A companion to the California Contractor Insurance Handbook — this is the working version. Use it at each stage of a project rather than reading it once and forgetting it.

Before You Bid

  • Confirm your current GL and umbrella limits actually meet the project’s stated insurance requirements — don’t assume, check the specific numbers in the bid documents
  • Confirm your workers’ comp experience modification rate (X-Mod) is current and won’t disqualify you from GC prequalification
  • If the project is a wrap-up (OCIP/CCIP), understand how your bid needs to be submitted both fully-loaded and wrap-up net
  • Check whether the project requires bonding beyond your standard CSLB license bond (performance/payment bonds on public works)

Before You Start Work

  • Certificate of insurance issued and delivered to the GC/owner before mobilization, not after
  • Additional insured endorsement in place, not just requested — a pending endorsement is not the same as an active one
  • Waiver of subrogation endorsement added if required by contract
  • If enrolling in a wrap-up: enrollment paperwork fully submitted and confirmed, including for any lower-tier subcontractors you’re bringing on
  • Confirm your commercial auto policy covers the specific vehicles and drivers who’ll be on this project

While the Job Is Running

  • Report payroll on schedule if enrolled in a wrap-up — late reporting is the single biggest source of year-end audit surprises
  • Notify your broker immediately of any incident, even minor ones — delayed reporting makes claims harder to defend, not easier
  • Re-verify insurance for any new lower-tier subcontractor you bring on mid-project — this is the most common coverage gap on multi-tier jobs
  • Keep your own copies of every certificate and endorsement — don’t rely solely on the GC’s files

At Renewal

  • Review whether your average project size has grown enough to require higher limits
  • Confirm your X-Mod hasn’t drifted in a direction that will hurt future bid competitiveness
  • Revisit whether an umbrella policy addition makes sense if you didn’t carry one last year
  • If you’re planning your first project large enough for wrap-up consideration, start that conversation with your broker before you’re mid-negotiation on the bid

Kavana’s Recommendation

Treat this as a living checklist tied to your actual project calendar, not a one-time read. The contractors who avoid coverage gaps are the ones who run through the relevant section every time a project changes stage — not the ones with the best policy on paper.

Next Step

Not sure if a wrap-up makes sense for your project? Run the numbers in about a minute — get a preliminary readiness score, the reasoning behind it, and a recommended next step. Try the Wrap-Up Feasibility Calculator →