General liability for a small concrete contractor usually runs $1,500 to $4,000 a year — roughly $130 to $330 a month. That's higher than light trades like cleaning because concrete is heavy, permanent work with real injury and property risk. Add workers' comp, commercial auto, and equipment coverage and the all-in number climbs well past that.
We run our own home-service companies — a cleaning company in Tucson and an HVAC company in Sacramento — so insurance costs are something we live with, not theorize about. Here's what each policy covers, what pushes the price up, and the honest answer on what a solo flatwork contractor actually needs versus a crew pouring foundations.
The core policy. Covers property damage and injury to others — a poured slab that cracks a foundation, a passerby hurt near your work. A $1 million per-occurrence limit is the standard ask, and general contractors won't let you on site without proof of it.
Usually legally required once you have employees, and often the largest line for a concrete crew because the work is physical and injury rates are higher. Priced as a percentage of payroll and varies by state.
Your truck and trailer need commercial auto, which your personal policy won't cover for work use. Mixers, saws, and tools are covered under equipment or inland marine. Both scale with what you own and drive.
A broker will quote the full stack. As a solo flatwork contractor starting out, you can trim it:
What you cannot trim is the general liability policy. Most states require it for a contractor license, GCs won't hire an uninsured sub, and a single cracked-slab claim can dwarf years of premiums. This is the rare cost where going without it is the expensive choice.
Insurance protects you, and it also closes work. Homeowners comparing concrete contractors look for "licensed and insured" before they let a crew pour in their yard, and general contractors require proof before you can bid. That coverage only does its selling job if people can see it — which means it has to be on a site that shows up when they search for a concrete contractor.
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General liability alone is $1,500–$4,000 a year for a small contractor. Add workers' comp once you hire, commercial auto for the truck, and equipment coverage, and the total climbs well beyond that.
Usually a $1 million general liability policy and, for commercial sites, proof of workers' comp. Many jobs require specific limits before you can bid, so check the contract.
No. Most states require it for a license, GCs won't hire uninsured subs, and one claim can cost more than years of premiums. The question is how much coverage, not whether to carry it.
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