are the classification's concerns, and remodeling carries different class codes for carpentry, drywall and finish work — keep payroll records by classification so the audit is a formality.
What a remodeler's policy usually has to cover.
The checklist we work through with a general contractor, one line at a time.
| Coverage | What it responds to | GC note |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | Injury to others and damage to property that is not yours | Every homeowner and lender asks to see it |
| Completed operations | Losses that surface after the project closes | The deck, the shower pan, the addition roof |
| Subcontractor certificates | Coverage for the subs you hire | Uninsured subs are charged to your audit |
| Builder's risk | The project and materials while work is under way | Lenders usually require it on financed jobs |
| Inland marine (tools) | Theft of and damage to tools and equipment | Schedule the big items; blanket the rest |
| Commercial auto | Trucks used for the work | Personal auto is generally not written for this |
| Hired & non-owned auto | Crew driving personal vehicles to a job | The common small-shop gap |
| Residential contractor license | MN DLI licensing and recovery fund | Generally required for residential work |
| Workers' compensation | Employee injuries — falls, cuts, strains | Generally required in Minnesota once you have employees |
| Umbrella / excess liability | Limits above the underlying policies | Larger projects and commercial clients often require it |
What if my subcontracting ratio makes a carrier hesitate?
A remodeler who subs out most of the work, does some roofing, or has a claim on the record can find the first market saying no. Many agents represent a single company. We lead with Farmers Insurance and hold appointments with 20+ additional carriers, including commercial markets such as BTIS, AmTrust, RLI and Tapco — so an operation that does not fit the first market often has somewhere to go. It may simply not be the first market we call. You still deal with one licensed local person in Owatonna who answers the phone. See the carriers we represent.
How much does general contractor & remodeler insurance cost in Minnesota?
There is no list price for general contractor & remodeler insurance in Minnesota, and anyone who quotes one without asking questions is guessing. The premium is built from the subcontracting ratio and certificate program, revenue and payroll, the share of roofing or structural work, builder's risk on financed projects, trucks and tools and claims history. A one-person operation and a ten-person crew doing the same work are priced nothing alike, and the same business is often quoted very differently by different carriers — which is the reason to compare more than one. The honest number is a quote: ten minutes with a licensed agent, and you will have it.
Do you need general contractor & remodeler insurance in Minnesota?
Residential building contractors and remodelers in Minnesota generally need a license from the Department of Labor and Industry, with an exemption for very small operators. Workers' compensation is generally required once you have employees, and homeowners and lenders routinely require certificates.
How do I get a certificate of insurance for my business?
Call or text (507) 451-1168 with the name and address of whoever needs it. Certificates of insurance are part of the service, and when a contract asks for additional-insured status, a waiver of subrogation or specific limits, we read the requirement and tell you plainly whether the policy meets it before you sign. Send the insurance section of any contract over to us; that is what we are for.
General contractor insurance, answered plainly.
Do I need a license to remodel homes in Minnesota?
Residential building contractors and remodelers generally need a license from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, with an exemption for very small operators. Confirm current rules with DLI.
Are my subcontractors covered under my policy?
Generally only if they carry their own coverage and you collect certificates. Uninsured subs are often charged to your policy at audit as if they were employees.
Who buys builder's risk on a remodel?
It depends on the contract and the lender. Ask before the job starts; the homeowner's policy may not cover work in progress and your liability policy does not cover the client's house.
Do I need workers' comp with one helper?
Minnesota generally requires workers' compensation once you have employees, and a part-time helper usually counts. Talk with a licensed agent about how the requirement applies to your operation.
How much does general contractor & remodeler insurance cost?
It depends on the subcontracting ratio and certificate program, revenue and payroll, the share of roofing or structural work and your claims history — there is no list price. Different carriers quote the same business very differently, so compare. A quote takes about ten minutes.
Is general contractor & remodeler insurance required in Minnesota?
Residential building contractors and remodelers in Minnesota generally need a license from the Department of Labor and Industry, with an exemption for very small operators. Workers' compensation is generally required once you have employees, and homeowners and lenders routinely require certificates.
How do I get a general contractor insurance quote?
Call or text (507) 451-1168, stop by 121 W Broadway St in Owatonna, or request a quote online. A licensed agent will ask about your license, the mix of work, subcontractors, vehicles, tools and payroll, quote Farmers Insurance first, and check brokerage markets where they fit.